Miniature golf menu offers a dish for every taste

 

Arne Landmark of Adventure Golf Services looks at designing and styling miniature golf courses

 

Miniature golf a la carte

SO YOU want to build a miniature golf course, just step right up and take a look at the menu!

You might wish to start out with a traditional offering—a low-level course with the customary side dish of windmills and clown faces. Or perhaps you prefer the more exotic fare. Try the jungle golf with large prehistoric or jungle animals looming up around every corner.

Oh, I see, you are feeling more adventuresome and wish to have a new experience. Then an adventure style miniature golf course may be just the dish. You can add as many waterfalls, themed elements or experiences depending on \our preference and the size of your pocketbook. Miniature golf truly has something for everyone. There is a course style and design to fit every budget and circumstance. You can build for $50,000 or spend $600,000 US or more. This is the world of miniature golf today. You can have whatever you want.

The problem is that most potential owners are not sure what they want or what is available. An attempt is made below to help give a better understanding of the types of miniature golf courses that can be built.

 

Mini-golf—a sport or a game?

As a designer, builder, owner and operator I have been involved with a plethora of concepts, designs, styles and ideas for miniature golf. Each one has been unique but yet similar. That is the way of miniature golf.

In its simplest form, miniature golf has a player with a ball and putter trying to get the lowest possible score on a series of playing surfaces, usually 18 holes. But there are variations not only in design and construction but in concept. Most participants consider miniature golf a game but there is a growing contingent who see it as a serious sport.

In Italy there is the Federazione Italiana Golf Su Pista, an organization of miniature golf enthusiasts who play tournament golf. Each contestant carries a small case full of balls, each with its own bounce characteristics, in order to gain a competitive advantage. But miniature golf as a sport has been growing beyond the borders of Italy to other countries. In the United States there is the Professional Putters Association which conducts annual tournament competitions.

Most of the time, miniature golf is known more as a game. Competition is geared towards family fun. It is considered a good time when a small child wins a hole against his mother, father, grandparents or older described here are more representative of the game side of miniature golf than the sport side.

 

There are no industry definitions

It is difficult to label a course appearance or style because there are so many common characteristics shared by all miniature golf courses. I hope to provide some order to the chaotic mixture of miniature golf sizes, shapes, construction techniques and themes.

There has been an orderly, natural evolution of development. Miniature golf started with flat putting surfaces and slowly evolved into multiple-level holes with more contours. Obstacles and themed figures were added along with some elevation changes. As more topography was added, elaborate obstacles and scale model buildings were integrated into the courses. Finally, extensive landscaping, topography and theming became the design threshold in the 1980s through the present time.

The balance of the 90s will see more use of all sensory experiences accompanied by more detailed theming, special effects, lighting and sound effects. With all of these changes it appears practical to categorize miniature golf courses into three groups based on their vertical elevations—low-rise, mid-rise and high-rise.  There is great overlap in concepts and playability within and between each group.

There are few co-ordinated attempts to define the industry and I am offering here an educated opinion of the various categories of miniature golf. There is adequate room for disagreement on these groupings and it is possible that I might, unwittingly, overlook some industry segment. Low-rise course variations:

(a)  Flat concrete with no elevation changes and board or brick borders.

(b)  Wood or fiberglass base and sides for portability.

(c)  Hazards and figures made from wood, metal, fiberglass or concrete.

(d)  Elevation changes on the playing surface.

(e)   Elevated sidewalks or planter areas with depressed playing surface to keep the ball in play.

(f)   Minor contours in land, landscaping and water elements.

(g)    Themed buildings and scenery.
(h) Design standards geared towards tournament competition.

(i) Playing surfaces which delete the brick or board borders.

(l) Change in carpet texture and style.

(k) Sand and water traps.

 

Mid-rise course variations (all of the above, plus):

(a) Jungle style with landscape, rockwork and large themed fiberglass animal exhibits.

(b)  Castle style with multiple-scale, model themed buildings and background facades.

(c)   Garden style with extensive gardens, trees and landscaping on rolling or flat terrain.

(d)    Other themed variations.

High-rise course variations (all of the above, plus):

(a)   Adventure style with extensive theming, rockwork. landscape and water features and dramatic changes in topography.

(b)  Adventure style with introduction of interactive play, sensory experiences and revenue enhancement ideas.

