The Mini Golf Enthusiast

Drinking and Golfing for a Good Cause

2007-02-10T10:43:00.000-06:00

The Barstool Open, a series of national charity events, combines two favorite leisure time activities into one stumblingly entertaining fundraising extravaganza. Think pub crawl with putters. Most of the events benefit United Cerebral Palsy, but I found one in Minnesota whose proceeds are given to the Special Olympics.

Golfers hitting the links and the drinks at the Kansas City Open.

Decatur, IL already hosted its 2007 event which had 828 participants and raised more than $30,000 for United Cerebral Palsy. The Herald and Review provides some details of the alcohol soaked fun:

The Barstool Open involves a series of miniature golf rounds played by teams who are shuttled or driven by designated drivers between 28 bars and restaurants in the Decatur area. Each business builds its own creative golf hole to test the skill of the players, who even get to vote on their favorite challenge.

You may just find yourself doing the golf club limbo after a few rounds of drink and golf.

If you would like to participate, other Barstool Opens are taking place in: Kansas City (February 24th), Lincoln, Nebraska (simultaneous events on February 24th taking place at two different sets of bars), Omaha, Nebraska (February 10th), Erie, Pennsylvania (February 24), and Minneapolis (February 10th). Those are the Opens I could find, check your local area to see if one is taking place close to where you live. All of the events with the exception of Minneapolis' benefits United Cerebral Palsy.

Image: skugs
tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture | fundraising | cerebral palsy | benefit | charity

What's in a Name?

2007-02-03T20:18:00.001-06:00

In an unusual move to say the least, newly married New Zealand couple Greg Marshall and Adrienne Foley decided to wager which one of their last names they would use as a family. In a wedding dress and tux, the couple decided their fate by playing a round of miniature golf. If she won, they would be known to the world as the Foleys; if he won they would adopt Marshall as their moniker.

According to Stuff.co.nz, Ms. Foley, knowing that her husband to be had more putting experience and thus an advantage in the upcoming match, used pyschological strategies before the game to try to balance the playing field. Despite her efforts, she lost, however, and will now be known as Mrs. Foley. While a married woman keeping her name is somewhat rare, it is all but impossible to find a husband who takes his wife's name. I give him credit for being so open minded, but then again, he did seem to have the edge.

Congratulations to the happy couple!

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture

Traveling Golf

2007-01-31T10:25:00.000-06:00

Karen Winkler at the Fredda Turner Durham Children's Museum, part of the Museum of the Southwest, (in Midland, TX) saw a mini golf exhibit at a museum she visited and thought it would be a good idea for the Children's Museum, but the traveling show was too cost prohibitive. Many good ideas are born out of necessity and the Museum developed a nine-hole portable mini golf course featuring holes inspired by different countries. As reported in the Midland Reporter-Telegram:

The response has been 'great,' said Winkler. 'All ages can play it. The younger ones just play for the sake of playing. The older ones actually use a score card that we've designed.

After they have played a round of golf, they have to find an answer for the fill-in-the-blank question on each hole. And we have just odd and unusual facts about each country at each hole.

For example, the India hole is named "All for Love" and shows the Taj Mahal. The fill-in-the-blank question reads: "You have to remove your _______ before entering the Taj Mahal."

The around-the-world locations featured are London, England, North America's National Parks, India, Africa, Italy, Australia, South America, Mexico and China.

A clever aspect of the "Global Golf: Just Puttin' a Round" exhibit is that the Museum can lend it out to other museums (right now you may see it at the Grace Museum in Abilene, TX) for a an affordable fee which helps the Museum of the Southwest to generate revenue while providing other museums with an interesting interactive exhibit that they can afford.

Image: Biepmiep
tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture | Texas | museums | exhibits

Random Acts of Golf

2007-01-24T21:05:00.000-06:00

If you have read much of this blog, you will know that this all started to record and celebrate the "old school" courses filled with fantastical windmills, creepy clowns, and mini replicas of local landmarks. I felt starting this blog was necessary because it seems as though these courses with character are being replaced as more and more with standardized "pirate" themes, superfluous running water that comes from and goes to nowhere, and courses trying to replicate "big" golf, becoming no more than glorified putting greens for "big" golfers to practice putts. I have found other sites that similarly celebrate the inventive side of golf. The first, redtongue.com, shares an irreverent tour of a classic course in Tucson, AZ. Agilitynut.com has an amazing photo collection of courses often accompanied by historical notes.

Here's to the old ones!

Image: Brent and Marilynn

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture

Pros Caught on Tape!

2007-01-21T20:40:00.000-06:00

Want to know what it's like to live life as a mini golf pro? Think you have what it takes? CBS 2 Chicago recently caught up with some players at the U.S. Masters of Mini Golf tournament revealing their dedication, some amazing putts, and a few tips along the way.

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture

Mini Golf Game of the Month - Nabiscoworld

2007-01-17T09:33:00.000-06:00

Who knew that the most challenging, free, online 36 holes of miniature golf would come from Nabisco? At nabiscoworld.com they created two 18-hole courses (course 1, course 2) that are not for the weak of heart or those who get easily frustrated. While not very visible, you may notice in the graphic below that my score by hole twelve on course 2 is 106. (Scores definitely improve with practice.) These courses are tough, but very creative if you can get past all of the product placement.

It is hard to miss that Hole 12 draws its inspiration from Chips Ahoy.

May I also suggest playing the game on a full stomach as Nabisco products figure prominently as obstacles and "decoration." Even if you do not eat their creations, after staring at cookies, crackers, and other treats for a half an hour you are bound to work up an appetite.

Finding Indoor (and Outdoor) Courses

2007-01-14T11:53:00.000-06:00

Just because winter seems to have finally arrived doesn't mean your mini golfing activities should go into hibernation. It can be difficult to find listings of indoor mini golf courses. In fact, I didn't find any that specifically listed only indoor golf, but I found several websites that compile master-lists of mini golf courses which you can use as a base to find the indoor golf course of your dreams:

Excite - List of U.S. and international courses
Miniature Golf Courses - Alphabetical list of US courses by state
Quicknetguide - Random list of courses
Reference.com - Alphabetical by name of course - mostly U.S. some international
Professional Miniature Golf Association - List of courses by state
Planjam.com - An excellent source of courses that you search by zip code

Visual cacophony surrounds you when you play glow golf.

Another strategy to find an indoor golfing venue is to use your favorite search engine to enter the terms "glow golf." All the rage right now, a new glow in the dark course seems to be built every week. Using black lights and dizzyingly painted scenery and obstacles, mini golf has learned what bowling did many years ago, that by adding darkness and neon glowing paint you can transform an ordinarily fun experience into an extreme sport of sensory overload.

An additional way to find courses, as unlikely as it may seem, is to go to flickr.com, the photography site, and enter the terms "glow golf" or "indoor mini golf." Not only will you see great photographs of courses, but usually, the photographs have search tags indicating where the photographer took the picture. A couple companies I know of, The Putting Edge, and Monster Golf are building glow golf empires. The Putting Edge has several locations including: Chicago (suburbs), Denver, Detriot, Memphis, and St. Louis. The website lists all of the locations.

