Photo Credit: South Suburban Parks and Recreation
The goal of parks and recreation agencies is to provide opportunities that appeal to a broad market. The game of miniature golf is a perfect activity that conveys an organization’s message that offerings can be fun while also delivering strong profit margins and a quick return on investment. In addition, miniature-golf facilities can provide long-term sustainability, all the while building positive community engagement.
The spirit of miniature golf can be seen in the leaps of a child after his or her first hole-in-one or in the stories of retirees remembering their first date at a mini-golf course. The game is so simple and yet complex that it can bring professional golfers to act like children and first-timers to feel as though they should be on tour. With the ability to create lasting memories and never-ending laughs, and to bring people from all walks of life together, miniature golf is an untapped resource to educate and inspire.
Imagine
On a busy street corner sits a facility that thousands pass each morning on the way to work, and again on the way home. At first glance, many people assume the facility is a local history museum; with old wagons, a mineshaft, a train, and a water tower dispersed throughout, so it would be an appropriate first impression. Others might believe the site is a local nature center, as native plants, aspen trees, and geological features highlight some of the best vegetation Colorado has to offer. Although these inferences are incorrect, neither is completely inaccurate. Rather, the two-acre site is home to Colorado Journey Miniature Golf course, a family-entertainment facility that engages its visitors through a round—or two—of mini-golf. While playing the game, players have the opportunity to learn about local historic and natural attractions in a single round.