 

Low-rise costs less to build—but not always

Low-level courses are still popular today, despite the growth of the newer mid and high-level courses. There are a number of advantages with cost being a primary consideration. I built my first 18 hole miniature golf course in 1975 for $15.000 US. It was built with concrete and boards and contained some hazards, themed props, changes in contour and water. Today the same course would probably cost $50,000 if the owner capitalized his labor and built it himself. A more elaborate version of the same course might cost $150.000.

If this same course were upgraded larger hill and spread out with more generous theming, landscaping, lighting and water components, the cost could easily escalate to somewhere between $.100.000 to $600,000plus. On a course like this it is not hard to imagine a fee for electrical and lighting that would exceed $100,000 or a cost for landfill of $60.000. The owner's choice of vertical elevation, theming, rock work, water components, caves and special effects can drive the cost up or down in an\ of the above categories.

For every variation in the low-level courses there most likely is one or more suppliers who specialize in that activity. Wood construction has a reliable following with suppliers who are experts in this format.  An owner can even order, from a catalogue, custom-built miniature golf forms. With those forms, he can lay out the course, pour the concrete, landscape and add his own lighting and the project is very budget oriented Other suppliers have standard course layouts and there are some who will design to fit the need.

 

Low-rise is easy to modify

One advantage associated with low-level courses is the ease of introducing themed buildings, hazards or figures after the course is up and running. While courses of all levels can be modified, the most common retrofitting is found in older, low-level courses.

Large fiberglass animals such as jungle animals or prehistoric dinosaurs or objects such as anchors and lighthouses are readily available from catalogues. Some companies offer standard scale model buildings. Other designers can help add rock work and waterfalls. Most of these suppliers are members of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions in the USA and a list of miniature golf suppliers is available there.

 

To keep the ball in play or not?

A newer form of the low-level course has been popping up within the past five years.  They feature greens that are larger than the typical size and have more par three and four holes than the traditional courses which have more par two holes. They often do not have any perimeter brick or board to contain the ball.

Most owners and designers like to keep the ball in play with some kind of border. Often there is the introduction of different colors of carpeting and even different turf lengths to act as a rough along the fairway to help contain the balls within the playing area, or at least slow it down. Sand and water traps are sprinkled liberally along the course to create more difficulty and to keep the ball from flying off the course.

A potential disadvantage of this layout might be a reduction in course capacity because there are more strokes per hole. As the length of a course increases, or the play ability of a course decreases, or the degree of difficulty or the number of hazards increases, then it will take longer to play. Length of play reduces capacity. Since miniature golf is basically a low capacity attraction (80 to 110persons per hour), most owners seek to maximize attendance by keeping the number of strokes needed to complete the course to a minimum

I first experimented with this type of course construction in 1981 and found it to be an interesting alternative. Since more strokes and longer greens are involved, a larger site is desirable. A long course with free flowing course design with lots of room between holes to wait may offset the capacity deficiency. Typically the sites for these courses are well landscaped with existing trees and some topography. It is possible to design and build a blend of this type with adventure style into one course

Keeping the ball in play with formats, but in my opinion, the best system has yet to be devised. Brick and board are most common and more recently the use of rocks or artificial rocks or even rows of landscape wood perimeters connected by wire have been used. The latter is not a good alternative. Elevated walkways around the playing surface is also popular.

Where space is at a premium for indoor applications or small sites, walk ways around the greens are often eliminated and landscaped areas, protective borders, such as concrete, are used to keep the ball in play. In these instances the players must walk on the greens. But a word of caution. Whatever perimeter material is used, it must be able to provide drainage and must hold up under players' banging with their putters and walking on and kicking these ball retainers.

Indoor courses, of the more deluxe, low-rise variety, frequently have strategically placed, large themed pieces and painted scenery on the walls. Some courses actually use small-sized artificial trees in the landscape with horizons painted on the walls and clouds painted or cut out overhead to give the impression of larger space. The players resemble something from Gulliver's Travels and it has apparently proven successful.

 

Portable possibilities

Where portability is a key factor, fiberglass and wooden courses have proven to be acceptable as low-rise applications. These are used where the course can be easily placed in temporary indoor and outdoor locations. There are many instances, due primarily to cost, where portable units are used as permanent installations. In the fiberglass variety there are interconnecting modules that can turn corners and be expanded to fit a particular need. These generally would fit into the $30,000 to $75,000-plus basis, not including hazards, lighting, landscaping and other amenities. However, there may be small portable courses which command a price less than $20,000.

