« Stuff You Should Know

How Miniature Golf Works

2020-08-06 | 🔗

Playing miniature golf is a very fun thing to do and, you’re about to find, learning about its origin and history is very fun as well. Join Josh and Chuck as they tee off on the mini golf story!

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Well me, if you don't know what to expect, listen to what to back on the eye, aren't radio app Apple podcast or where ever you get your pie, CAS. Hey everybody you ve heard, but we a book coming out. Finally, find After all, these years, it's great it's and you're gonna love it. It's called stuff. You should know Cohen, an incomplete compendium of mostly interesting things gap in its twenty six June impact chapters that we wrote with another guy named knows Parker, whose amazing and is illustrated- maison by our industry You're curly and it's just an all round, joy to pick up and red, even though we haven't physically, it really Heller handier. It's like we have chuck in our dream so far. I can't wait to actually see and hold this thing and smell it. So should you so pray order now it means a lot to us. The support is a very big deal,
so pre order anywhere books are sold, welcomed happy should now production of my heart, radios, Hasna, were removed from the podcast on Josh Clerk nurse, Charles, the beach Brian. Over there there's Jerry there figuring out new contrivances modern life. You tell me what's going on. I think it's interesting right now, I'm gonna tell him thought said Jerry, figured out now how to operate the studio, Macintosh recording system and not be in the office. It's pretty great. It's gets covered Rafik, actually and so she was just up on our Skype on video and she still there, but when she switched to mute, at wit, distressing picture DC that thing now I d C
They are like. The letter J in the letter are see other. She says she's back. Ok, when she turned it off there was. I get a photograph of Jerry that looks like she's like second or something it's weird. What's that its jerry's look so that's it. That's a diet of nothing but me so for fifteen twenty years will do for you. The weird thing is: this is closed. We ve come to normal and format I know. Not only is it like normal, it's on a throwback remember when we had the studio where we would look out the window and she was there near yellows, create this kind of like this again choose a window creeper. Here professionally and in her personal life to the penetrate so this stuff
should know everybody honor. If I said it, they're, probably a few people who are confused and are any more, but we haven't gotten started yet so prepare to be confused again when we explain something in particular, Chuck Miniature Golf got ask: are your fan? Ah, this may we want to play again, like I grew up playing put put charm in a very fine memories of all the different colored golf ball, you know, the water trap. That was really does the stagnant little puddle of concrete. You now Papa is wonderful, create new arcades and birthday parties there that church heavily with GM, Joe Action figures and stuff, like that, the good kind, the three and three quarter inch ones and I am a fan, if not just nostalgia equally in general. Yes, in which style in as soon as the listener will see soon? There are completely different things
did you ve girl, playing just sort of the bare bones put but or the more miniature golf clowns windmill, volcano well check! If you ask me if I had a rich childhood. I will always tell you yes, sir. Yes, I did in the reason rise because I grew up having put but close by in Toledo leader when we play that a lot and then family would vacation in the summer's on Qatar Island, unlike Yuri, and this is like pre cleaned up like Harry. Like a run down little like many golf with clowns, boughs and windmills, and all that stuff right by the place where we use to stay like walking distance, and so we play their allotted to so I had the best of both worlds. A really great Tis top notch childhood, so I grew up playing put put at Stone Mountain Park which we went to a lot,
it was near our church in the youth group would go and do put, but knights and stuff so a lot of fun and ours what a partial to those that looked like you know the real power. Where it requires a little bit skill, but I am also a sucker. Or the beach town. Volcano waterfall go cart. Bumper boat arcade scene. Every a laser tank. I never really did laser tag that I think there came around a little after I was you know in my prime years. For this kind of thing catch year was same here, but I was looking up now. They have laser tag, put put places, but I still love those go cards when we get to palms. Last year I found a place nearby. I think we gotta go in IRAN is, can I go home and the kids are sword like you? I guess I'll. Do it now, like guys, we gotta go
