Minibook of Minigolf

Remember when the ball soared off onto another hole, or smacked the arm of the windmill, or when you got that tricky hole-in-one?

Was it Pirate’s Cove? Hillbilly Golf? Goofy Golf? For many families, memorable moments have been made at the wacky and wonderful miniature golf courses found at vacation spots throughout America. The Minibook of Minigolf is a visual tour of miniature golf in the southeast, where it has always been most popular - starting with Tom Thumb Golf on Lookout Mountain near Chattanooga, Tennessee, birthplace of the game in 1925.

Vintage photos and current-day snapshots feature the dinosaurs, kangaroos, octopuses, ghosts, mermaids, dragons, and other outlandish monsters that bear witness to the game while rocket ships, chapels, teepees, lighthouses, and castles adorn the field.

Some courses wind around rocks and trees in the woods.

Others are beachside, roadside, or even rooftop. But they are all painted in zany hues and cleverly devised by miniature golf designers.

Sit back and enjoy this trip through southern states and classic minigolf memories, but watch out - you might just be inspired to swap afternoonplans, find the nearest course, and play!