Mini-Golf Review

Connecticut Courses

Farmington Miniature Golf Course and Ice Cream Parlor

Price:            4.00
Challenge:        8
Variety:          8
Fun:              10
Overall Value:    9

The course offers a variety of classic miniature golf as well as various modern style holes. The 18 hole course is challenging for players of all ages. My personal best score is 35, three above the course record of 32. After the round you can enjoy almost any ice cream flavor or dish ever created in their ice cream parlor.

The course is located on Rte. 4 in Farmington, Ct. One mile east of Farmington High School.

Golf Center of Connecticut

Submitted by: Alan Phillips (Owner)
Web Site: http://www.ctgolfcenter.com/

Price:            ?
Challenge:        8?
Variety:          8
Fun:              9?
Overall Value:    ?

Golf Center of Conneccticut is a premier year round drving range and mini-golf course.The 18 Hole nature theme course has a waterfall and river flowing. Check us out at www.ctgolfcenter.com.

Built two years ago it is a true test of golf. Undulating fairways,left to right breaks it is a course that truly rewards the best putter.It requires a degree of skill and touch, yet is so beautiful that it is fun for the entire family. My kids love it.

Golf Center of Connecticut has 60 bi-level practice stations on its driving range. They are heated and weather protected. You can hit golf balls all winter long, even when it snows. They are open 364 days a year. They also have a putting green, sand and chipping practice area, a 5,000 sq ft clubhouse with a grille, arcade and Lanigan's Golf shop. It's 15 acres of golf fun and they keep the place immaculate.

FROM Merritt Parkway (Route 15): Take Exit 53, follow signs for Route 110 North and we are less than two (2) miles on the right.

FROM I-95: Exit 38 (Route 15 S), take Exit 53 from RT 15S and follow signs for Route 110 North, we are less than two (2) miles on the right.

FROM Route 8: Exit 13 (Rt. 110/Constitution Drive), follow signs for Rt. 110 South. We are approximately two (2) miles on left.

Editor's notes: The review was sort of sent by the owner of the site. There were issues, namely, my form apparently was not working at the time (I am working on getting this corrected, but no luck so far) and he didn't include any rankings. I read through the decriptions on his web page (and looked at the pictures there) to try and set up a review. Unfortunately, there were no prices listed. I have been rather busy of late and haven't had a chance to follow up with questions, but I would appreciate an objective review if anyone can get there. Thanks. - Milton

Hidden Valley

Submitted by: Charles Nelson Petruccione
Web Site: http://pages.cthome.net/mpgahome

Price:            3.00-day, 4.50-night
Challenge:        7
Variety:          7
Fun:              10
Overall Value:    9

Hidden Valley is located right down the street from ESPN headquarters in Bristol, CT. Take I-84 to exit 31. If you are on 84 East, take a right off the exit and drive about a mile, the place will be on your left. From 84 West, take a left off the exit, and it will be on your left about a mile up. The course is actually in Southington though. Hidden Valley has nice surroundings (including a waterfall) and the course itself is kept in good shape. There are a mix of easy and difficult holes. A hole in one is possible on all of them. I've shot everywhere from a 5 under 35 to a 10 over 50. There are also batting cages, video games, and a snack bar there. Overall a very nice place to play.

Maple Breeze Park

Submitted by: Patrick Mullane

Price:            5.00
Challenge:        9
Variety:          8
Fun:              10
Overall Value:    9

The course is a throwback to the old days of mini-golf, built about 30 years ago and still operated by the original owners. The park also includes two waterslides, bumperboats, kiddie go-karts and a great ice cream shop. There was a top-notch go-kart track until 1999 when the state seized the land to make expansion to Route 2. A true shame.

