The MiniGolf Enthusiast

Drinking and Golfing for a Good Cause

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 16:43:00 +0000

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?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 02:18:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 16:25:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 03:05:00 +0000

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!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 02:40:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 15:33:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 17:53:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 18:44:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 02:41:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 15:00:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 01:44:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 19:28:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 16:42:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 01:28:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 03:16:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 03:27:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 02:28:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 02:30:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 04:43:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 22:01:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 03:05:00 +0000

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!!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 04:05:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 20:00:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 01:41:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 16:42:00 +0000

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