HSBC Golf Zone at the 149th Open Championship

Following the UK government’s 11th hour decision to classify the 149th Open Championship as an official ‘test event’ to relieve COVID-19 restrictions, we were faced with a little under a month to prepare our activation. Whilst it was important to celebrate HSBC’s 10th year as a proud Patron of The Open and to deliver an activation that excited fans starved of live event experiences, it was critical that we maintained a cautious and respectful approach that was mindful of the current climate and ensured public health and safety were the priority.

We designed a simulator-based experience that allowed for mass participation with a safety-first approach, built around a simple ‘closest to the pin’ mechanic. Instead of having one or two simulators that could have resulted in lengthy dwell times, we maximized the space of our structure and built 5 spacious bays and a freely navigable queuing system that gave visitors ample space to play and wait. Fans won HSBC & The Open merchandise if they entered into the top ten each day. The winner on each day got 2 tickets to The 150th Open Championship at St Andrew’s in 2022.