We’ve played a lot of miniature golf courses. This was one of our favorites. It isn’t like the modern courses of today with elaborate waterfalls and robotics that compete with Disney. Rather, it recalls the courses of years ago where your skill was measured in how many strokes it took to get the ball into the dinosaurs mouth or through the windmill. Serious miniature golfers (that seems like an oxymoron) might find this course too juvenile. My juveniles, however, found it delightful.
In 1958, Lee Koplin reinvented and reenergized the idea of miniature golf when he opened Goofy Golf in Florida. Previous miniature courses were no more than putting greens. Koplin made obstacles oversized and towering over the putting areas. While his original idea has been modernized by courses today. Goofy Golf remains true to its roots. The course stands nearly identical to the way it was when it first opened. Although Lee Koplin died in 1988, his son keeps the tradition alive.
It costs $5 to play for children over 5. You collect your club, ball, pencil and scorecard and pick a course, 1 or 2. Course 2 is the favorite with larger statues, buildings and moving tails. Course 1 is a bit easier and less crowded. We tried course 2. My kids had loads of fun putting the ball through churches, chicken coops, monkeys tails, and bobbing ostriches. They did fairly well too. Only once did the ball go off the course and into the bushes.I chose to watch this time but secretly wished I had participated. Next time.
The course is right on the main strip in Panama City Beach. It doesn’t have all the ups and downs and steps that the modern day courses seem to all have these days. Instead, it has caves and dinosaurs to climb through and into. My kids loved it and every day ask to do it again.