Goofy Golf (Course 1) – Fort Walton Beach, FL

Played on June 12, 2021

Reviewed by the Pink Putter

Part of the impetus for our June 2021 trip down to the panhandle in Florida was to play all of the Goofy Golf courses in the area. Yes, there is more than one and no, none of them are connected. First, there is the Goofy Golf in Panama City Beach, which is probably our favorite of all the Goofy Golf courses we’ve played. Next is the Goofy Golf in Pensacola (which also has an interesting history linked to both Goony Golf and Goofy Golf that we’ll get to in an upcoming review). Lastly is this Goofy Golf location, in Fort Walton Beach, which from our research is the first in the area called Goofy Golf.

Funnily enough, years ago when we had just started our mini golf adventures, I had for some reason I can’t even remember called this Goofy Golf location to order t-shirts for Mr. Tee and me. The owner happily shipped them to us and I loved the design so much that I wore it until it was no longer wearable. It’s still one of Mr. Tee’s favorites.

We visited this Goofy Golf two times during our trip. On the first day, we played Course 2. During the second visit, we played Course 1 and finished immediately before a big rainfall.

Rating

Goofy Golf Fort Walton Beach is a classic mini golf gem that has been preserved like a time capsule by owner Chris Clemens. They have 2 courses that have 16 holes each. The 17th (“High Road”) & 18th holes (“Snakes Mouth”) are shared by both courses making for a unique 34-hole layout. Not only has the course remained the same since it was built in 1958, but so have the prices (we’re not kidding, $3 per adult, $1.50 per child). Here is some history from roadsideamerica.com:

“This Goofy Golf was designed and built by James W. “Jimmy” Hayes. It opened in October 1958. Hayes’ son-in-law, Robert Fleskes, who owned a bowling alley in Mississippi, took over the business in the early 1970s and lived on the property in a trailer with his family. He ran it until early 2011, when he sold it to a long-time employee with the understanding that nothing about it would be changed.

Calamity struck in 2003 when Goofy Golf’s 23-foot-tall green cement dinosaur “Hammy” collapsed. He lay in pieces in a boatyard for five years until a local developer spearheaded Hammy’s successful repair and return, just in time for Goofy Golf’s 50th birthday in 2008. The developer had grown up playing at Goofy Golf, and wanted future generations to have the same experience that he did.”

This course is made of colorful bumpers, green felt carpet, and wonderfully strange and kitschy obstacles and adornments. It also makes quite an appearance in The Minibook of Minigolf by Tim Hollis. Some history is written by Hollis:

“The Goofy Golf in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, was built by J.W. Hayes. To this day, it remains one of the most lovingly maintained vintage courses in the country, even keeping its original neon sign.”