Monster Golf has a bit more subdude color scheme but is more interactive. You can read an extensive review of the course here. They have several New England locations and others in New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.

I played at the Putting Zone's Lincolnshire, IL course a couple of years ago, and I have to say the course was not challenging, but it felt as though I entered a fantastical landscape and it certainly beats going months without playing golf.

Image: Amarnath

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture

Saving T-Rex

2007-01-13T12:44:00.001-06:00

Most dinosaur conservation efforts involve archeologists piecing together the remains of an historical past. In Jacksonville, Florida, dinosaur conservation takes its more art historical meaning as students from the University of North Florida will work to restore a local landmark, a towering mini-golf staple, to its former glory. In April, the T-Rex will undergo sandblasting, pressure washing, and needed repairs to be covered by a fresh coat of paint. The restoration itself is not particularly unusual, although I do celebrate its preservation, what makes this conservation effort particularly noteworthy, is that the mini golf course no longer exists. Once an icon luring people to its fake grass interior, over time, it became a notable landmark of its own worthy of keeping. The developer of the site will work with the University of North Florida Building and Construction Management Program to restore the dinosaur, which I find to be particularly a remarkable partnership. Developers do not have reputations for expressing nostalgic attachments to existing structures.

All I have to say is, "Bravo!"

Image: News4Jax.com
tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture | preservation

Indoor Mini Golf Tournament Extravaganza

2007-01-07T20:41:00.000-06:00

Book your calendars, Blackberries, or your memory, and get to Des Moines, Iowa on February 3rd for the 22nd annual Skywalk Open Golf Tournament. Billed as the largest indoor mini golf event of its kind, the city's downtown skyways become a 57-hole temporary golf course.

Golf above ground in the skyways of Des Moines, Iowa

The event hosts three separate 19-hole courses. Everyone gets a bit of help, after playing 19 holes in a course, the best scores from 18 of the holes count in the final score. The event is expected to draw about 2,000 players. Refreshements and entertainment add to the golfing festivities.

A pirate-themed hole from Skywalk Golf 2006

If you register on or before January 25th the fee is $20.00 per golfer. The fee rises to $25.00 after that date. You may find specific details at the Downtown Des Moines Skywalk Golf website. Based on website images, product placement and sponsorship appear to strongly influence hole-design and themes, but it nonetheless looks like a lot of winter-time golfing fun.

Images: electricbluesound, Downtown Des Moines Skywalk Golf

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture | mini golf events | Des Moines

Give Golf a Chance

2007-01-06T09:00:00.000-06:00

Sometimes things just don't work out. In Şanlıurfa, Turkey Adil Müslüm Özkan opened a nine-hole minature golf course to introduce residents to the sport which has gained popularity in Instanbul. In a move quicker than Fox network cancelling a new television program, he was so dissapointed in the opening-day turnout, that he decided to close the course the very same day. As reported in the Turkish Daily News, the owner stated:

I wanted to introduce the locals to alternative types of sports. Golf is both a sport and allows social interaction. People in Istanbul play it all the time, and I thought people in the East deserved it, too. However, I was humiliated when no one came. I will gather everything up and return to Istanbul.

Personally, I would advocate a little time to give mini golf a chance, but that certainly demonstrates my Western capitalistic sensibilites, and I certainly don't blame him for being upset. It is very unfortunate, however, as the course looks like a fun diversion to me. Now if residents decide to play, it seems as though they will have to commute to Istanbul.

Image: Turkish Daily News

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture

Table Top Mini Golf

2006-12-31T19:44:00.000-06:00

Challenged by the cost of developong a full-scale indoor mini golf course, Scott and Andrea Davis who run Bubba's Family Fun Center in Richmond, MI (north-northeast of Detroit) decided to create a more cost-effective alternative, table top mini golf. The Macomb Daily reports that:

Tabletop golf at Bubba's is played on modular tables about three feet above the ground, covered in artificial turf. You hit the balls with one of three swing-arm pendulum "clubs:" the driver (red), fairway (white) and putter (blue). The driver, the heaviest of the three, remains stationary at the beginning of each hole, but the other two can be moved.

There are also a few obstacles to increase the difficulty of each hole, such as a bump in the green or a board with a hole in it across the fairway. Davis intends to add more, including water hazards.

For those who want a novel challenge or who have back injuries or strain this offers an interesting alternative to traditional mini golf. If you live in or find yourself in the Detroit area, you may just want to test your skills.

Image: miscpix

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture | Detroit

Holiday Break Mini Golf Crafts

2006-12-18T13:28:00.000-06:00

Winter break is just about upon us and for those who have children, it means finding worthwhile entertainment and distractions. Why not combine the thrill of mini golf with a skills-building creativity outlet by making your own course? It need not be the elaborate 18-hole basement golf course built as a Christmas present I wrote about in October. Most of the course ideas I found use basic items found around the home or in some cases, outside the home. You do not need to worry about having golf clubs either, several of the sites included below offer their own suggestions for club replacements.

Snow golf from FamilyFun.com

Just because it is winter, that shouldn't stop those of us who live in the cold climes from enjoying a little outdoor golfing fun. We are hearty right? FamilyFun.com presents an intriguing idea - making your own winter wonderland course outdoors in the snow by packing it down to simulate putting greens. I am not too keen on the use of food dye to color snow, but the idea certainly sounds fun. Use a broom or a hocky stick as a putter and tap your imagination to create snow-based or object-based obstacles. Of course, this idea requires snow. But fret not, the folks at FamilyFun.com, also have course ideas for those living in warmer environments who don't mind destroying their yards with holes. They suggest digging holes in the ground with trowels and then placing small flower pots in them to create golf holes.

If digging in the dirt or braving cold temperatures do not sound appealing, there are plenty of indoor golf ideas. Highlights, the children's magazine, has a suggestion for teachers that could easily translate to the home, hosting a children's mini golf party. They provide ideas for invitations, mini golf activities, and even mini golf-themed snacks!

For those of you feeling tempted by the allure of paint, FamilyFun.com shares ideas for a Safari-themed indoor course, including a clever suggestions for creating "holes" using construction paper and a juice can lid and making golf balls from aluminum foil. Additional inspiration may be found in the "Activity Library" at Creative Kids that lists some ideas for DIY indoor golf. Another source of ideas may be found at the Science Museum of Minnesota where children documented the development of their own course.

Safari golf from FamilyFun.com

Once you create your course, having coordinating golf balls is a finishing touch. Parenthood.com shares a super easy and quick ball painting activity or if the children are old enough they can paint their own elaborate designs on the balls.

These projects prove that mini golfing isn't just for summer anymore.

Miss Putt Putt - Mini Golf and Beauty

2006-12-14T10:42:00.000-06:00

Hole-in-one contests. Okay, that makes sense. Mini golf tournament. Nothing too special about that. Beauty contest, woah, wait a minute, beauty contest? Mini golf and beauty pageants, beauty pageants and mini golf, who knew these two seemingly incongruous worlds ever met?