What is wrong with all of you who is with a man. It was so much carbon monoxide weaken the house. You read now: let's go Carter, do that, all day, long yeah for sure, and of course I got to get the guy. You know the teenager squeaky voice, teenager and ass. It came with which one which, which is the first one, number eight really, oh yeah sure enough. It was really fast. It rained circles. And everybody. I did such that aid and laid off on the gas little bit just a catch up and let people you know, act like a race. What is this? What a sportsman forgiveness I will go cards one day more in depth, but today we can focus on the miniature golf. Ok here. This is a pretty interesting histrionic yeah. I had no idea how far back your went until we start researching this and actually goes all the way back to the nineteenth century. In this one of those rare things
Been around a while, but you can actually pinpoint like the first one in the first miniature golf course in the world. World. As far as everybody knows, is that scene Andrews, it's the Ladys putting Club of Saint Andrews and it was built in eighteen. Sixty two in strictly for the women members of the Ladys, putting club yeah there's a couple of things it lay here actually really just one thing which is not letting women do things as there was a decree, basically that women shall not take the club back pass their shoulder. So, unless commandment A real golf swing, in other words, was, I guess, improper for for a lady to do victorian era was just so stupid when it came to social constraints, I'm trying to figure out. Why does that? delivery, archaeologists. Well,
wonder why a full golf swing, would it make their their dress rate rise a little above the angular like this year. Why? I think, also women, expected not over exert themselves physically, especially in public, to write it kind of construe that is over ocean well and then there's this, which is from eighteen. Ninety book by scottish Baron, Lord well, would talking about women in when they should golf when they shouldn't golf, they too. I was gonna. Do a scottish accept, but I'm just not feeling it. If they choose play at times when male coffers feeding or resting. No one can of joy but at other times must we say it they're. In the way it was kind of snow. You to add even them the must. We say it like driving needed to write this next sentence, it so just trippingly, obvious but the one. The upshot of this is that's why they created the Ladys
in club is just the sort of get rid of him, get him out of the way of the men, but the Jew, was on the men, because this putting green this first miniature golf course in the war old is still around and it still considered. One of the finest is actually nicknamed the Himalayas because it has all these kind of islands and hills and hillocks all built into it, and they can stand out from what I understand against, like the Scottish Seascape a really revered miniature golf course. But it is exactly what it sounds like. It is a golf course in miniature, like just like you take a class Big Golf course of the variety those born in Scotland and you just can't hit with a shrink And then you a genuine bona fide miniature golf course, and that's how the whole thing started out. I mean it's as what we would call it a par three today, right kind of it seems like par three courses.
A little different, so this is like. Yes, I think you do it does require more than just a potter Ryan part. Three would require more than a powder, but there seems to be a few different other kinds of golf courses. Aside from the miniature golf course there's the part three, the pitch imply an executive courses, all kind of qualified, technically miniature golf courses indifferent way year. The executive course they got the name because Evidently executive could go player quick ground during lunch, lot apart part three might have a like one. Our five and a couple or power force their right on a par three on an executive course. Ok, yeah! That's what that's really the only thing from what I can tell a differentiated from apart recourse yeah, it's it's it's a golf course. To shorter and therefore doesn't take his long yet, and it's not like
the whole is smaller and the ball is smaller clubs or smaller, like just to state, get out you fancy lay in their dead. It's just that the distance from the tee to the whole is shorter. There's fewer back and stuff like that, so the actual experience takes less time unless energy in this kind of fitted in and a shorter amount of time and then asked the popularity of those things generally other pigeon put courses. I also saw there. They usually consists of a wedge in iron and put her what you need to play on those and they're all about the focus on the short game in as a result, the men, women, just average men and women who play golf king cannot compete pretty evenly because it's all about the short gave us all about finesse rather than in August here power of driving. As far as you can only get a traditional golf course, Yeah I mean I'd, love golf. I just don't play anymore like I grew up playing off and was not good.
