Professor Hacker’s Dinosaur Adventure Golf – Myrtle Beach, SC

Played on October 12, 2019

Review by Mr. Tee. Guest appearances by Rudy Reel and Evan Rundgren of O-Street Mini Golf

The final rounds of the 2019 USPMGA Masters were about to begin and even though I wasn’t competing formally, I was pretty tired from two previous evenings chalked full of mini golf. Evan Rundgren (Holey Moley Season 1 alum) arrived early early in the morning on a red-eye to hang in Myrtle Beach and Rudy Reel had already finished his rounds for the Masters. We could have sat around, rested, and waited for the final rounds to wrap up or take in one of the many courses we all had not played. We opted to hop down the street to another joint that is part of the Professor Hacker’s franchise. Three exhausted dudes took in a round of 18 and fun ensued.

Rating

We opted for the T. Rex course over the Raptor course based on the staff recommendation. Much like many of the mini golf locations in Myrtle Beach, there are multiple 18-hole courses within the confines of the larger complex but the design of the holes and theme are consistent across both options. Professor Hacker’s Dinosaur Adventure Golf is not unique in incorporating dinosaurs into a themed mini golf course in Myrtle Beach but the oversized characters and environments that include a putting excursion through a large boat were very well executed. Yet another solid, fun, and better than average course. Frankly, this would be a hole-in-one rated course in most cities but in Myrtle Beach, it just barely falls short of being in the top tier of mini golf courses.

The Professor’s balloon was a beacon for mini golf fun and the clubhouse

Evan documented our casual competition but the footage may be lost for the ages

Overview of a few holes on each course from the ship

Evan, the teacher, is getting an education from Professor Hacker on dinos

Taking on the triple tiered hole barefeet

Prepping Rudy for future O-Street videos and maybe a future season of Holey Moley!

Evan is always sinking putts with his short putter

Now back to the green turf, red bricks and metal cups

Rudy steadily putting the ball in the hole

and no surprise, Rudy tops the daily leader board with a round of 40!

Pro. Hacker’s Dino Adventure Website

701 Hwy 17 S, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582

Pros

Execution of the Dino theme is well done
The turf and holes are well maintained
Environments and obstacles have great size/scale
Steamship is used to highlight the theme AND for putting

Cons

Course theme, Dinosaurs, is slightly overused, especially in Myrtle Beach
Falls short of being destination mini golf in a city with similar or some slightly better courses

Nerdy Notes

Two courses. Raptor & T. Rex 18 holes,
First Round: Ages 5 & Up: $12, Ages 4 & Under: $7 with a metal-handled putter or free with plastic putter. Second Round: $6
Rubber covered putters
Metal rimmed cups
Bricks with wide spacing/cracks between them
85 steamship!
Story: “The noted explorer, archaeologist, anthropologist, paleontologist, and part-time taxidermist from the University of Chicago, Professor Duffer A. Hacker, also had a love for hot air balloons. During a recreational flight with a friend in 1930, the two found themselves caught in a storm that blew them miles off course. The voyagers finally crash-landed in a canyon which they soon discovered was inhabited by creatures thought to be extinct….DINOSAURS! Professor Hacker immediately discovered the coordinates of his location and sent for his ship, the R.S. Jurassic Explorer. While waiting for his ship, the professor decided to explore the area. When he came back to the area where the ship was supposed to be, he discovered that the ship had been beached on some rocks. Follow Professor Hacker and putt your way through the jungle and around waterfalls as he explores a land thought to be lost. “