Will the real Miss Putt Putt please stand up?

A nostalga/history column in Missssippi's Sun Herald recently feaured a flashback to Miss Putt Putt 1958. Yes, that is right, the Putt Putt family of mini golf establishments sponsored national events including a beauty contest. The winner received $500 (not too shabby) and a free trip across the U.S. What, no free mini golf or putter? I guess you could use your winnings to buy all the mini golf one could handle. I wonder what shape the tiara took. The jokes to be made here are just too easy. The article offers no specific information on the requirements of the contest. Did young women have to navigate the course in outrageously large ballgowns? Were they required to answer interview questions related to their favorite golf hole or their best score?

Unfortunately, for now, this must remain a mystery, but we certainly can have some fun speculating.

Image: mhofstrand

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf
| crazy golf | pop culture | beauty contest

Mini Golf Game of the Month - Holiday Mini Putt

2006-12-11T19:28:00.000-06:00

Don't let the basic graphics fool you, this twelve-hole course, simply called Holiday Mini Putt, packs in the fun. Don't let the name fool you either, the holiday theme is pretty much limited to the names of the golf holes (cleverly inspired by the "Twelve Days of Christmas") and graphics between the holes updating the score, but it nonetheless is a worthwhile distraction from holiday chores and stresses. At the end of the game, you are given the option of spreading the fun to others via email.

Happy Holidays!

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture

Golf For All

2006-12-05T21:16:00.000-06:00

Kiel Christianson at travelgolf.com blogs shares an inspirational mini golf story. Erich Sollenberger, a high school teacher in Metairie, Louisiana who heads the school's Horitculture Club, worked with his club (itself comprised of severely autistic children) to create a mini golf course for paralyzed kids. Mr. Sollenberger remarks:

'I have had many speaking engagements...and I can tell you that the audiences are confused about kids with broken necks playing [miniature golf]. [Then] I pull out an electric putter that fits onto a wheelchair, and I get big fat smiles all around. That's when they start to get it.'

'The putter has an up and down mechanism run by a battery. The battery lifts the putter over the pavers that outline the course. [The player] lifts the putter by a toggle switch near his thumb and chest. Each person that uses the putter will be different and we will have to adjust. Once the wheelchair bound person gets to the ball he runs into the ball to propel it forward.'

He reports that the putter is one of a kind engineered by biomedical engineers at Tulane University; it will fit on any kind of wheelchair and can be operated by individuals who have paralysis from the neck down.

The course has nine holes and still is a work in progress. If you would like to donate to this project you can contact Mr. Sollenberger at 504-888-7334 at Grace King High School.

Image: jaarons

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture

Preserving Golf

2006-12-01T21:27:00.000-06:00

Last month, western New York's Landmark Society handed out awards for achievements in preservation excellence. One of the unlikely recepients was the Parkside Whispering Pines Mini Golf Course in Irondequoit, NY.

"Old school" golf gets its recognition at the Parkside Whispering Pines Course

It has the distinction of being the first mini golf course added to the National Register of Historic Places and perhaps (there seems to be a bit of disagreement about this as Geneva-on-the-Lake Mini Golf in Ohio claims to it started operations in 1924) the oldest course remaining in the U.S. having opened in 1929. At that time, the course used crushed rock, which needed to be groomed several times a day, as its putting surface. Created before the days of gargantuan fiberglass replicas of people, places, and things the course emphasizes challenges based on shifting topography and excellent putting skills, providing a glimpse into mini golf's glorious hey day.

Now the question is, when will the stupendous object-based courses, the ones which some unfortunately suggest relegate mini golf into the laughable annals of worthless pastimes, be taken seriously as they become replaced with boring mini-big-golf putting greens. Only time will tell.

Image: agility nut

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture | historic preservation | historic landmarks

Alligator Pranks

2006-11-25T20:28:00.000-06:00

With a headline like, "Alligator Stolen From Mini-Golf Course" one imagines young rapscallions absconding with fiberglass replicas of their toothy real-life counterparts. Not so. The St. Petersburg Times reports (with multiple misspellings I must add) that a group of men and women were caught on security cameras stealing alligators from the Congo River Adventure Golf Course's Pond in Clearwater, FL.

All types of alligators present their own dangers to mini golfers.

The pranksters took off with REAL alligators who call the mini-golf course home. The manager of the course had these words of wisdom to share, “This a dangerous prank...These people are not particularly concerned about being bitten or anything. They just want the gators.”

This gives a whole new meaning to a mini golf water hazard.

Image: Face Value

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture

Mini Golf Game of the Month - Verti Golf

2006-11-18T20:30:00.000-06:00

It's time for the mini golf game of the month. This month I chose Verti Golf and Verti Golf 2. To play all of the available holes requires a fee, but for each of the games you may play 5 holes of each for free, just click on the demo version. The games are so fun to play that even though only a few holes are available, I thought they were worth highlighting.

Enjoy!

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | game

Holiday Entertaining - Mini Golf Style

2006-11-14T22:43:00.000-06:00

Even though it all started innocently enough, as an alternative approach to celebrating Valentine's Day, Leslie Crawford and Steve Fox's brilliantly inspired idea translates well to almost any celebratory event. And as we enter the "entertaining season" we all can use a little inspiration.

In 1993 the couple invited a few friends over to a "bring-your-own-mini-golf-hole" party which, little did they know, would eventually become an at-times yearly (now they host it bi-annually) jam-packed 200 person charity event.

Teeny-tiny mini golf holes accompany their larger cousins at the
May 2006 CrawFox Mini-Golf Benefit

On their site, crawfox.com they have a wonderful photo archive of each event from 1993 to the present and accompanying narrative that highlights each year's outstanding mini golf creations. Some notables include an Evel Knievel canyon jump hole, an interactive experimental hole where players donned goggles that played video of themselves playing the hole (very existential), and a hole that featured a perfectly-scaled miniature replica of Pac-Bell park in San Francisco. Now THAT is one huge bunch o' creativity.

A mini-golf cake doubles as a hole at the 2006 event. Players needed to place the chocolate golf ball into the cake top with the goal of having it land in a hole at the center of a cupcake.

Their last event was held this past May which means we have to wait until 2008 for the next extravaganza. Perhaps it could become your own new tradition, a remedy for what I find to be an always disappointing New Year's Eve. Now I just need to find friends who have any time to spare to create some mini golf magic.

Images: Jez and Brooke and crawfox.com

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture | entertaining | benefit | build your own mini golf

Going Forward By Looking Behind - Mini Golf and Development

2006-11-11T16:01:00.000-06:00

While I tend to focus on what I consider to be the tragic loss of classic miniature golf courses, as they often become victims to the relentless pursuit of development, occasionally, mini golf itself becomes a strategy for development.

In Arlington, VA, a small controversy is taking place over a small parcel of open space adjacent to the Ballston Common Mall. There is a proposal to develop a mini golf course at the location which would reportedly be one of the first of its kind built in such a densely populated area. (Although, I have a hard time believing this.) And as reported in The Connection, "County Officials believe a miniature golf facility outside the mall will serve as an economic boon for Ballston, bringing more families into the rapidly changing neighborhood."