I wasn't terrible. First, I played, and I still like it- I just don't I have the time or the inclination anymore, but am I like the big boy? courses with the big par fives, but I also love of funds, part three like forty has allotted these beautiful par threes, including some you can play it light that are all lit up and as always lot of fun to I tried to get acquainted with golf as a youngster. My family head weirdly enough cuz. This is not like my family at all. Had a membership at Heather Downs Country Club as well, and I loved the pool because they had like you know, tons of such puppies and the best like nasty hot dogs. You can imagine in- and there is a pool and all that I think I told you- the story about Swim League, the swim tee I the worst swimmer, but I also tried to call for a couple of summers and just didn't didn't take it up, but I was
CAN Toledo leader like couple years ago. I think right before Cleveland Show and I visited the country GO obliges drove by and I looked in, the pool is now just like agree. Field it's been filled in, like a little. The little snack shop has been torn down. Like said the real That must happen there for them to have. Did the poor you know yet The that an I didn't get to go here. Much Cosette was private, but hidden hills was a big neighbourhood near my house, tat, country club that still around well the neighborhoods there, but you know the neighbourhood is seen as better days and that the country club and golf courses completely just shut on a groan over? It's really it looks well and that is an abandoned place, this so cool. This kind of cool. And then I had the idea of a movie like old school type thing where a bunch of old I should like a middle aged man. The grew up there go back
ray some money and train like clean the place up and get it going again yet to hilarity. There to be like a greedy developer that their battling I tell ya, so, is that the neighbourhood that we get doubt of when we tried to go shoot like without alike once around that area, remember the security arguments, stop what you're doing. I remember that happen Wendy was it on the duty shower ashore and guerrilla nose? Like short, reassuring short, I think that I'm pretty sure that was the one should we take a break already I will get back and we'll talk about where many gulf went from here right after this time. Did you know that
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as a matter of maternity, paternity or a sewer back. Nothing we talked about right now constitutes miniature golf in the mind of anybody who hears the words miniature golf right through like what what comes to mind or things like Papa or goofy, golfer, windmills or clowns or happy Gilmore, or something like that right, yeah, so that all started. Actually, that didn't quite start yet it was really leading up to that and then I realized we had to keep going with regular miniature golf one more time because it has to spread to America and it did, and we can actually trace that too to the house of a guy named James Barber, who is an immigrant from England.
Who is familiar with the course, the Ladys putting club at Saint Andrews, and he was rich enough that he said you know. I want a miniature golf course built are my estate at pine, her snore? Carolina any did he had like an eighteen whole miniature course built right there in his his formal gardens and is just absolutely beautiful. It is not and this was the first one in the United States and as its call, fissile do tee age. I ask tee o ye D. Age you and- Sadly, as legend goes, he when he first saw it. He said this will do. I guess he was there and he was not blown away, maybe not an essential. I'm underwhelmed. He was one of those spoiled brat knew no robber barons and instead was like This'Ll. Do This'Ll do quite nicely her hand. I just left off the second part, yeah, but it's called fissile do and they started hosting competitions couple years later, and I think this
First time miniature golf was ever use, like those words, were reuse, you described the Pine Hearst Outlook- was that paper? Yes, yes, there one claim to fame. You know it's true that this but then they were the ones in that in a account of the competition they coined the term miniature golf up to that point. A lot of people had called it little abuse engulf sure after the the little people in Gulliver, Gulliver's travels in that actually name actually stuck for quite a while. So you ve got James Barber who hosted or built the first miniature golf course in America. But still this thing is like directly connected to the
it is putting club was seen Andrews. It's a golf course in miniature. We still haven't quite reached, while we would consider miniature golf that wouldn't happen until nineteen twenty six, which turned out to be a really big year for miniature golf America was like there is something in the air in a few different people kind of tapped into it. At the same time, and it suddenly just took off like a rocket two other guys were some entrepreneurs named Drake Dull, The I guess ran John led better another good name and, though case they killed pill future their lead, better yeah yeah. I can see that they did a pretty cool thing, which is they opened up a course on top of it, rooftop in the financial district in New York and that picked up a trend. There were, I think, a hundred of those on top Bruce, I guess, is before the big rooftop bar
tell seen they had golf courses up their yeah miniature golf courses. Those were like miniature golf courses. So, though I mean there's a big deal at the in New York, just a hundred rooftop gulf, many of course, I'm alone in the twenties, its that's a tremendous amount in another. Is a single one, laughter actually you're shoddy, there's there's, so they can to make, the whole. U Nos one, I'm on top upon city market, where the house to Works offices is very often there. There's a miniature golf course up there, and it makes a lot more sense now yeah, it's kind of like a home, many Coney Island up their yeah, I mean, I think I've only been there when we had to work events, and the idea is the slide. I did nervous yeah, there's a girl. You know you sit in a potato second good idea, Erika yeah yeah. That was fun others and there's a miniature golf course up. There will have to play some time when the whole pandemic.
