Visited on August 22, 2019 by Mr. Tee & The Pink Putter
Words by The Pink Putter
Growing up in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania and then moving to the midwest leaves me with some nostalgia and ongoing curiosity about things happening around my home region. Sometime early last summer, I caught word that an abandoned mini golf course called Mountain View Drive-In in Bushkill Township had been purchased and was going to get re-habilitated by the new owners. Anytime we hear about a defunct mini golf course getting a new life, we’re always excited to learn more. So I started following the new Mountain View Drive-In Facebook page to keep track on their progress. Fast forward to this summer when we were planning our trip back out east. I knew that the restaurant was open but that the mini golf was still under construction and was set to open around Labor Day. I reached out to the new owner, Lanie Yaswinski, to see if Mr. Tee, myself and my dad could swing by for a visit and Lanie was kind enough to say yes.
Upon our arrival, we immediately noticed the impressive new building that houses the drive-in restaurant, with a landscape of concrete in the background.
Lanie warmly greeted us and we started with an outdoor tour of the in-progress mini golf course, which had originally been owned by the Krasznavolgyi Family.
Lanie told us that she and her husband John had originally planned to just rehabilitate the old course, but it was in such bad shape that their only option to was to demolish and start fresh. To do the job, they hired Bob Horwath, a former Harris Miniature Golf employee who branched off on his own to start Horwath Miniature Golf Courses. They managed to salvage some of the original obstacles including the castle and windmill.
Seeing a mini golf course before it gets is turf is an exciting moment of progress and potential. We documented this part of the course’s new history, but we honestly can’t wait to see it finished, open and fully functioning.
Our tour continued around back, where we posed with the castle and then inside, where Mr. Tee and my dad posed with the original windmill. Lanie and her husband have crafted a small museum of sorts dedicated to the history of original course, with memorabilia such as old photos, scorecards, the original windmill and hole marker flags all placed on display with intention and great care. What a treasure trove this is for those with memories of the old course! Along side these artifacts were newly designed posters and t-shirts adorned with fun graphics of gnomes, windmills and ice cream.
Below are some photos of the freshly turfed and landscaped course, as of September 10, 2019.
And here is an article in the local paper about the course opening. The Yaswinski family have clearly worked hard and invested a lot into recreating such a special place. We wish them the best of luck on their full opening and we’re really looking forward to a future visit to play and properly review the course!