T-Rexes will not make an appearance if the mini-golf project is approved.

The plan has its critics, however. Members of the local business community have their doubts about the economic viability of the potential project considering its high density location. Considering other tentative proposals included developing a park, not exactly a money maker, I don't really see what the problem is. And doesn't high density mean more potential customers? Yes, it does also mean higher property values but it seems as though the land is owned by the county. We've come full-circle, as this project harkens back to mini golf's urban hey-day when courses appeared on the rooftops of buildings in some of the densest cities in the US. The county has not decided whether or not it will help subsidize the course. This will probably be a key component to whether or not this plan comes to fruition.

This would not be the first course to appear in the neighborhood:

For Arlington teenagers in the 1960s, a balmy summer Saturday night might have started with a slice of pepperoni pizza at Mario's and ended with a milkshake at Tops Drive-in and its jumping jukebox.
But the Putt-Putt miniature golf course in Ballston Â located on the corner of Glebe Road and Wilson Boulevard Â was the social hub of teenage life, even into the following decade.
'It was a great place for young people to hang around on an evening. There was very little supervision,' said Kathryn Holt Springston, a local historian and 1971 graduate of H-B Woodlawn, while laughing.
Metro came to Ballston in 1979, permanently altering the character of the neighborhood. Land values surrounding the Metro entrance sky-rocketed, and the owners of the mini-golf course sold the land to a developer several years later.
The loss of the golf complex was emblematic of the changes sweeping the neighborhood. Ballston was beginning to transform from a sleepy post-World War II suburb into a bustling urban center.
'The mini-golf course was the pride of the neighborhood,' said Dennis Burr, president of the Ballston-Virginia Square Civic Association. 'Everyone was upset when they tore it out and put in a high-rise.'

The question is, is nostalgia driving development? In some sense I sure hope so, even though a promise has been made not to include a 300' T-Rex.

Image: mittens oh my!
tags: mini golf minigolf miniature golf pop culture

The Art of Golf Take Two

2006-11-09T21:05:00.000-06:00

In a previous post, I wrote about mini golf courses created by artists and lamented that they unfortunately, only had a brief existence, sometimes as short as a few hours. At best, some courses may last a few weeks as an art installation. I then suggested what I thought was a pretty good idea, if I say so myself, a permanent artist inspired golf course.

My hopes and dreams have come true. Unfortunately for me, they've come true far, far away in North-East Britain. In Northumberland, the Art and Architecture Programme at Kielder commissioned artist Wolfgang Weileder to create a mini golf course for Leaplish Waterside Park. While I cannot confirm its "permanent" status, it certainly seems to be a long-term art installation.

Titled Mapping, the 13 hole course derives its inspiration from the historical landscape of the area and innovatively, a player need not play the course in any specific order, start point, or end point. A player chooses the level of difficulty for each hole depending on where he or she places the ball. The scorecard helps players decide their course of action (ha, couldn't resist that pun).

The project sounds both fun and educational. While I hope to be able to visit this course, I also hope to find one a little bit closer to home. If anyone knows of one please let me know.

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture | art

Mini Golf From Space!!

2006-11-05T22:05:00.000-06:00

If you are a bit of a geek like me, being able to zoom in and out of nearly any point on the planet gives a little bit of thrill. Google Earth, a free downloadable broadband mapping program, is a collection of composite, searchable satellite images that literally cover the world. Since its debut, it has inspired virtual global travelers to search for their homes, vacation spots, and even covert locations such as Area 51. In the Google Earth Community, searchers post their finds to share with others. I found a thread of mini golf courses. The quality between images varies greatly, but it is fun to peek around to get a bird's eye view. You can search your own favorite courses by typing in the course's address in the "Fly To" tab.

It's not everyday that you can say that you flew in from space to visit your favorite golfing spot!

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture | Google Earth

Another Mini Golf Tragedy - Vegas, Baby, Vegas

2006-11-03T14:00:00.000-06:00

Today I report another tale of a grand mini golf course left to abandonment, a victim of the relentless forces of development in one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S., Las Vegas. These exquisitely executed buildings from the former Scandia Family Fun Center were once an alternative to the glitz and glamour of the strip.

What I particularly appreciate about the course, besides the beautiful buildings that I practically want to move in to, is the lack of a Vegas theme. While I normally go to a mini golf course with the hope that I will see a little microcosm of local symbols and culture, it would be just too predictable and easy to condense the Las Vegas experience. If anything, wooden Victorian houses have a much more exotic presence in the woodless desert landscape.

In case you were wondering what the future holds for the site, predictably, a towering condominium complex will soon rise from the ashes of misplaced Victorians and Astroturf. Sigh.

But all is not lost (literally); another Scandia Fun Center exits in Fairfield, CA and it seems to have all the intricately detailed miniature buildings one could hope for. We'll have to just wait and see how long it survives.

Images: Roadsidepictures

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture

Fighting Obesity One Golf Game at a Time

2006-10-29T19:41:00.000-06:00

A nursery school in Britain set up a nine-hole "crazy golf" course, as our friends across the pond term it, to help wee-ones stay fit. The lucky children even have access to a pro golf coach to teach them how to putt. Now that is swank!

As if that weren't enough, each hole has a letter shape that spells out "crazy golf" so they can learn their letters as well. It may not burn as many calories as chasing squirrels or climbing trees, but anything that engages children and gets them moving is a good thing.

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture

Favorite Featured Golf Hole #2 - Loop-the-Loop

2006-10-28T11:42:00.000-05:00

Par-King Skill Golf, in Lincolnshire, IL consistently receives local and national attention for its unique obstacles and well-maintained courses (two of them). Unlike Novelty Golf in Lincolnwood, IL (can't say we aren't proud of Lincoln's tenure in our state), the previous location of a mini golf hole favorite, where the lack of maintenance and course design create some very difficult challenges, Par King's courses are meticulously upkept and beautiful to look at but not very challenging. (They themselves will admit that.) This should not lead you to think that they are not fun to play, however.

Hole #9 on the Red Course, features a gravity-defying loop-the-loop. First you need to putt your ball into an opening at the bottom of the elevator/conveyor, the primary challenge of this hole. If you miss, other more conventional (and, might I add, far less dramatic) paths to the golf cup may be used. If you are lucky enough to reach the conveyor, using whatever means necessary, then the anticipation builds as you watch your ball slowly ascend to the top through a plexiglass opening made just for that purpose.

"Super Looper" Hole at Par-King in Lincolnshire, IL

Then gravity works its magic as the ball falls downward into the loop, whipping around (you can't take your eyes off of it or you will miss it) then it makes another short ascent after the loop where the ball is guided to the green below. Players of all ages, yours truly included, seemed captivated by both the speed and physics of this hole.

This is a beautifully executed, dynamic, unique and addictive hole that makes you want to come back for more and more. I never tired of watching the ball cascade down the ramp or the look of amusement and fascination on players’ faces. Height and speed are captivating and you get both with Par-King’s #9.