Totally and then later that same year, you said was kind of a boom year. For many golf doubt Mountain Tennessee in Chattanooga reaches the place I think everybody should go to sea, Ruby falls and rock city. Oh yes, it is a tourist trap, but it's actually gonna need. I mean the greatest of the great tourist traps and it still holds up to get a became log out like a good. They are so good there's that's what they're also supports my theory that candy was perfected in the nineteenth century, remember near here: honey com, you're, the calm logs that I didn't overcome launcher from way back then, but I believe it get for sure there definitely old time. So These people are guaranteed. In Frida Carter, they bill to a resort called fairyland club- and it was
that whole sort of interconnected seen there with Russia. City and ruby falls and they built a miniature golf course They said you know what, if you like off Maybe you should try many gulf, because it didn't take very long. It all kind of scratch that each? If you, able to play a real round and that sort of marketed it at first and they are. There, were the first people are to start adding be obstacles right. They did give in they used as they were, building like that in their resort complex. They use some of the construction materials like train pipes and you know- barrels and things like that unused and build them as hazards, and then because they had this whole, like fairy tale theme going up there, they also built rock city. There are the ones who built rock city in thy has like a cool little weird. Weird, also very neat. Fairytale theme, Ghana, hidden throughout they d
added that other miniature golf course. They had these stationary obstacles and hazards that they added and then they also added this statuary of cute little, you know mother, goose type stuff and they actually called the whole thing. Tom Thumb golf Tom Thumb from what I understand is the earliest recorded english fairytale character from back in sixteen twenty one news, a little tiny guy. Besides of his father's thumb, which is where he got his name, so is pretty appropriate name they. They must have really like been pretty pleased when themselves when they decided to call it Tom Thumb golf because it really is checked all the box Yeah- and we should mention too- we keep saying rock city and if you're, not from South EAST, you might think it's just some like redneck area with a bunch of Iraq's it's actually a very Sweet natural, wonder it's! It's caves that you walk through caves, its huge boulders,
being held up by much much smaller boulders, the utterly NEA wafer. Probably tens of that thousands of years that you under there's. Like yeah there there's little Kay very, is that you duck into and they have little fairy tale scenes with fluorescent, dig fluorescent I can dig. Lawyers are gonna dark, weird, like nomes in fairy tale scenes. Like that's the weird part it psychic Carlsbad Caverns head. You know some corny very theme and the Ruby falls, is really need to hear so very cool like natural attraction that they ve done a good job of like under groundwater, making it easier to make your way to the edge of the whole thing is definitely worth going to, and then, of course they have is the very famous like see rock city by inside that everybody's right of an embryo is that was Garnet Carter, who if one may or paid one man
to go around and offered it to give fresh coat of paint to Barnes all throughout the southeast is greater in exchange for letting them paint see rock city on the site, yeah it's If you ve ever driven around the North Carolina South Carolina area and south of the border, you not talking about south of the Mason Dixon, no south of the border is the name of this sort of highway tourist trap. The third thing I ever heard of that it's it's it's the same day. I think it's I want to say is North Carolina, but it's basically like a glorified rest stopped with that. Has a mexican theme weakened. I can see Mary Hatch abandoned me, good food and by judges the only Mary Archie banned in all of North Carolina. But what we think about it, it might be. Was that they the same thing for like hundreds of miles in any direction for south of the border and rock city. There very famous for these billboards that tell you like. Oh it's, coming
you're getting closer here getting closer. I that's really strange never heard of that type of border checks must not have been paying attention. So so the cars built like this time, some golf course again. Originally they just did. This is kind of in a minute he at their fairyland in fairyland club by it was such a smash hid in Garnet Carter. With such a like, born businessman there they they, they were like a think. There might something to this, and they saw either they sought out or he sought them. I am not quite sure how it happened, but there is the guy who really factors Bigley into this whole story about he's frequently overlooked in his name is Thomas Mcculloch, fair burn, Mccullough, fair burn, yeah and he invented a really cheap and easy technique for creating artificial putting greens that could be used for miniature golf
horses yeah that was crushed cottonseed holes, oil. You die a green, and they would come in these big roles in you, this role at over this foundation of sand and bow you ve gotta, easy way. Basically, this sort of franchise, these things with these prefab kits that they they had and people loved it, because it was when it was they called it. Midget golfer le, while not to turn women used today, but so they called it in them. Into one is this factors in to a lot of stuff. We ve been talking the nineteen twenties lately, just these weird fads that would pop up in time some golf was one of them. It was in part of the reason that I got out. Firm look out. Mountain is because the Carter's and dumb fair burn kind of joint,
