Genelec delivers dynamic audio at Germany’s reimagined crazy golf destination
Golf Meets Nightlife
“Crazy golf reimagined.” This is how the Managing Directors of Gastro Golf, Brian and Tim Pyschny, describe their latest and most inventive mini-golf experience. Pitch, an indoor crazy golf course, combines the classic social game with an energetic club atmosphere, making it Oberhausen’s newest destination for friends, couples, stag and hen parties, corporate events, birthdays, or an after-work get-together. Designed and built by Gastro Golf, which specialises in the development of mini-golf facilities and hospitality, Pitch’s extraordinary playing environment operates across two floors: an eighteen-hole golf course on the ground floor, and a bar and darts lounge upstairs. To unify these zones as one cohesive environment, Genelec Smart IP loudspeakers deliver a connected and flexible soundscape to elevate the venue’s social appeal.
After exploring similar entertainment venues during a trip to the United States, the Pyschny brothers were inspired to bring an equally innovative concept to Germany. A former florist warehouse became the location for this experience, with a second level added to expand the space to 760 m². In a nod to the building’s former use, floral imagery plays a significant role in the interior design. Artificial flowers decorate each course, a large blossom tree stands in the centre of the golf course, extending up to the lounge level, while an elaborate lighting design complements the vibrant interior. Within this immense open-plan space, the audio system would need to provide high-quality sound reinforcement and consistent coverage across each floor.
The tonal character delivered by the 4430 loudspeakers is neutral and balanced, with the consistency to match the pendant loudspeakers for a seamless sonic experience throughout.
Finding the Balance
“From the outset, it was clear that sound would not be an afterthought,” says Mike Terbeck, Managing Director of Mike Tec Eventtechnik, a full-service technical event production company based in Oberhausen. “The owners defined their requirements early and without ambiguity. They wanted background music throughout the venue with a strong foundation, as it would need to elevate the overall experience. However, it must not be intrusive or distracting to visitors, who should be able to speak comfortably without raising their voices.” Alongside these requirements, flexibility was another key consideration to ensure audio could adapt easily to different audiences or times of day. During the afternoon, subtle background music would sit underneath conversations, before giving way to live DJ sets in the evening that reinforce the club atmosphere.
Filterworks, a recording studio and installation company that had already been working with the Pyschny brothers, was responsible for the intricate lighting design. “Given the ambition of the brief, Filterworks’ Christoph Czempiel was the natural first port of call for the technical execution of the project,” reveals Terbeck. “He brought Mike Tec into the project due to our experience in event technology and permanent installations.” To assess suitable audio solutions for the venue, Terbeck collaborated with professional audio service provider and distributor, Audio Pro. Together, they evaluated several commercial audio and PA systems using loaned loudspeakers for live, on-site demonstrations, enabling them to accurately assess each option under the venue’s real-world acoustic conditions.
“Due to the open-plan architecture, one major challenge was finding suitable mounting positions for the loudspeakers,” Terbeck explains. “We did not have any flat surfaces throughout the golf course for traditional mounting. Each hole also features unique moving obstacles, introducing a combination of reflective and absorptive materials that had to be taken into account.”
A single standard CAT cable carrying audio, power, and control is every integrator’s dream – it’s clean and straightforward to implement.
Connected by Design
“Volker Holtmeyer from Audio Pro recommended Genelec,” continues Terbeck. “We had previously only known the brand in a studio context, but the brand’s German distributor, Audio Pro had a lot of experience using the Smart IP series for installed sound applications.” Following the on-site demonstration, the Genelec system emerged as the clear choice, offering both the premium sound quality and flexibility that the owners specified.
A total of eighteen Smart IP loudspeakers provide the audio solution for Pitch. Holtmeyer’s acoustic design expertise and experience with Genelec allowed him to identify the most suitable models and prime positioning. Flown above the crazy golf holes are seven 4436A pendant loudspeakers, which deliver the primary coverage to the course. These hanging loudspeakers are optimal for open, high-ceiling spaces such as Pitch, as they allow sound to be projected evenly to the vast listening field below. “Thanks to the wide dispersion of the pendant design, we were able to achieve consistent coverage of the entire hall with just seven loudspeakers,” states Terbeck.
