Tag: mini-golf

Photos: PopStroke by Tiger Woods opens its first location in Arizona

The Black and Red courses at PopStroke Glendale are now open in Arizona.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — PopStroke Entertainment Group, which famously has Tiger Woods as the face of the brand, opened its Glendale, Arizona, location Thursday, its first in the Grand Canyon State.

PopStroke bills itself as a one-of-a-kind golf experience with two 18-hole putting courses, a Black and a Red, which is designed to be more challenging.

It’s way more than putt putt golf, though. It’s an outdoor dining area with a food, craft beer, wine and signature cocktails as well as an ice cream parlor, an outdoor game area and even a playground for the little ones.

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The Glendale venue opened at noon local time on Thursday, March 2, in the Westgate area, just north of State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals and recent host of Super Bowl 57.

The Glendale location is the seventh in PopStroke’s lineup. A second Arizona PopStroke is on track to open in about six months in the Talking Stick area in Scottsdale.

Operating hours for the Glendale location will be Sunday to Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to midnight.

Check out some photos here:

This indoor miniature golf startup is adding another Massachusetts location — and plans on at least 10 more

The Chicago startup claims to be an “upscale, tech-infused mini-golf destination with global food and drink.”

NATICK, Massachusetts — A next-generation indoor mini-golf course is coming to the Natick Mall in this Boston suburb.

The golf course is being developed by Puttshack, a Chicago startup that claims to be “the world’s first and only upscale, tech-infused mini-golf destination with global food and drink.” Three golf courses will be spread across two floors.

“With its close proximity to Boston, in the heart of MetroWest suburbs, Natick serves as the ideal destination to extend our presence in Massachusetts,” Dave Diamond, president of Puttshack, said in a press release. “Bringing Puttshack to the greater Boston area will provide locals and visitors alike with a perfect spot for date nights or high-energy and engaging excursions with family and friends.”

Puttshack came to Massachusetts last month, opening a 26,000-square-foot, four-course layout in Boston’s Seaport neighborhood. It was Puttshack’s third U.S. location, after Atlanta and Chicago. According to previous reports, it plans to open in at least 10 more U.S. cities.

The American Girl Doll store closed in March 2019. Puttshack plans a late 2023 opening.

Puttshack uses what it calls “Trackaball” technology, a tool that keeps track of golfers’ scores as they work their way around the course. The game is scored differently than traditional golf and mini-golf, with players getting points based on how many strokes it takes to complete a hole, and bonus points awarded for certain other achievements.

Each course features nine holes, including several complicated ones. One hole at the Boston location, called “Beer Pong,” involves hitting a ball up a ramp and into one of the 10 giant red cups set up in beer pong formation. Dropping a ball through the cup at the top of the formation will lead directly to the hole, while hitting the ball into the other cups would lead to more challenging routes.

Games for the Boston location are priced at $18 for adults and $10 for children.

The Natick business will feature barrooms on both floors, as well as dining options, an outdoor patio and a private room for special events.

The attraction is the latest entertainment option to come to the Natick Mall, replacing more traditional retail options. Level99, a series of escape rooms and games, opened in June 2021 on the second floor of the former Sears location. Arcade and restaurant chain Dave & Buster’s opened in 2019.

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Florida man arrested after stealing alligator from mini-golf course and abusing it

Hodge, 32, told officers he was “teaching it a lesson” after taking it from the alligator enclosure at Congo River Golf.

A self-employed fisherman was arrested Thursday after stealing an alligator from a mini-golf course and abusing it, Daytona Beach Shores law enforcement said.

Officers with the Daytona Beach Shores Department of Public Safety spotted William Hodge, a Fort Myers resident, trying to throw the reptile onto the roof of Metz Lounge, 2136 S. Atlantic Ave., shortly before 3:30 a.m. Thursday, according to the report. The officers also saw Hodge stomp on the alligator twice after slamming it onto the ground, the report said.

Hodge, 32, told officers he was “teaching it a lesson” after taking it from the alligator enclosure at Congo River Golf, 2100 S. Atlantic Ave., according to the charging affidavit.

He’s charged with possessing and injuring an alligator, unarmed burglary of an unoccupied dwelling and criminal mischief, records show. He is being held at the Volusia County Branch Jail without bail.

The alligator was returned to George King, manager of the mini-golf course, who said the reptile is worth $300, according to the report.

King couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Friday on the alligator’s condition.