forces and uses technique for making these greens very cheaply and use their kind of like touch of Whimsie, packaged it together and started selling it prepackaged sets her prefabricated set that could be franchise out. Anybody who wants to start their own Tom Thumb golf course until they spread really really quickly. Like your saying like the twenties, they were just looking for, whatever crazed could come along, crossword puzzle, dance, marathons, flagpole sitting will apparently miniature golf was the king of them all. As far as the twenties crazies went yeah. This is about startling statistic: in August of nineteen thirty, the Commerce Department said that there were and apparently this could be low by even as much as have twenty five. I wasn't twenty five thousand many golf courses in the? U S, half of which were built, in that previous six or eight of the year, the boy
right there can you imagine, like an eight months like twelve, fifteen thousand many golf courses being built in. U S, it's crazy just imagine Garnett and freedom cartridges rolling around on a bed of money in their sweet, The fairy land in near, and I mean in a legit MIKE job, boosting market? you know, that's it. That's another thing to right. I mean like there was some like five pulsating didn't make the transition into the depression and dance marathons did, but the Can a grim apparently meant? your girlfriend. I've seen both both but miniature golf seems to have made the transition from twenties craze too, in a kind of national pastime that that made sense in the depression, because you could take your whole family out to play and your golfer pretty cheap, rather is legal or somethin, though, loves a big attraction, and then also, if you are like a golf junkie,
All of a sudden. You didn't have the money to afford greens fees any longer. At the very least, you could go place, a miniature golf somewhere, so it can a scratch that it to a certain a certain degree. So there was like a lot of popularity that, even after the craze kind of crest didn't Wayne a little bit. It still carried on pretty pretty thoroughly through the 1930s and, as a matter of fact, chuck some for some people were like at Tom Thumb, golf the official franchise Tom Thumb Golf a rich for my blood. What else you got for me yet like? Why can we not do this earlier? Zactly local entrepreneurs were like. I got exactly the thing. Buddy you wanna play has half price miniature golf come on like I've gotta by Japan. You see biplane around yeah, yeah substance, basically what ever found objects she could find you you could you could come across what were called Rinkitink miniature golf courses. There were basically knock off Tom Thought,
a courses that use whatever found objects. The person who built a headline around guinea we had about a hundred and fifty of them Washington These he had thirty one of those is still around the EAST Potomac Park course yeah and yet the whole family could get involved and I think one of the key then, and now too many golf being popular and then put but which will see here in a minute is You don't even have the light gulf at all. You can hate golf and still go do put, but in probably have a good time yeah his eyes. You don't take it too seriously. Don't take it to seriousness and please don't just relax I'll, be that guy, that's what it's for you gonna take
break and talk Papa. Yes, ok, let's do that. Everybody up support for this project comes from progressive saving money and your car insurance is easy, with progressive, it's an average savings of. Seven hundred ninety six dollars for customers who switch and save. In fact, customers can qualify for an average of six discounts on their auto policy with progressive, including discounts jasper. Putting a court online or owning multiple vehicles, get your quote online grass of dot com and see how much you could be saving national average annual conference. Him he's been you customer service who save a progressive and twenty nine discounts varying are not available in all states and situations high
Holly FRY and I'm Tracy be Wilson and together we hostess show called stuff. You missed in history class, as the name suggests. We talk about some things that maybe be either. You didn't remember from history. Glass or weren't covered at all. There have always been women in history. There have always been black people and other full of color there have always been people all over the algae, ridiculous spectrum as a part of the historical record Tracy at some really interesting episodes. Recently. What's one of your favorites, the history of beekeeping, which we had to abridge because that's very involved, Are you? I really really enjoyed researching or episode on Seneca Village, which was a settlement in what became central park that was mostly populated by black people who actually owned the property there, an unfortunate Earlier time there was kind of a race. So if this kind of material sounds good to you come and listen to the show, we have new episodes on Mondays and wednesdays, and then a behind the scenes, many sewed on Friday and Bonus