Image: MGE

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture

For the Mini Golfer Who Has Everything

2006-10-25T23:00:00.000-05:00

Want to give an unusual gift to that "special someone who has everything" or an "unspecial someone" at work with the intention of creating hours or at least several minutes of beneficial distraction from computer screens and cubicles? Then you should consider commissioning golf ball art by Steve Ellis.

Whether it's a portrait of a beloved family member or pet, your favorite crustacean, or some crazy dream-induced halcyon landscape, Steve Ellis will paint it in miniature on a golf ball. Perhaps it will become your recipient's lucky ball or sit comfortably on a shelf or desk as a pleasant reminder of the summer's mini golf triumphs.

You can pretty much rest assured he or she has not received a similar gift.

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture

Sending Vintage Golf - The Good Ol' Days

2006-10-21T09:34:00.000-05:00

In my obsessive quest to provide comprehensive resources of all things mini golf, I thought I would share some sites I found that feature images of mini golf's golden past. It can be difficult to find historic images of the sport, but a surprisingly rich and geographically varied historical record may be found in vintage postcards. While some of the sites' primary purpose is to sell postcards, that shouldn't stop you from enjoying a little virtual window browsing (pun fully intended).

Oldpostcards.com has a nice collection of European courses.

A small collection of Asbury Boardwalk (NJ) images may be found at Asburyboardwalk.com.

Miniaturegolfer.com has an excellent collection of European and US courses.

Miniature St. Andrews

2006-10-17T21:30:00.000-05:00

What do you get when you mix alchohol, Playboy Playmates, indoor gallery space, hay-style AstroTurf, and a replica of the Swilcan Bridge in St. Andrews? One heckuva testosterone-filled, kilt-clad, whisky-ignited promotional event that offers a downscale, some might say, mini golf challenge. The Chicago Sun-Times recently described how a Scottish whisky company created a nine hole indoor golf course meant to mimic the grass (reportedly thicker and wilder than its Amercian counterparts) and design of the one the most famous big golf courses in the world, St. Andrews.

Big St. Andrews

Those over 21 years of age (and apparently males) in the Chicago area have until October 20th to play the course free of charge. From there, it will green indoor spaces in Philadelphia, New York, Atlanta, Houston, Denver and San Francisco.

Have a whisky for me.

Image: sansfaime

tags: mini golf minigolf miniature golf crazy golf pop culture

Mini Golf Game of the Month - Pitch n' Put

2006-10-16T21:51:00.000-05:00

While I was hoping to get out to golf once more before cruel, cruel, winter hits us here in the Midwest, it looks as though mother nature has other plans for me and I will have to stick with virtual golf for the time being. Luckily, it is time for the mini golf game of the month here at MGE. I found a charming little course en français Pitch n' Put. The course consists of nine holes played through various rooms in a house. Each room has its own unique set of obstacles and a graphic between holes shows your progress through the house. The addition of family pets in some of the rooms is a nice touch. Enjoy!

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture | computer game

Reviewing Mini Golf

2006-10-12T22:20:00.000-05:00

Want to know where to find the best mini golf in your area? There are dedicated folks out there who take the time to review courses. So if you need to plan your next mini golf adventure, I have compiled a list of review sites. Most of the sites provide reviews of United States and international courses, but I will indicate the type of courses most represented for each link:

Putting Penguin
Lots of reviews of New England and East Coast courses

Mini Golf Connecticut
As the name implies, a list of courses and reviews of CT courses, but they are expanding to cover the Northeast

The Mini-Golf Review Page
A mix of US (mostly Eastern states) with a few international locations

The Professional Miniature Golf Association
A list of US courses including some reviews

Travel Yahoo
US/International mix of reviews

Miniaturegolfer.com
Mostly European reviews

Trip Advisor
A small number of mixed US/international reviews

Insider Pages
Reviews listed by a location that you select

Happy golfing!

Image: Hourman

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture | mini golf reviews

Destination - Spooky Golf

2006-10-07T08:45:00.000-05:00

In the last post, I fast-forwarded a bit to the winter holiday season, but Halloween is fast approaching and it seems only appropriate to highlight some ghoulish fun to be had on the miniature golf links.

Consistently making appearances on Illinois' "Top Ten" unusual/quirky/weird lists is Alghrim Acres, a nine-hole death-themed miniature golf course. Okay, there is nothing too unusual about a course that draws from the macabre as its creative inspiration, except that you will find this course located in the basement of a funeral home in suburban Palatine, IL.

Funeral parlor golf at Alghrim Acres

Out of respect for mourners, you may play golf when they do not have a funeral scheduled. So you will need to call ahead to make an appointment. The course is free and you will also find other no-cost amusements such as pinball and video games. You can read more about the course here.

Another spooky golf destination in Illinois is found in Burbank, IL at the Haunted Trails Amusement Park where you may enjoy a little bit o' Halloween fun throughout the summer months. But let's face it, the best time to go is now when one can smell the fresh pumpkin flesh and falling leaves in the air.

Confronting ghosts and ghouls at Haunted Trails

I played this course a few years ago, and my most potent memory was the blood red streams of water. It is not my favorite course, I don't remember the holes being that interesting of a challenge, but it is certainly worth a trip this time year, especially at night.

I will add more courses appropriate for Halloween hijinx as I find them. Until then, enjoy the last couple of weeks of outdoor golf (for those of us in the cold climes).

Spooky Golf Events:

In Kentucky:
The Adventure Falls Miniature Golf Course, in Richmond's Lake Reba Recreational Complex, will host "Glow in the Dark Halloween Golf" from 9-11 p.m. on Tuesday, October 31. (859) 626-0030.

Images: Roadside America, Agilitynut.com

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture | Alghrim Acres | Illinois Tourism | Halloween

Holiday Gift Ideas - Build Your Own Mini Golf

2006-10-05T20:19:00.000-05:00

Well October is upon us and along with pumpkins, apple cider, and fall foliage, it is that time of year where we start getting bombarded with holiday advertisements. While I generally cast an unapproving eye at these early harbingers of winter's chill (and consumerism) I will contribute to the fray. I am making this exception because this gift may take some time coordinate - building your own miniature golf course.

The "Oriental Carpet Remnant" Hole at Mika's Down Under Miniature Golf Course

(Note the clever use of a fan aimed at the face for an added challenge.)

Back in 1996, a man named Matt constructed an entire 18-hole golf course in his basement as a Christmas present. The link I provide is from the "web archive" and unfortunately, some of the photographs will not load, but it has descriptions of the course. It truly is an inspiration and a great way to enjoy some golf when ensared in "The Snow Miser's" grip.

If anyone tries this please let me know!

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | pop culture | holiday gift ideas | Matt and Mika's Mini Golf

Favorite Featured Golf Hole #1 - Da Bomb

2006-09-30T15:15:00.000-05:00

As anyone who has played mini golf knows, there are just some courses and holes that are so much fun, so creative, beautifully executed, or so challenging that they deserve to be highlighted and shared with the world. As a regular feature of MGE I will share some of my favorite mini golf holes and hope others will share theirs as well.

