A new indoor golf concept with no employees on site, private simulator bays and hourly rates starting at $35 is set to open in Kips Bay. Block Golf's location at 335 E. 27th Street is scheduled to begin operating on October 3, 2026, according to one account, though rates and reservation details for the bays are already locked in regardless of the exact launch day.
PingPod Inc., the company behind the concept, has launched Block Golf as a new indoor golf option opening across New York City, as reported by silive.com. The Kips Bay opening date carries some uncertainty: silive.com's report states the location is scheduled to open on October 3, while a separate search-result snippet tied to the same report lists October 8 instead. The discrepancy has not been independently resolved.
The Kips Bay facility sits on the east side of Mt. Carmel Place, across from NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue and near the 28th Street subway station, according to WhatNow. Like PingPod's existing table tennis venues, Block Golf will operate without on-site staff, per the same silive.com report. Golfers reserve private bays through the company's mobile app or website, and each reservation can accommodate up to four people.
No Staff, No Front Desk — Just an App
The staffless model mirrors how PingPod already runs its ping pong locations. The company specializes in table tennis and operates facilities across the United States, including sites in Boston, Chicago, Miami, Phoenix and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, along with seven locations in New York City, per WhatNow. PingPod launched its table tennis concept in New York City in 2020 and later expanded into billiards with Sharks Pool Club, according to the silive.com report.
Block Golf extends that same autonomous operating model into golf, marking PingPod's third sport, according to Golf Business Review. The publication describes Block Golf as a 24-hour autonomous simulator concept beginning with four locations across New York City. Block Golf's own website confirms the round-the-clock access, advertising private indoor golf that is open 24/7.
What's Inside the Bays
Each Block Golf facility includes golf simulators along with a replay feature at the bays, per WhatNow's reporting. The company's website adds that the bays run in range mode with full TrackMan shot data, giving golfers detailed feedback on their swings. Beyond solo practice, Block Golf also offers 1-on-1 lessons and group classes with golf professionals, and it hosts tournaments and league nights, according to the Block Golf website.
David Silberman said, per a press release cited by WhatNow, that Block Golf makes it easier for golfers to stay close to the game. Golf Business Review reports a similar rationale from Silberman, framing the smaller, autonomous format as a way to place golf closer to where customers live and work, since consistent practice is difficult given limited time and space. Block Golf is designed as an affordable golfing option that can fit into smaller storefronts, according to WhatNow.
More Locations Coming Before Year's End
Kips Bay is not the only stop in Block Golf's rollout. PingPod said it will open additional facilities on the Upper West Side, in the East Village and in Fort Lee, New Jersey, later this year, according to silive.com. Golf Business Review reports that the first Block Golf site is already open in Williamsburg, with Kips Bay, the Upper West Side and the East Village scheduled to follow later in the year, while a fifth location is planned for Fort Lee.
PingPod's broader footprint underscores the scale behind the expansion. The company operates 25 locations globally and has generated more than 500,000 bookings across its existing businesses, per silive.com's reporting. Block Golf itself has said it will release more information on its website in the near future, according to WhatNow, leaving some specifics about the Kips Bay opening still to be confirmed.
