THE HISTORY OF MINI GOLF AND THE STORY OF PARADISE ISLAND
Posted on 9th May 2024What do Paradise Island Adventure Golf and the sport of miniature golf have in common? They both began in Scotland!
To celebrate National Miniature Golf Day this Saturday 11th May 2024, we’re exploring the Scottish origins of both Paradise Island and of the game itself.
Putting & pipes
The putting game – widely said to be the earliest form of mini golf and still played as a practice game today – was first played in Scotland back in the 1800s, and the Ladies Putting Club in St. Andrews is said to be home to the world’s oldest mini golf course. Early courses relied on scrap items such as old pipes, barrels, and tires to act as obstacles.
Teeing off stateside
The United States’ first mini golf course was developed by James Barber in 1916, cleverly named Thistle Dhu (a play on words, as in ‘this’ll do’).
By the end of the 1920s, mini golf had experienced a boom in popularity across the pond. New York City alone had 150 courses, many of which were situated on the rooftops of the city’s iconic skyscrapers. Unfortunately, most of these closed when the Great Depression hit.
Swinging into the 21st century…
In 2006, the first of eight Paradise Island Adventure Golf sites would open its doors at XSite (then known as XScape) at Braehead Shopping Centre, Glasgow.
The vision for Paradise Island was to bring a premier indoor mini golf spot to Scotland. At the time of its opening, mini golf was still very much an outdoor activity – which doesn’t always make for a pleasant experience with the UK’s unpredictable weather! Paradise Island promised to invite the golfer indoors for an immersive adventure amidst a tropical oasis.
In 2008, Paradise Island Adventure Golf Manchester opened its doors in the Trafford Centre, becoming the first of six English venues. A second Scottish site within Livingston Designer Outlet opened in 2012, the same year in which our Sheffield site launched. Cheshire Oaks opened in 2015 and Derby in 2017, with both Plymouth and Rushden Lakes following in 2019. Eighteen years on from the birth of Paradise Island, we now have visitors up and down the UK enjoying our tropical brand of indoor adventure golf!
A tee-riffic evolution
From moving indoors to the introduction of ornate obstacles, mini golf has come a long way from the days of unpredictable weather and scrap metal. Today, you’ll find everything from courses with various theming to glow in the dark decor, such as our Cheshire Oaks octopus pictured below (fun fact – glow in the dark mini golf originated in Scandinavia as a result of their short, dark days).
You can even make a day of your mini golf adventure as many facilities now have options for food and drink. We’re not biased, but we think our Bunker bar in Plymouth is pretty neat!
Fancy celebrating National Miniature Golf Day with us? Visit our website to find your nearest Paradise Island and book your tee time.
Sources:
https://www.smugglersgolf.com/blog/the-interesting-history-of-mini-golfs
https://top-facts.com/10-interesting-facts-about-mini-golf/
https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/sports/golf/basics/who-built-first-miniature-golf-course.htm