classic episode from Archive on Saturday. You can find us on me: I hurt radio apple pie, gas or wherever it is. You listen as a matter for we there who me we there we had put, but had these that are you there, I'm like I'm here. We are there Chuck, because let me sit set the table here. You ready. Yes, I'm hungry America got. Little burned out on miniature golf, especially the Tom Thumb, and heeding varieties and so out of a died out, but Some remained some hopped along some are still around today, actually and by the nineteen fifty's There was a guy who is playing at one of these courses in favour North Carolina, which remembers the
home of Miniature golf in the United States, North Carolina, is an dumb. He happened to just gotten a prescription. Was doktor, saying you're about to have a nervous breakdown. I proscribe you a month rest from work, and this guy Don Clayton said, can do any started playing miniature golf but he wasn't quite satisfied with the year. Imagine if Europe on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Then Tom Fungus, this is a nice save for that kind of its kind of experience. Sure if, if you're charmed by all the whimsical stuff and you don't take it seriously right from one hundred. And Don Clayton was like this Whimsie sucks. We need something better than this and I think I'm just the person, Yes, oh, he had the idea to to basically make a miniature golf, but without all the garbage no clowns mouth no windmills in Have a little like hell,
skill, involve like you can go out there and if you're, like a good potter, you actually can compete in a good time and it still for fun, but it's just not a silly kids game anymore yeah like anybody's, been to an actual purpose course, can tell you that its I mean there's a lot of obstacles in its interesting and find in their some need stuff but it does it just does not have all of like the the move. Bells and whistles that you're gonna see unlike other kinds of miniature golf like goofy golf now like them, the obstacles are usually just like some blocks in the way and stuff like that yeah or lay or related elevated rhombus is or things like that like a labyrinth, you know built into it. It's not like a cat, His mouth or anything like that, which is kind of like the go to description for goofy, offers an early year, and I think it like the crazy, this thing, you'll see on a puppet course is where you, those that are
two levels, and and it into three different holes at the top, and you like Can I take a little bit of a gamble as to where it's going to come out on the bottom sure you'll either come out close to the hole, so you can get that part too, and I think they're all parties are real output course right, or it'll speech outweigh far away, but you still have a chance. Had that long, but for the for the two sure, there's always a chance for a second chance. It put but goes the motto so yeah by that This was done. Clayton vision here is like oh. I want to make this a little less goofy to make it a little more interesting and skilful less goofy mortality, yeah yeah, Chuck man. He just said from his great God. I wish I had thought that is he do it He died. Ninety ninety six, but here
run I mean this is nineteen. Fifty four was heard a twenty year old man that he decided to try this. So he went to his dad said: hey I've got this. I this idea, rather than basically, as a New York Times Times, obituary put it rather than basic, basically making a human size pinball machine for golf. We can make this a little more interesting how about we cobbled together fifty two hundred bucks and we're going to build our own little miniature golf course, and he did like a shaded little lot and with that fifty two hundred hours they open for business and within twenty nine days he and his father had me one hundred percent of their investment back and Don Clayton said. I think there might be something to this whole thing yeah, so he knew he was initially inequality went to the bank to open a business account. He had to fill out the paperwork in whose caught the shady veil golf course.
Those ITALY has the story goes. He didn't know how to spell veil. I guess if it was the a I allergy, l e, so he does. Said, the pulpit, and rode down flat, but it wasn't some he brainstormed. Apparently it was to sort of on a whim, it's a name that really really stuck It's gonna be a brilliant in its simplicity, I think divine inspiration and almost feels like that just kind of happen on a whim must absolutely great, but he started can build the whole thing into like this enormous industry pretty quickly because he was right in others, I did the math if they made their fifty two hundred, dollars back and twenty nine days. That means over that month. They had twenty thousand eight hundred paying customers. That will require a game, they twenty five cents, a game, yeah it's a lot, and so when they really got together and in started pipeline,
they, then he was right. He was onto something in it started to take off pretty quickly and at its peak when you and I were going to put the eyes they were there something like two hundred and fifty six courses throughout the world. Mostly in the? U S and Canada, but also in Australia in South Africa and New Zealand and there was a it was definitely a thing like you said: all of the holes were part two yeah, and this was just to be clear to fifty six that sound like a lot compared to the fifty thousand that they had in the nineteen thirty's, but this was his his own put. Golf and games franchise right there was plenty more but going on in the United States than that.
