Played on August 15, 2012
Reviewed by Mr. Tee
After a break in the action, we are back to reviewing our big day on the Jersey Shore. Harbor Light resides in the generally touristy Wildwood area but maintains a straight forward approach to mini-golf that is atypical for its surrounding. Unlike Duffer’s, Harbor Light didn’t include animatronic pelicans or brightly colored putting surfaces but it did deliver 18 solid holes of mini-golf.
Rating
Par – I honestly struggled with whether to give this course a Birdie or Par. Varied terrain and natural hazards placed in a thoughtful manner were the calling card of this course. Despite the challenging play, I managed a rare hole-in-one and almost made the overall course par.
On a different day I may have given Harbor Light a Birdie score but the language on the score card ended up being the deciding factor. The long list of rules and the “welcome” regarding the course as “innovative” was excessive. I settled on the rating after reading this on the score card:
“…there are not trick putts on the course and each green should be played just as you would a regulation P.G.A. green”
I don’t play mini-golf to replace or enhance the experience of golfing on a regular basis. Harbor Light is not extraordinary as far as my tastes go but it’s a slightly above average classic mini-golf course that I’d happily play again over places like Action City.
Pros
Challenging (but fun) play
Hazards and sand traps incorporated well
Well maintained greens
I got a hole-in-one
Less touristy area of the shore
Choose your own putter selection
Cons
No “kitsch”
Lacking “fun” element
Nerdy Notes
- 18 Holes, Par 45
- $7 before 6pm, $8 after 6pm
- Multi-tiered putting green with rough
- Ice cream and bike rental available
- Players get to choose their putters
- Rubber putters
- Dyed blue water
- Lose ball on 18th
- Ball scoopers provided for retrieving ball in water traps
- Score card includes extensive list of 14 rules including “Shirt and shoes required” and my favorite, “Player ejection may occur if any golfer enters pond. No refunds to anyone ejected”
