August 6, 2018
by Tom Loftus (aka Mr. Tee)
We begin this magical mini golf journey at the very end. After nearly 40 years, closing time came to a classic mini golf course from my formative days of playing the game. Goony Golf in Spring Lake Park, Minnesota was open to the public for the final time on Sunday, July 9, 2017.
When the course went up for sale two years prior, we feared a new owner would do away one of our all-time favorite courses. The two of us relished every opportunity we had to play and I made sure to highlight the course during a winter photo shoot by the City Pages that would acknowledge my creative contributions in the Twin Cities. To gain access to the snow-covered course, I connected with the owner of the business, Pat Hovanetz. She went out of her way to unlock the gates and make the space available for our use during the frigid off-season.
A year later, in a moment of considering a sharp career shift, I reached back out to Pat in hopes that the course was still on the market. No news had come out about the future of Goony Golf after an additional season on the market. Maybe I could keep this space alive and open to the masses? Reality sunk in when Pat informed me that the course was indeed sold to a buyer that sought alternative uses for the 3.3-acre lot. Faced with the reality of this loss, I made it a priority to follow-up with Pat on her willingness to share Goony Golf’s visual history and story.
Marking the one-year closure anniversary, I plan to share the story behind this beloved miniature golf institution over a series of posts on our site. The following pieces will highlight the history of the Sir Goony Golf chain, the early years in Spring Lake Park, waterslides, an 80s look-alike contest, and three mini golf courses we ache to play again. I’m kicking things off with pictures from the final visits to the course over the Spring/Summer of 2017.
Part 2 – It Came From Tennessee (or maybe Florida)
Part 4 – The “Bo” of Anoka County