Right right right yet, like knock off piper right, yeah like the one in Stone Park, wouldn't put put golfing games, it was just but but but it was, it was great- has called tap tap. They also had trail skate across from the put put with, Was a roller skating trail through the woods what it was like this two mile paved, you know basically a big pave sidewalk through the woods and they rented rollers gates and not escaped through the woods really cool man. Hath, awesome country folk. It does have some ideas for businesses. You know me, I didn't think of us, his country, but I guess it Gunnar was rollers peering through the boy, I guess it is that's like Dolly pardon level country, so yeah they're all parties- and it is it- is tough, its chow, apparently in these sixty
I've year, history or put, but there have only been re, perfect games where you walk away with a score of aid, teen witches. That's that's really tough. To do. In the wake of the millions and millions of games of pot part that people have played. Only three people have ever ever gotten a perfect game, which kind of shows you how, like deceptively hard man, a puppet courses. You know like each one of those each one of these courses made of I think they have something like a hundred and eight trademarked holes. Writer like lanes, I think, is what they're called a miniature golf. Who are you it's going to take them in and reconfigure them in a different different configurations, but they have a hundred and eight total, and I guess each one of them is very, very difficult. I don't ever remember Getting a perfect gamer, even imagining that I was gonna, get a perfect game. Now you get it two or three,
holes in one any? That's it that's a good day for sure. So, eighteen, there is actually a short. I think. Seventy. Half minute grantline documentary on the most recent perfect Papa game by a guy named Rick bared who had his perfect game in two thousand Evan. Can you imagine the nitrogen on whole eighteen days, after a really well in this. In this I commend the early well done. The Gallagher, it like a cartoon version of him putting and he's got a cartel sweat is running space. Oh man really radio nervous yeah. It was very as any did it and he's actually a miniature golf pro in his spare time, which will talk about later, but there's so he's from Charlotte, dawn, Clayton was from Faye Avail and then Joseph Barber was from Pine Hearst. So, Sir,
pretty clear that North Carolina is the ancestral home of miniature golf, or at least the spiritual home of miniature golf in the world. Frankly, I'm just gonna save in the world yeah and if you're looking for the creators of the kind of mechanized courses, You can go to nineteen fifty five and Scranton PDA with Ralph and our Loma Private, does. He know you had the put but which just had those sort of regular obstacles. You had the time farm, which head kind of more outrageous whimsie, but things weren't moving and that these are the guys that brought in these retaining windmill, blades or ramps that move back and forth and they really kind of kick that to the next level and they its unity. When, in the business big time, they started mass, producing these things like the actual components and sold
turn of them all over. The world. Ya. Think, like five thousand courses, she's pretty impressive they're, the ones who came up with what we think of now is like miniature golf and goofy golf with the moving stuff, not offend the clown mouth. Don't forget the car mouth that opens encloses her yet, like you say a windmill, so will it can interesting that Don Clayton, what miniature golf back to its roots of being a lot more like regular golf and then very short, after that branched off the Lomas who brought it back to their that Tom Thumb routes so that whole thing, the evolution of miniature golf happen twice in just the same way. Then interesting, yeah and it also came back full circle in the nineties with a return that sort of that original minute, golf because
Real golfers people like Jack Nicholas, started to get involved. I'm sure there were dollar signs in his eyes a cure, but he also probably loved it, and I want to be cynical, but I'm sure he made some money but they have competitions. You know their actual price per is there is a? U S pro many Gulf Association. They of their own little? U S open, I don't think they call it the little you got certain they should do totally should there's the world. Many golf sports Federation in Germany, and they sort of either the body that standardizing the obstacles and stuff like that? I guess what have and what you can't have here, which is kind of funny when you think about it. It is but it's a pretty interesting lists. You like be tough on its hard, the sloped circle, with a v obstacle near his plaintive com. And I think they should call it the teeny weeny. U S open,
come back to the teeny weeny has opened. I was looking at the the who s probe many Gulf associations website and dumb. There was a Tennessee stay open a man, the picture that they have a that course. It looks serious stewed near so like if you, if you no dear Papa, you always were like. I love this. This is so challenging. I can score like a sixteen some arab. I guess that seeks to another I just don't play the less you holes when I'm on a streak, the inadequate twenty or twenty two or something like that? You might actually have fun being miniature golf pro and there are some serious courses out there for you to play that are a couple of notches above your average put put course other deployment Where do I don't know if I would have had make IRAN club, should we do about some of these famous courses yeah. So
