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Theme parks have always looked for ways to offer a wide variety of
gaming and entertainment options in the hopes of capturing additional
revenue from their patrons. Miniature golf has long been an
alternative offering in amusement parks and boardwalks nationwide.
Adventure Golf was Great Adventure's second of three miniature golf
courses.
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Over the years Great Adventure's theme park expanded its boundaries and
developed almost every area within the park. The one exception was
the small heavily wooded acreage just to the right of the Yum Yum Palace
originally known as the Woodland Gardens. Visitors to this region of the
park were welcomed by an untouched forest reminiscent of the park's
earliest days when the theme park featured so many trees.
In the Spring of 1991, it looked like all those trees might be at risk
as each one was marked with yellow surveying tape. Luckily, the
ribbons were used to remind construction workers that the trees were not
to be disturbed during the construction of the Adventure Golf mini
golf course. |
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Adventure Golf was a full 18 hole miniature golf course that lasted for
four seasons. Compared to its predecessor, the sprawling Miniature
Marvels Mini Golf which replaced the Garden of Marvels in 1979,
Adventure Golf occupied a much smaller plot of land.
While the attraction was small in size, it was not short on interesting
obstacles and props most of which were amusement park related.
Two of the first pieces of scenery brought to the site were an oversized
box of movie popcorn and a giant ice cream concoction which nicely
complemented the neighboring Yum Yum Palace.
The only mechanized obstacle was featured on hole number three and
resembled a wooden rollercoaster. Lucky putters that managed to
get their ball into a target watched as it was carried to the top of the
coaster where it entered a track that brought it back to ground level
right over the hole.
Hole 18 was built as a giant Skeeball machine. Getting the ball
into the center target won you a free game while all other shots simply
deposited the ball into the adjacent attendant's booth.
The greens themselves consisted of basic Astroturf outlined with black
rubber coated roping, and keeping them free of leaves often proved
to be a challenge. |
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Adventure Golf's 18
Holes |
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HOLE |
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PAR |
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1. |
Dolphin Sculpture |
2 |
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2. |
Lady on Carousel Horse |
3 |
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3. |
Roller Coaster |
2 |
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4. |
Sand Traps |
3 |
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5. |
Waves |
2 |
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6. |
Giraffe |
3 |
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7. |
Clown |
3 |
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8. |
Bumper Cars |
2 |
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9. |
Biplane |
3 |
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10. |
Steam Locomotive |
2 |
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11. |
Rapids Raft |
3 |
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12. |
Alligator |
2 |
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13. |
Lion |
3 |
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14. |
Curved Greens |
2 |
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15. |
Sea Serpent |
3 |
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16. |
Wooden Bridge |
2 |
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17. |
Popcorn Box |
3 |
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18. |
Skeeball Machine |
2 |
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Fully illuminated, Adventure Golf was popular both day and night but it
simply did not generate the required revenue to keep it in operation.
During its second season in 1992, Adventure Golf season passes were
available for unlimited play all season long for just $10 per person.
These must have greatly reduced profits for the golf center as similar
offers were not available in 1993 and 1994.
After the 1994 season, Adventure Golf was removed from the park and the
area was returned to its original condition which included the planting
of new lush sod.
In 2008, the park made a third attempt at offering a miniature golf
facility with the Wizards and Dragons Indoor Blacklight Mini Golf
located near the Giant Wheel. The course operated for two seasons
and was replaced in 2010 by the Kingpin Bowl a Rama.
Today, the only remnant of Adventure Golf can be found in the Old
Country Picnic Grove where the ticket booth now serves as the housing
for Coke soda fountains. |
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