The first to receive this honor is the Bomb-Themed hole at Novelty Golf in Lincolnwood, IL.

While there are many interesting and unusually designed holes in their two 18 hole courses, many of which could unfortunately use a little TLC (make sure you are up to date with your tetanus immuniazations before reaching into their cups), I chose to share this one for several reasons. First, while mini golf is often infused with day glow colored lighthearted amusements, this hole demonstrates an unabashedly post-WWII, 1950s glorificaiton of American military might. Paris has its Eiffel Tower (so often immemorialized on courses), the Netherlands has its windmills, and the U.S. has its bombs, a somewhat unusual but not necessarily unprecedented mini golf feature.

In addition to its 1950s sensibility, which for me is always a huge plus, I very much enjoy the challenge and design of the hole. It looks deceptively simple; all one has to do is hit the ball straight through the bombs "fins." The hole uses gravity, you have to hit downhill, which is a design element I especially appreciate after living in the flat Midwest for so many years. But the slope also makes it difficult to achieve a straight shot. If you veer off center at all (how merciless!) your ball will slope toward the right to be caught in one of the two depositories on the right. What I find unusual about this hole is the very open sloping design which requires an exacting amount of precision and the straight shot tempts you into thinking you might actually make it through on the first putt.

No big gimmicks with this hole, just a retro-looking, well-designed challenge.

Images: Mini Golf Enthusiast

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | pop culture | Novelty Golf | Lincolnwood, IL

MGE's Extemely Local News Edition - Adopt a Statue

2006-09-28T21:57:00.000-05:00

Recently, I wrote about defunct courses that remain as compelling modern day ruins in the landscape, a faint reminder of the fun and colorful balls that once graced the artificial turf and green carpet. What is the fate of all of those golf obstables when they are not left to gracefully and slowly decompose or are unceremoniously allowed to be denegrated in the name of entertainment a la Jackass the Movie?

Smiling after the destruction

They become lawn ornaments of course! Pink flamingoes, platic deer (why do I always see them in yards where real deer might actually be found), and other pre-fab animals have long had their place on American lawns. Jamie Taylor of Columbus, GA adopted a giraffe from a course doomed for demolition and has been proudly displaying it on the front lawn ever since.

Geoffrey the adoptee

Will this be the start of an adopt a mini golf statue movement? I certainly hope so. It would be the perfect gift for the person who has everything while preserving just a little piece of Americana.

Image: agility nut.com, Columbia Ledger Inquirer

tags: mini golf minigolf miniature golf pop culture

2006 Harris Cup Miniature Golf World Championship

2006-09-26T09:37:00.000-05:00

This past weekend mini golfers from around the world (160 to be exact) descended upon Center Valley, Pennsylvania at the Putt U golf course to compete for the 2006 Harris Cup. Congratulations to Roger Beckerman of Ohio who shot an 86 in two two rounds, an impressive 26 strokes below par. For his efforts he is now $3,000 richer.

Putt U, the site of the 2006 Harris Cup

The New Jersey Express Times (subscription required) interviewed Randy Bloch course designer and owner of Putt U to learn a little more about the course:

'It's real miniature golf,' Bloch says. 'It's golf that's miniature.'

The course has water hazards and waterfalls, sand traps with real sand in them, roughs and some pretty difficult shots along rolling fairways. And it uses the Harris signature technique of lining the sides of the fairways with brick pavers.

'There are 14,000 bricks,' Bloch says, 'and 14,000 chances to get a bad bounce.'

...'This hole" Bloch says of No. 14, may be the most difficult miniature golf hole in Pennsylvania,' adding that the Keystone State has the largest number of mini golf courses in the country.

While I have a predilection for courses with crazy objects and generally have a bit of distate for those that replicate "big" golf, I have to admit that this course looks interesting. You can see each hole if you visit the Putt U website, a very nice feature that I wish more courses would replicate.

Putt U's Course Stats (from the New Jersey Express Times):

Course length and par: Blue Course, 1,213 feet, par 56; Red Course, 1,202 feet, par 56.

Longest holes: 91 feet, par 4 on the red course; 91 feet, par 4 on the blue course.

Shortest holes: 49 feet, par 3 on the red course; 46 feet, par 2 on the blue course.

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | pop culture | mini golf world championship | 2006 Harris Cup | Roger Beckerman

Regrets and the Art of Golf

2006-09-22T16:18:00.000-05:00

One of my greatest miniature golf regrets is arriving at the DeCordova Museum in Lincoln, Massachusetts, finding out there was a stupid antiques fair taking place, being too cheap to pay the exorbitant entry into the museum grounds and losing out on an opportunity of a lifetime, the chance to play mini golf on a course created by artists. That was back around 1994 and I still haven't fully recovered.

The DeCordova Museum show "Strokes of Genius" certainly isn't the only example of high art becoming grounded in the pedestrian world of mini golf. Just last week Burlington, Vermont hosted Art/Putt, an artist designed 9 hole course. And last month comic book artists designed holes at The Somerville Open in Somerville, MA. Take a look at the first link for some excellent photographs of the Open's holes.

A mural-graffiti inspired hole at the Art/Putt in Burlington

A friendly monster hole in Somerville. Don't you just want to take it home?

What's better than mixing art with golf? Not much is my answer. Although it is a shame that most of these events or installations are temporary, some lasting as little as one day. Here's an idea - a permanent artist designed miniature golf course. Any one out there listening? If someone is, and this happens (or exists) please let me know because I will make a pilgrimage to the location.

Not everyone agrees that art and mini golf make good bedfellows, however. Thinking About Art strongly disagreed with a plan to devote local exhibition space to an artist designed mini golf course:

This gallery only shows approximately 4 exhibits each year and I can't believe they aren't making better use of the gallery space during the summer months. Sure, the summer months are slow, but why not use this time to put up a sophisticated, cutting-edge exhibit?

Miniature golf? Geez...

What is this snob-a-thon thinking? First, I should say that I am, myself, an artist which is why I appreciate the accessibility and application of skills to this fun sport. And I am not the only one who disagrees. Thinking About Art generated an interesting debate with this post which you can read in the comments section. With some of the vitriol being expressed, you would think that art world might fall apart at the seams when artists dabble in golf.

If history tells us anything, art will survive, even if it occasionally gets mixed up with something as accessible and fun as mini golf.

Images: Burlington Free Press and artblog.net

Addtional links to artist created mini golf courses/events ( I will add more as find them):
Q-Arts in Derby

Different Strokes at the Zeum Museum in San Francisco

Walker in the Rough - Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

Holocene Mini Golf Art Invitational, Portland, OR, October 24, 2006

Obstacle Art in Las Vegas

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture | art | artists | golf events

Serious Golf and Tips From the Pros

2006-09-19T11:35:00.000-05:00

Pro-level mini golf reminds me of advertisements for Peek Freans cookies imprinted on my brain as a child:

Peak Freans are a very serious cookie.
They're made for grown-up tastes.
Peak Freans are much too good to waste on children.
Oh they're serious, very serious.
If you're a grown-up or plan to be one, you'll know what we mean.