The first hole is the only one to offer a straight shot with no interference as a warm up for what is to come. From there on, the holes are each present a scene out of scenic New England , including having to shoot through a barn, schoolhouse, wishing well and make one of the
toughest bank shots I've ever seen in mini-golf off a lighhouse just for a chance to make par. All of the mini-building on course are kept in great shape and the details are good enough to make you think the building are just scaled down models of the real thing. Other holes have diffent tricks including and over-under hole where you need to slip the ball into a carved out top of a ramp to make a run at the whole. Shoot just a bit hard and the ball goes over the ramp and onto the back side of the hole for a tricky 3-putt and shoot too soft only to have the ball come right back to your feet. A personal favorite is one of the toughest holes I've ever seen on an old fashioned mini-golf course. Called "The Waves," a player must putt the ball ever so perfectly to make it over one wave but not go ever the next. Rarely will a first timer make the shot and this is usually the whole on the back nine that tears apart a great round because if you sail it over both waves, you have to make 15 foot putt for par.

Overall, the course has spoiled me and turned me off to the modern style rock and waterfall courses that offer little imagination or originality. Every hole is completely different from the rest and it's a great challenge and even more fun for golfers good and bad. Though I've never seen a first time player shoot under par (18 holes, par 42), I've never met a person that didn't have a blast playing there. The best I've shot is ten under par 32, but the course record is 26 (by the owner's son almost 20 years ago when he was 12!) and occassionally someone gets on a hot streak to break 30, though that only happen 5-6 times a year. A great course I would suggest to anyone that is perfect for the family, a night out with friends or something fun to do on a date. The park is a class act, clean, with great employees from the local schools and you can strike up a conversation with the owners, Mr and Mrs. Maine who work at the park every day during the summer tourist season.

The course is located on Route 2, Pawcatuck, CT 1 mile westbound on Route 2 from exit 92 of Interstate 95

Prehistoric Golf

Submitted by: Steven Mendygral

Price:            3.00
Challenge:        8
Variety:          7
Fun:              9
Overall Value:    9

This Course located in Portland, CT is very unique. Located off I-91 exit 18 follow route 66 and it is on the left. The entire course is built into a hill so each hole has either a down hill or an up hill slope. The theme here is Dinosaurs. They have all types to T-REXS to Brontosaurses and even Pterodactl. There is a strip mall next to the course that has an ice cream parlor. It is a very good course. Makes swatting the mosquitos fun.

Safari Golf

First Review:
Submitted by: Charles Nelson Petruccione
Web Site: http://pages.cthome.net/mpgahome

Second Review:
Submitted by: Patrick John Sullivan

Third Review:
Submitted by: Anton Gorleski

Price:            5.00    4.50/day-4.75/night 5.00
Challenge:        6       8                   6
Variety:          9       6                   7
Fun:              9       8                   9
Overall Value:    10      9                   8

First Review:

Safari Golf is on the Berlin Turnpike in Berlin, CT. For better directions, they can be reached at (860) 828-9800. This place is a real kick. There are fake safari animals all over the course. Giraffes, hippos, and rhinos greet you at every turn. The course isn't all that hard, but there are a lot of different types of holes. This is the course that I first played mini-golf on. The last hole is a four level par four. Another interesting hole is #13, entitled The Monster, which is the longest mini-golf hole I have ever seen. This is an excellent place for beginners and veterans alike.

Second Review:

Safari is located on the Berlin Turnpike in Berlin, CT. It provides a unique variety of holes with wildlife scenary, including giraffes and elephants. Safari also has the longest hole I have ever seen. Some of the holes are very challenging, as you have to decide between a few different ways of shooting at the hole, whether is be over rough or off a bank. However, others are more luck than skill, such as "The Monster," which is the real long hole. It is a par 3 that should be made in 2, but you have to be lucky to get a hole in 1. Also, the last hole, a multilevel par 4, is complete luck because sometimes the ball makes it all the way to the bottom level but most of the time it does not. This hole can change the outcome of a match purely because of luck. Other than mini golf, there is nothing else other than a soda and candy machine. However, if you are looking purely for a mini golf course, Safari is a good value, which is why I gave it an overall value of 9.

Third Review:

This course is moderately challenging (par 42) as most holes are short in length but play fast. Be careful not to overhit on the fourth hole, otherwise your ball will be in the "blue lagoon" at the bottom. If you are looking for a fast playing course (it took my friend and I only 45 minutes and two lost balls) this is the one of you.

Any other comments? Send me mail to [email protected]

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