The Jersey Shore is home to at least 50 mini golf courses and several people intent enough to play them all. While the husband-and-wife A Couple of Putts team hasn't gotten that far, Tom Loftus (aka Mr. Tee) and Robin Schwartzman (aka The Pink Putter) have played and documented many of them, if not all, on their website.
The mini golf course designers and critics graciously shared via email what they know and love about Jersey Shore mini golf. Loftus cautioned that they're a little behind on their reviews given their increased involvement in the American Mini Golf Alliance (AMA) competitive mini golf organization.
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"There are so many new courses to play across the country but so few original gems," Schwartzman says. "Let's keep those treasures around as long as possible."
While Loftus says the conventional wisdom on Jersey Shore courses is that they're quite easy and small, there's a decent variety, especially beyond the boardwalks.
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"Some courses that are theme heavy have shorter holes with more novelty. But others, like Harbor Lights in Wildwood, have longer greens that are more golf-like. There is always something for everyone," Schwartzman says.
While the couple is based in Minnesota, Schwartzman and her family would spend a week each summer in Long Beach Island and, later, Stone Harbor summer homes in her childhood. Summers were filled with playing in the sand and ocean, board games, arts and crafts with her grandma, Fantasy Island, and, of course, plenty of mini golf.
Schwartzman says part of the appeal of the Jersey Shore courses is that they are classics intended to be "fun but not overly challenging" to the families on vacation.
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Memorable Jersey Shore Courses by a Couple of Putts
Schwartzman's number one pick is Tee Time in Ocean City. "It's everything I love about mini golf - over-the-top kitschy, colorful, fun, and just the right combination of skill and chance. Plus, its prime location means that I can grab a Kohr Brothers cone and stroll the boardwalk after my round." (A Couple of Putts review here)
Loftus says it's hard to pick between Tee Time and LBI's Flamingo Golf in Ship Bottom. (A Couple of Putts review here)
"With a little bit of luck and a good aim, you can get really really low scores on both courses and there is enough randomness to make for good drama if you're playing with friends and family," Loftus says.
In LBI, Schwartzman and her family often played The Sand Trap in Ship Bottom. (Couple of Putts review here)
In Stone Harbor, they make it an annual tradition to play Club 18 (followed by ice cream at Springer's of course!). "Club 18 hasn't changed too much since I played it in the 90's," she says. "The final hole there that collects the balls is memorable - an enclosed, narrow ramp leading up to a triceratops mouth, surrounded by faux jungle foliage. A nearly impossible shot, but if successful, scored you a free game." (Couple of Putts review here).
Hartland Golf in LBI also gets high ratings for being a great example of simple, but super fun hole design.
"We both still have a deep love and appreciation for classic-styled courses with windmills, novelty, and kitsch," Loftus says. "Tee Time, Hassels, Duffers, and Flamingo are all fantastic courses for the public at large and are a blast to play."
Schwartzman adds that the vacation destination and attendant visual cues enable many mini golf courses to go "over the top" in theming, which can be fun or a bit too much.
There are a few mistakes that we see courses make throughout the 600+ courses we've played around the world. - Loftus says.
Poor maintenance/upkeep: Obviously if a course is in bad shape, it doesn't look good. But more importantly, it also doesn't play as intended, especially if there is worn or torn turf, chipped cups, or cracked concrete.
Poor risk-reward incentives: "Courses will have shoot-through obstacles that are fun and challenging to get into, but they don't reward a player for taking the riskier shot with an ace because the pipe or shoot-through element doesn't function very well," Loftus says.
Designs that are either too boring or too challenging: If the path to the cup is straightforward, that isn't as exciting. "But, if you have to ride over hump number one with just the right pace, but not hit it too hard that you get over hump number two, all of a sudden that can be thrilling. If the hole is too challenging, it is not fun for the less experienced or skilled players turning what should be a fun family outing into frustrating meltdowns," Schwartzman says.
Advice for area golf course owners
Protect nostalgia: "There are so many new courses to play across the country but so few original gems," Schwartzman says. "Let's keep those treasures around as long as possible."
Keep it in good condition: "Most people are looking to escape reality or have some fun with friends and family and aren't looking to get frustrated by a course being too difficult and don't want to be pulled away from the joyful experience because the course looks beat up or doesn't play well," Loftus says.
**Create variability in outcomes: "**I'll never forget the time we played Duffer's in Wildwood and Tom and I watched a young girl in front of us clumsily whack the ball and get an ace, while Tom and I proceeded to get 3's. How great is that??" Schwartzman says.
"The thing I love most about mini golf is the nostalgia factor and in my opinion, when courses from the 50's and 60's are still open and have been well maintained, there is nothing better," Schwartzman says. "Newer courses tend to be not as interesting and lack a certain appeal. It's that authenticity of the vintage that I really cherish - they are treasures! I'd advise those courses to make repairs and updates as necessary, but to do their best to upkeep the classic elements."
Tips to Enjoying Miniature Golf
Expect that luck and randomness will come into play. Embrace the chaos and accept it may not always work in your favor.
Mix it how you play. Try out different courses or play with different formats (match play, doubles, etc.)
Support those courses that make the experience unique or special. "We go out of our way to play courses that have a distinct personality and go back to them often in hopes they can stick around for generations to come," Loftus says.
Don't take it too seriously. Aka: worry more about having fun than what score you shoot. Even if it's a competition.
Take in and embrace the experience and enjoy the time away from your screens surrounded by family and friends. "There's nothing better than a beautiful summer night out on the mini golf course," Schwartzman says.