It may seem like child's play, but pro mini golf is indeed, serious business. If you want to play and win the Mini Golf Ryder Cup, the British Mini Golf Association's Open tournament, you had better leave the whimsical obstacles behind, and put on your "A game." This "kids game" is a very serious affair filled with technique, practice and skill. For aspiring Pros, I found the tips on the strategic heating and cooling of mini golf balls a little frighteningly intense, but nonethless informative.

For the moment, I will stick with my own strategy, picking the ball that most closely matches my outfit.

Image: Emo Squid

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | miniature golf tips | pro miniature golf | pop culture

War Meet Golf, Golf Meet War

2006-09-17T12:54:00.000-05:00

Combat Golf. Sounds like a computer game or some crazy extreme hybrid sport you play in the woods, right? It isn't. As reported in The Post and Courier, Combat Golf is just one of the many American style distractions available in Camp Anaconda, an air base located 42 miles north of Bhagdad. When the enlisted feel a little homesick or long for a much deserved moment of distraction, they may see the latest Hollywood movies, workout, or try their luck on the war-themed miniature golf course where soldiers can momentarily forget (?) the real war at hand as they duck and dodge barbed wire traps and concrete barricades. Call me crazy, but it sounds as though the men and women over there could use a few clowns, tiki statues, or volcanoes. But then again, I am just a civilian. Perhaps the idea could be imported back to the U.S., although it looks as though at least one course has a head start.

Bombs Away!

Image: kittenbazooka

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | crazy golf | pop culture | Iraq | Camp Anaconda

Mini Golf, Social Science, and Stereotypes

2006-09-17T11:30:00.000-05:00

Mini golf used for science? Yes. Recently, the ABC program 20/20 revisted some "old" (at least six years), but nontheless interesting research that finds that sterotypes significantly and adversely affect the performance of groups targeted by the stereotypes. The program asked The Kaplan Educational and Test Prep company to repeat an experiment measuring how well women scored on a math test after watching television commercials containing "ditzy" women. They find (in their admittedly unscientific experiment) that women who watched the commercials scored a surprising 38% lower than women who did not view the advertisements.

Where does mini golf fit into all of this? Another experiment of this type conducted several years ago by Jeff Stone, a pyschologist at the University of Arizona, tested blacks' and whites' ability to play mini golf. Some participants were told that the course would test their "natural ability" while others were told that the course would test the "ability to think strategically." Black participants scored 4 strokes higher than their white counterparts when told that the course tested "natural ability," while whites scored 4 strokes better when told the course testes strategic thinking skills. Who says mini golf isn't serious business?

Image: altuwa

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | pop culture | social science | psychology

Visting Ruins

2006-09-16T22:30:00.000-05:00

Some folks visit the Parthenon. Others seek out the remaining vestiges of Aztec or Mayan civilizations. Yet, there may just be a little slice of Americana slowly decaying right on your very own doorstep, a wistful tribute to the colored balls and obstacles that once shone brightly in the midday sun - the defunct miniataure golf course. Some of us have the unfortunate circumstance of picking an unexplored
course, arriving only to find the course unceremoniously boarded up, overgrown with weeds just waiting for nature to reclaim the land.

Like a car wreck, such places fill me with awe and a gut wrenching sadness - so much potential wasted away. I can't keep my eyes away as I look over the devastation. Luckily for me, this doesn't happen too often, but there is a certain draw. If you find these types of places irresistable (and you know who you are), I have a potential destination you might want to consider, Golgotha in Cave City, Kentucky (near the Mammoth Caves).

Golgotha in its more inspirational days.

According to Roadside America, the course had a Biblical theme inspried by the New and Old Testament and was once touted as "America's #1 Shaded Biblical Mini Golf." (Which, of course, begs the question, what is the #1 non-shaded course?) The whole thing emanates a bit of blasphemy to me, but considering its R.I.P. status, who am I to judge? Roadside America also reports that while the course is fenced off, it is still accessible to those who wish to get a closer peek.

I will add more ruins as I find them; feel free to share your favorite defunct courses so that others may enjoy the decay.

Images: Roadsideamerica.com, Corson Hirschfeld

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | pop culture | Kentucky | Kentucky Tourism

Mini Mini Golf A-Go-Go

2006-09-13T23:35:00.000-05:00

I will be the first to admit that I am behind the technological times. I don't own a cell phone, DVD player, or an iPod, but now I have a better reason to consider purchasing an iPod. Yesterday, Apple announced the release of an initial slate of games for its fifth generation iPods, including such classic favorites as Tetris and, as you may have guessed, mini golf.

Where there are games there are reviews of games. While the review makes me feel a bit like a geezer, because I actually remember playing most of them on their original platforms and the author chastizes Apple for its decidedly retro gaming sensibility, you will nevertheless find more information than you could imagine about gameplay in the article.

It takes mini golf to a whole new level, so to speak.

Image: *nathan

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | pop culture| iPod | gaming

Virtual Golf Games of the Month

2006-09-09T09:13:00.000-05:00

Here at the Mini Golf Enthusiast, all forms of the mini sport have their place. Whether its raining, you feel like wasting a little of your time on this earth, or the mini golf courses are closed because they are buried underneath inches of frozen participation, what is better than a game of virtual mini golf? Earlier this summer, Orbitz fulfilled one of my dreams and created (through the Orbitz Games site) a build you own mini golf hole game. Course designers had several weeks to create holes which were then rated by players. They claim that the top rated holes will be used to create an 18 hole golf course for the Orbitz Games site. Right now you can practice on some of the top rated holes until the final 18 hole course is complete. I don't understand why some of the holes are so highly rated, but there are some fun and challenging designs. Just a word of caution, they do tend to repeat the holes quite frequently. I took them up on their offer and created dozens of holes which I am anxiously awaiting to learn if any made it to the final 18.

Because I have a ravenous appetite for all forms of mini golf, I scoured the web and found a fun and interesting (and most importantly) free golf game called Tiger Golf.

Tiger Golf

Take on the tricks and traps of this fiendish golf course.

Play now!!

The animation is engaging and what I find most interesting about it, is that it does not replicate "real life" mini golf. It feels more like a cross between Mario Brothers and more standard mini golf video games. I find it quite addictive and nice way to waste time that I do not have.

Enjoy!

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | pop culture | video game | computer game

Mini Golf Destination - Myrtle Beach

2006-09-03T21:26:00.000-05:00

Hooked on mini golf? Do you find that one, two, three, or ten courses of golf leave you wanting more? Then you need to head to the mini golf capital of the US, if not the world, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Yes, that is right. Myrtle Beach does not only serve as a "big" golf players' paradise, there are plenty of distractions for mini golf players as well. What better way to distract the "big" golf orphans than dozens and dozens and dozens of mini golf courses, at last count approximately fifty.

I have not visited yet, but for a small taste of some of the more notable links, a recent report in the San Francisco Chronicle provides an overview. For a more detailed description and, dare I say, analysis of the Myrtle golf scene take a look at "A Field Guide to Mini-Golf." I particularly appreciate the author's categorization of the types of courses. While many of the courses seem quite interesting, it does sound as though some of them might be "over produced." But I look forward to trying them out.

