Oakdale Burrow (formerly Big Thrill Factory) Mini Golf – Oakdale, MN

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Played on June 1, 2017, September 3, 2017, & May 12, 2018

Reviewed by Mr. Tee

The anticipation to play this course was considerable after stumbling into the first standout Big Thrill Factory location with mini golf in Minnetonka a few years back. We followed news of the opening of a second entertainment complex from the same company throughout the winter months in 2017. We saved our first visit for my 40th birthday and it was a perfect way to start heading over the hill. The only reason for a delay in getting up this review came from the desire to fully document all of the elements functioning at their best.

Update May 2022

Big Thrill Factory in Oakdale closed in late 2020 / early 2021. There had been rumors of a new operator that would be taking over the space including the mini golf and that came into being in spring 2022. Go to the end of this review for photo from the re-opening on May 7th, 2022.

Rating

Hole-in-One – The splash of vibrant colors that greet you as you step outside of the building and onto the course puts me in my happy place. I came in expecting the Oakdale location to be an exact replica of the hole-in-one Minnetonka course. But to my surprise, there was a high level of variety between the two locations. Aside from the signature first hole smokestack design, each course has its own custom obstacles and designs. The rollercoaster and roulette holes are similar to two of our favorite holes at Par-King which is a major positive in our books. I strongly recommend playing both Big Thrill Factory miniature golf locations in Minnesota.

Overview
Front entrance
Self-serve mini golf station
Love all those bright contrasting colors
Subtle trap behind the hole that you most certainly want to avoid landing in
Pink Putter sinks one
Eric, Krystianna, and Liz strike a pose on Hole 7 on National Mini Golf Day 2018
Bird’s eye view of sweeping mechanism
Three different landing areas to the lower part of the hole
One of several holes that had obstacles covering a second cup which allows for the course to have a different look for challenging or variety
The gear covers the more challenging cup / shot on hole 8
Tough Par 3 given the narrow entrance into the device that brings you to the backside of the hole. The ball comes out on the other side slow and doesn’t get anywhere near the cup
Back half of the course
Two of the more winding and long holes next to Eric and the Pink Putter

Now, where did my ball go?
Your luck on the final hole can be a big game changer

Updated Photos May 2022

New logo and visuals right when you enter the door
Mutliple bars, more axe throwing stations, pull tabs and a bigger food menu all were added
Golf simulators, pool tables, bowling and more in a new side room
New, full and cozy bar set up near the golf simulators
Same holes but new signage

Oakdale Burrow Website

Pros

Every hole is visually bold, bright, and colorful
Several distinct / unique holes (ie. roller coaster,
Numerous interactive elements
Several holes have movable obstacles to allow players to use a different cup
Mix of challenging and easy to accommodate kids and adults

Cons

A few of the mechanized holes were out of order on different visits and as of May 2022, the rollercoaster hole still doesn’t always operate properly

 

Nerdy Notes

  • 18 holes, Par 48.
  • New price is $12 a round

Old Notes:

  • $7 / 28 points (Upgrade to Glow Golf for only $5 more – Get a 7-Color golf ball souvenir). Pay with Big Thrill Factory Play Card. Self-service
  • Colored rubber covered putters. Ability to select ball color via machine
  • Rules: 5 stroke max. Ball closest to cup putts first. No more than 4 in a group
  • Flags in the holes
  • Attractions include food, time challenge, arcade, rope course, drop tower, go karts, miniature bowling, axe throwing, arcade, trampolines, giant slide, and wipeout trampolines
  • Build by Cost of Wisconsin (Jackson, WI) using Micro Golf Contoured Greens

 

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