Play on an ice cream dip or doughnut!

The mid-rise courses built within the past 10 years gave birth to a whole new generation of miniature golf design. From a design point of view, these courses remind me of either an ice cream dip or a doughnut. The ice cream scoop courses are recognized by a mid-rise hill (10 to 15 feet high) with reasonably dense landscaping, a pond and one or two waterfalls. The doughnut style would resemble a crater-like excavation with ponds below and the sides scooped up to create higher elevations around the edges. There are an infinite variety of shapes and sizes within these two formats.

In the western areas of the United States a number of courses were built with very elaborate themed, scale model replica buildings. There is always a theme such as castles, Western frontier towns, story land areas and a host of other ideas. There are lots of buildings and rows of building facades. They are generally part of larger combinations of attractions of which two to three separately themed courses and a large castle style games room are central elements. The courses are well themed, use lots of low-level lighting and have a good mix of landscaping and water components. These courses have now been replicated in many parts of the country.

Along the eastern part of the United States a different variety of mid-rise course saw parallel development. These courses have small to medium-sized hills with landscaping and some central waterfall feature. They have, very attractively, introduced themed buildings, objects and fiberglass animals. Appropriate themed waterfalls and park furnishings add a designer touch.

These courses created new design ideas including contours in the golf holes, multi-level golf holes, giant fiberglass animals and themed environments. They gave birth to the adventure style courses and created a whole new identity for the miniature golf industry. I believe it helped change the demographics in the game, but that is a whole other story.

 

The sky is the limit

The current generation of miniature golf design, commonly referred to as adventure golf style, has been undergoing its own little arms race for height, theming, special effects and water components. It overlaps the mid-rise courses in the 10 to 20 feet high vicinity and ascends as high as feasible for the location and size of the parcel.  The sky is the limit.

More and more, these courses are being dominated by a theme which is embellished with artifacts, course furniture, buildings, rockwork, caves and other elements. There are many popular themes among them, being shipwrecks, pirates, fishing villages, jungle areas and some that remain only in the minds of the designers. Caves are popular with a variety of stalactites and stalagmites. These courses are built outdoors and indoors. We have courses which span two floors in a mall and are designed to be built over the top of other activities, or provide space below for new activities.

Waterfalls are sprinkled about more liberally and they are more powerful with greater water volume falling from higher vertical drops. The top of the mountain now is becoming the location to place large signature themed objects to make a statement to help identify the theme and course to potential customers whizzing by in cars and for those on the course. Everyone wants a signature course but, of course, they cost more.

There are more elevation changes between holes and consequently more stairs to climb. Some courses tell installments of a themed story oh signs at each hole. Some offer clues to win a bonus prize to players who determine all of the answers.

Special effects and sounds are used with greater flair. In the past a variety of low and mid-rise courses have used mechanical props that served as obstacles. Others used mechanical occurrences when the ball dropped into a designated hole. One course had a fireman sliding down a brass pole with a siren. I first used a special effect in 1984. A 19th hole featured a steam whistle sound on a nearby paddlewheel river boat when the ball entered the winning hole. Today, golf courses are themed like dark rides in an amusement park and sound is an integral part. Pirates can be heard singing in a cave near a sunken treasure. Lighting is becoming more than a passive element.

Some of the newer courses are featuring animated scenes, animals and characters along with sounds to match. I must admit that I prefer the sounds of falling water or babbling streams to sound systems on a miniature golf course that play music tapes. These courses are playing to the senses and trying to establish a mood.

 

Adventures in the future

As the courses get higher and higher with more theming there is a parallel trend of special effects, interactive entertainment and even activities integrated into the courses to provide revenue enhancement opportunities. These trends are the harbinger of the future courses. They fit neatly into the predictions of the professional surveys about the future needs to service guests in their leisure time. There will be more special effects, more interactive involvement, more dark atmospheres and in general more sensory experience. In fact the game may be a sidelight to a whole set of experiences. We have several like this in the concept stage and one totally new environment for the indoor market. Most designers and builders are reticent to discuss the future but it will be exciting and add a whole new aspect to the game of miniature golf.

 

 • Arne Landmark is the owner of Adventure Golf Services. P.O. Box 4058, Traverse City. Ml 49685-4058. USA. He has a vast amount of experience in the amusement park and recreational facility industries, while his specialty is the planning, design, development and operation of miniature golf facilities. He is currently Chairman of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions' Miniature Golf Committee.