Crazy Golf, Topgolf and Darts Stag Do

Not every stag do needs a man in camouflage shouting at you. Sometimes the best plan is a bar, a few games and a scoreboard that tells everyone exactly who’s rubbish. That’s the idea behind a crazy golf stag do, and the wider world of what the industry likes to call “competitive socialising”. Which is a fancy way of saying playing games with a drink in your hand.

Crazy golf bars have come a long way from the windmill on the seafront. Think indoor courses with daft themed holes, music, cocktails and food, usually in town centres so you can walk straight on to the next bar. Darts bars do the same for the oche, with automatic scoring so nobody has to do the maths after four pints. Plenty of these places have shuffleboard too, which looks easy right up until you try it.

After 18 holes on a real course instead? That’s a golf stag do, and it has its own guide.

Topgolf turns a driving range into a game. You hit balls from your own bay at big targets out on the range, the balls are tracked, and you score points depending on where they land. Food and drink come to the bay, there’s music on, and it’s as much fun for someone who’s never held a club as for the bloke who won’t stop mentioning his handicap. Topgolf has venues around the UK, so check which one is nearest to your base.

It’s the perfect compromise for a mixed group. The golfers get to show off, the non-golfers get to laugh at them when they shank one into the netting, and everyone gets fed. If your stag is a golf nut but half the group would rather eat their own socks than walk 18 holes, this is where you meet in the middle.

Honestly, almost everyone. This is my go-to when the guest list is a proper mix. Dads, uncles, the future father-in-law, the mate with a newborn who needs to be home by midnight. Nobody needs kit, nobody needs to be fit and nobody ends up covered in mud. It’s an especially good shout for an over-40s stag where the lads still want some competition without needing a physio on Monday.

It also works brilliantly as a pre-drinks activity. Book a slot for late afternoon or early evening, get the rivalries going, then roll straight into dinner and the bars. You’ve got your icebreaker, a running feud and at least one sore loser before the night has properly started.

• Book ahead for Saturdays. Weekend evenings fill up fast, especially for big groups. Get your slot in early.
• Ask how groups work. Most venues cap how many people play per hole, lane or bay, so a larger stag will be split up. Turn that into teams and keep a running score.
• Check for food deals. Some venues do group packages with food included. Worth asking before twelve of you order separately and spend an hour splitting the bill.
• Fancy dress. Usually fine, but some venues have rules for stag groups. A quick email saves an awkward chat on the door.
• Run a league. Crazy golf, then darts, then shuffleboard. Points for each round and a forfeit for whoever finishes bottom. Our stag do dares will keep the losers busy.

Because these venues are in city centres, they slot into pretty much any city break. Pair a round of crazy golf with a pub crawl, or add a beer tasting session for a laid-back Saturday. If the stag wants the real thing, look at a proper golf stag do, or try footgolf, which is golf for people who prefer kicking things.

For more low-key ideas, browse the full list of stag do ideas.