“To deliver the solid low-end foundation the operators were looking for, three compact PoE-powered 3440A Smart IP subwoofers are also flown over the golf course,” Terbeck describes. “By offloading low-frequency reproduction from the loudspeakers, the 3340A increases overall SPL headroom while simultaneously reducing distortion and improving detail resolution.” This additional headroom becomes particularly valuable in the evening, when the system is pushed harder to support the venue’s club atmosphere. Maintaining clarity at higher levels helps minimise listener fatigue, encouraging visitors to stay after their golf session and spend more time in the bar lounge. “Depending on time of day and audience, Pitch operates at different SPL levels, switchable via a control tablet – from subtle background ambience through to full bar energy. During DJ sets, the subs truly come into their own, delivering real club-level impact while still leaving guests free to hold a conversation.”
Throughout the entrance area, bar and darts lounge, additional support is provided by eight 4430A wall-mounted loudspeakers. As the largest model in the Smart IP range, the 4430s provide these zones with extended low-frequency response and greater output capability. “They are wall-mounted using flexible brackets that allow precise directional alignment,” says Terbeck. “The tonal character delivered by the 4430 loudspeakers is neutral and balanced, with the consistency to match the pendant loudspeakers for a seamless sonic experience throughout.”
While the audio quality and power were important factors in the selection of Genelec, perhaps the most significant technical advantage was the PoE+ backbone. By carrying audio, power, and control over a single CAT cable, Smart IP significantly simplified the system infrastructure, reducing cabling requirements and eliminating the need for separate loudspeaker-level amplification. Audio is distributed via Dante through a Netgear AV-Line M4250 switch, which provides a 1,440 W PoE budget with sufficient capacity to power every loudspeaker at full PoE+.
“In installations with many loudspeakers, amplifier placement becomes increasingly crucial,” explains Terbeck. “With Smart IP, amplification is built into each loudspeaker and power is delivered over the network, which makes installation, maintenance and system expansion much more straightforward. We also gained a high degree of flexibility for individual controls. If the audio concept ever moves from a unified soundscape towards more defined zones, this can be reconfigured through the network with minimum adjustments to the physical installation.”
Reinforcing this point, Christoph Czempiel adds: “A single standard CAT cable carrying audio, power, and control is every integrator’s dream – it’s clean and straightforward to implement. It also makes planning for future expansion easy. There’s always room for one more CAT cable.”
Beyond the ease of integration, the sleek aesthetic design of the Smart IP series makes it ideal for installations where technical infrastructure needs to sit comfortably within a highly considered interior. The striking open-plan venue is filled with black structural framework combined with bold floral decoration to create a modern yet elegant atmosphere. “The minimal and clean design of the Genelec pendant speakers was, alongside the outstanding audio quality, a decisive factor for a project like Pitch,” comments Sebastian Bayer, Project Manager at Mike Tec. “The venue is so elaborately designed from a visual standpoint that it was important that the technical side would add to this rather than distract from it.” Finished in Genelec’s standard black enclosures, the pendant loudspeakers, subwoofers, and wall-mounted models naturally complement the venue’s architecture.
The minimal and clean design of the Genelec pendant speakers was, alongside the outstanding audio quality, a decisive factor for a project like Pitch.
System in Full Swing
Once Pitch had officially opened its doors to visitors, the Genelec sound system proved an integral part of the atmosphere. Across both floors, the system delivers even coverage, clear audio reproduction, and the flexibility to move comfortably between daytime ambience and high-energy evening sessions. “The result is a natural and impactful, yet never overbearing, listening experience,” concludes Terbeck. “Music at Pitch is exactly what it should be – an essential part of the experience that never forces itself to the foreground. The focus remains where it belongs: on playing together, connecting with others and sharing something out of the ordinary.”
The Details
Client
Gastro Golf GmbH
Integrator
Mike Tec Eventtechnik GmbH
Sound Design/Genelec Distributor
Audio Pro GmbH
Installation/Lighting Design
Filterworks
Loudspeakers
7 x 4436A
3 x 3440A
8 x 4430A
Network & Control
Dante Controller
Netgear AV-Line M4250