Image: miscpix

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | pop culture | Myrtle Beach | South Carolina Tourism

Everything's Coming Up Windmills - Photoblog

2006-09-01T11:45:00.000-05:00

There are many obstacles associated with mini golf, oversized/undersized animals, the practically requisite lighthouse, creepy houses that threaten to devour your ball forever in their mysterious interiors, but what self-respecting course does not have its quintessential windmill?

On this Labor Day weekend, it seems fitting to pay homage to the unofficial end of summer with a small tribute (no pun intended) to this mini golf staple. I will add images as I take them or find them, so please feel free to come back.

This windmill not only provides the challenge of providing safe passage to the hole but the player's sense of balance as well.

Emerging eloquently from the bushes, colorful blades distract from the fact that they do not provide any challenge to golfers.

Even the most rudimentary courses know the importance of having a 'mill.

Perhaps the most beautiful windmill I have ever seen, this little beauty has a Victorian Caribbean chic. It also has an unusual side entrance.

Does IKEA design mini golf courses as well? This 'mill has the trandmark simple, clean, Scandinavian design, not to mention IKEA colors to boot! The coordinating ball is an especially nice touch!

A nice, classic windmill that seemingly comes with optional human distractors. They may be smiling now, but just you wait.

Hitchcock's windmill? Very beautiful and ominous.

Similar to its large-scaled counterparts, this 'mill has seen better days and now operates as a tourist attraction.

Who said miniature golf had to be mini! The is the largest "mini" windmill I have ever seen.

What's better than a macro "mini" mill? A mini mini 'mill that doubles as an airplane propeller. Many thanks to Putting Penguin for sending this along.

Another simple and stark tribute to European design, perched atop its own little hill.

I think we now all know the answer to what happens when you cross a cow with a windmill. The details of this little 'mill are impressive; the base, black painted on white subtly contrasts with blades painted with white spots on a black background. An unusual animal/inanimate object combination, but nonetheless a visually captivating and challenging specimen.

Calling the Moulin Rouge, I think you lost your windmill.

This hole cleverly combines elements of a lighthouse with the blades of a windmill, a perfect hybrid for a New England course. Although the heavy use of diamond shaped detailing provides a not-so-subtle tribute to Vegas. Many thanks to Putting Penguin for sending this along.

This mill exhibits a pleasing feng shui balance and, might I add, those blades look as though they will shred balls in half. Many thanks to Putting Penguin for sharing this photo.

Attack of the "waffle bladed" mass produced windmills #1.

How do you make a mass produced windmill seem novel? Add extraneous titlting, disorienting, shrubbery and a water hazard.

Is the fence keeping the windmill in or players out? And by the way, you are not seeing in triplicate, this is the same basic windmill making appearances in the previous two photos.

Like a blue Phoenix rising out of the Phoenix desert, this beautiful and substantial windmill incongruously mingles with the surrounding palm trees.

Boston has its "Green Monster." This golf course has a yellow monster. I wonder what lurks behind the two-toned window.

It is so rare to get a look at mini golf from the windmill's point of view. Is this 'mill stalking its player? Now there's a great B, C, or D grade concept for a horror film!

Windmills have been an important staple of mini golf from the beginning as this image from around 1930 attests.

Another maxi mini golf sized 'mill with plenty of details. Just look at the impressive woodwork around the railing and the blue/gray color coordindation.

The Amazing Technicolor Windmill!

Russia meet Holland, Holland Meet Russia.

This is a very unusual windmill indeed! It not only has a Bauhaus sensibility, but the larger set of blades at the top of the windmill only serve to distract from the smaller set below. A windmill within a windmill - that's innovation.

Happy golfing!

Image credits in the order they appear: pbo31, inkynobaka, MeadowlandsLibertyCVB.c om, Jess Hutch, Neato Coolville, Ann Dee Scraps, busysignals, FRaNKy--, misocrazy, Putting Penguin, Mini Golf Enthusiast, Mini Golf Enthusiast, Sam Lundquist, Putting Penguin, Putting Penguin, Andy Gosling, Devon Cliffs Haven Holiday Park, Hastings Crazy Golf, FuzzyCo, The Effigy, Momma Bird79, The National Building Musuem, vomsorb,James Vornov, Leisure Time Development, Gobo Gal.

tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | pop culture | windmill | photoblog | photography

Par 1

2006-08-27T12:47:00.000-05:00

I LOVE mini golf. I am not exactly sure how or when it started, but a few memories float to the surface.

While more adventure-seeking members of the family sought out the rollercoaster and other adrenaline pumping rides at Whalom Park (Lunenburg, MA), I fondly remember wanting to ride the bumper cars and walk through the fun house. But I would leave the highlight of the park until last – the 18 hole miniature golf course. I also have vague memories of “working the links” at Salisbury Beach (also in MA).

What stands out in my mind most of all, however, was a mini golf birthday party I attended when I was at the cusp of teenagerhood. I hadn’t golfed for several years; I either was too “cool” or too distracted growing up to think that mini golf was an activity worth pursuing.

That all changed at that fateful party. Surrounded by friends, laughing hysterically at how poorly most of us played, I somehow became permanently hooked on hitting a brightly colored ball through ridiculously sized animals, mini replicas of local and national icons, moving objects, and mysterious tunnels. I am not exactly sure why it is so alluring and addictive. I suspect that similar to “big” golf players, I love the endless possibilities of new challenges and creativity. A new course and its unique challenges always exist somewhere. The best courses also allow you to see what symbols are important to the local community –the replicas of favorite buildings, landmarks, and natural features, sometimes executed in beautifully rich detail (sometimes not), memorialize place and are artistic achievements in their own right.

This blog is dedicated to all things mini golf but was initially motivated by the mission to record mini golf culture. A couple of years ago, when my local mini golf course, located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park, a perfectly interesting and challenging course that had retro charm including a very memorable suspension bridge hole, became “gentrified” into a boring, just like a big golf greens course, I mourned the loss of yet another “old school” course.

I don’t want mini golf to replicate big golf or be a practice green for big golf players! Give me windmills, clowns heads, and dinosaurs to maneuver around and through. The creativity of such holes is what makes the sport fun. From that moment on, I pledged to take pictures of my favorite golf holes wherever I traveled to preserve them, because it seems as though the mini golf building trend seems to favor artificially bright blue water cascading over fake cliffs that more or less replicate big golf greens.

I got spurred into action to create this blog, however, when I learned that a classic, famous mini golf course in Mount Prospect, IL just closed its doors forever. Somehow I missed playing that course! So this blog’s goal is to present reviews of courses, share pictures or descriptions of favorite holes, share quirky or interesting mini golf stories/news to provide information for fellow golfers as a celebration of the sport. Thank you for reading and I hope that you will share your favorites so that your fellow golfers will know where they should fulfill their next golfing fix. Happy golfing!!

(image: hole at now-defunct Par King course, Morton Grove, Illinois; copyright MGE)
tags: mini golf | minigolf | miniature golf | pop culture