Played August 18, 2021
Reviewed by Mr. Tee
We knew we’d play everything on LBI when we planned out a trip to visit the Jersey Shore in 2021 since we would be staying in the center of the 18-mile-in-length Long Beach Island. As I did my research in advance, Flamingo Golf stood out for its pastel colors and old-school vibes. It only made sense that we would not only play the course to document it but that it would be part of a local newspaper column by our O-Street pal Biggy. During the summer months, he takes on all challengers to a round of mini golf and features his guests in his column. We were eager and excited to check out this course in advance.
Rating
There are some reviews that feel like they take forever and those are usually due to the course being so fun and special that you want to share every last little detail. Flamingo is especially close to my heart because in all the time I’ve tracked my mini golf scores, this was the first time I scored under 30 in a round of 18 holes. I tend to step up and play better when it comes to courses with fun gameplay, colorful theming, and unique experiences for the ball to reach the cup. Numerous holes had shoot-through pathways that if you had the right timing and/or landed in the right channel, your ball would have a high chance of hitting the bottom of the cup for an ace. All of the cups were surrounded by a silver-painted cement border that served as a funnel into the cup. This increased the likelihood of an ace with the right putting speed. The variety of gameplay matched with the old-school charm made this an instant favorite. We ended up coming back to this course for a 2nd round with family to play in their weekly Thursday morning tournament. Long Beach Island is chocked full of so many fun mini golf courses but Flamingo Golf is my absolute favorite of all of them. It’s a must-play if you’re headed to the Shore!
No website or actively run Facebook page
Long Beach Blvd & W 5th St, 418 Drexel Ave, Ship Bottom, NJ 08008
Pros
Loads of fun pastel colors on signs, walls, and obstacles
Dish/Drop pocket around cups to make for many hole-in-one opportunities
Shoot-throughs work well
Solid variety of play
Smart and efficient use of space
Personality and charm
Old school wooden walls
Cons
A few of the shoot-throughs could be a little frustrating / fussy
Nerdy Notes
- 18 holes. Par 46. 5 stroke limit
- Cash only. $6/round. $5 for the weekly tournament.
- Playing groups are no larger than 4
- Seasonal business that closes for the summer in September and opens in the spring based on the weather
- The course was founded and opened in 1960. For the 60th anniversary in 2020, they had special t-shirts, sweatshirts and watches made to mark the occasion.
- The founder, Bill Burr, passed in 2000. The course has been under the stewardship of Kirk V since 2000.
- During the summer months, the course hosts weekly Thursday morning tournaments
