What has happened to the worn green carpeting and the dinosaurs? What has happened to the little foot bridges and those frustrating lighthouses and windmills? It seems that the miniature golf course has begun to vanish from the American landscape much as the Drive In movie theaters of old have vanished into history. But, why?
Sadly, more and more miniature golf courses are finding it almost impossible to stay in business. The interest, many owners say, simply isn’t there. There seems to be too many entertainment options out there these days and the legendary mini golf courses just can’t seem to compete with the speed and the electronics of many modern day entertainment venues.
Miniature golf as an entertainment experience began back in the 1950’s with the Putt-Putt Corporation when the first miniature golf course was installed in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The innovator and inventor, Don Clayton, introduced two innovations to the industry that have lasted until this day. The first was putting aluminum bumpers and sidewalls up so the balls wouldn’t rocket off to just anywhere, and he installed carpeting that was extremely heavy duty and durable and could last for many years out in the elements.
Miniature golf exploded in the decades that followed and anyone who grew up in the 1960’s, 1970’s and the 1980’s have fond memories of family outings and first dates at the local miniature golf course. However, as the 1990’s lurked on the horizon, and electronics began to rule people’s lives, the fate of outdoor and more relaxed and intimate entertainment seemed not so important anymore.
The rush of the interactive video games has spelled a death knell for other related industries as well like paintball, bowling, and roller skating. Also, the last couple of generations seem quite averse to going outside and playing. It seems like that, too, has become lost to time.
Some companies, like Putt-Putt, have integrated more things into the business and have morphed to become “fun centers”. They can include the mini- golf but they must also have video and arcade games, laser tag, bumper cars, go karts and batting cages. Without these recent additions, what may be left of miniature golf is not likely to survive.
The ones that are surviving have had to go on rather the wild side building them indoors, or part of a larger venue like a dance club or adding strobe lights and sci-fi related special affects as if the customer had just stepped into a Hollywood movie.
David Callahan, CEO of Putt-Putt, states that, “We’ve had to become more forward thinking. Fun centers will generate significantly more revenue than just generic miniature golf. We have to offer people more than just golf.”
PHOTO CREDITS: USA Today / vbound.com / tapmag.com