from what I can tell, the United States is the home of miniature golf. It's the capitals and in this regard I dont believe there's any country, like I was looking like Thailand is like even more into it than the United States. I don't think so. I think the United States is the place that has the most miniature golf courses and has probably the most paying customers format. Sure golf courses. I can see Japan did you there and they all see anything like that. Yeah, I didn't see anything like it, so the United States is the home of major Gulf in the world capital of miniature golf then is Myrtle Beach. South Carolina the ironic that it's not North Carolina, but it's not everybody. I'm sorry yeah me Myrtle, beaches, sort of others classic old school beach towns as all of the go cards in the bumper both the many golfing they one called molten mountain That's pretty cool, like you should go check out. Pictures of some these places are a lot of fun that has a volcano. A working
ok. I know that European every half hour and it's sort of an inside and out thing like. I think it's both indoors and outdoors right. It is yeah, it's a pretty it's a pretty. Great one in the hope. Volcano thing not the only one that are not so Myrtle beaches, there's another one called hawaiian rumble. They also has a functioning volcano to, in fact, on highway. Seventeen there's a thirty mile stretch of it thing goes through Myrtle Beach, Withers, fifty more than fifty men. Sure golf courses in a thirty mile stretch, Yahoo Myrtle that I'm sure a lot of opinions on which ones are good, and when you re stink gap there's one. I want to go to empower tiny Illinois. I think, as a sound, a couple of these from travelling leisure. Maybe this one's called algorithm acres algae age are, I am I find make IRAN club. Should we talk about some of these
like for real in real life. Yeah, like you know they they took care of dead bodies, and you can also play nine holes on their death themed course in the basement in the basement. First of all, The basement of a funeral home is just creepy on its own, but a death themed miniature golf course. Funeral home that actually functions, that's that's just downright interesting yeah there's a swan in LAS Vegas to the kiss themed one which I chair on Youtube. I would I would play this, even though it goes against two things. For me, which is not into indoor miniature golf really would like to be outside, and I think, kiss sucks why I Europe has found no How many I thought you were a kiss now, not a kiss van. Never I mean you know I get it and I think it's kind of fun and funny sure, but I never thought yes was like it played good runnin, unroll song. Truly, that's very
surprising. I know kiss funds can be so mad at me for saying their music is not good, but I mean there recently. They dressed up in spit leaden stuff. So there's a beds. It would be worth playing. I agree now, look to the one that I would actually travelled to go play is called parking, its Lincolnshire Illinois, so I probably go there and then I dip down or dip up a measure to Palestine to play Al Gore makers, the cap, a parking is like exactly what it is. It's the pinnacle of a miniature golf course. If you ask me, it's got it all its difficult and it has all the amazing obstacles and weird traps in functioning problems to figure out that that a major golf course every have I mean, I'm a put but guy, but I was chicken out pictures and stuff. I would. I would go, get a parking with you for sure. Ok, we'll go it's gonna, be a summer time.
In two thousand twenty two or three fantastic and then, You want to play so I think check this. One would be a purely it's called golf gardens in cat uncannily island in in so Gallia right at my only this one is like considered the hardest miniature golf course in the United States, not just because- it it's difficult Lee laid out, but also because it's been played so much. Those girls all too weird notches and stuff is not supposed to be there in the playing service, so that makes it all the more difficult which has come to me. I love that, If you want to go retro, I think that one's been around a while you can- on the floor, and they have a historic many golf trail that takes you from a miniature golf course miniature golf course, all of which have been around for at least fifty years. Amazing and if you like, weird old stuff, it's not in. Sonny, more look up, abandon miniature golf courses, that's a funding to do and, since I sense a funding,
dear everybody. That means it's time for illicit email call this dad mail, this very sweetly I love it when the families listening, I'm sure, especially when they're not I mean like families with you. Kids, it listen, but also I get when that its adults in an old parents at or listening I hope your hang in there. These are such tricky times and now you are not the only list That turns to your chauffeur distraction, we're soundtrack washing dishes or background noise while trying to run or do something feels normal during these abnormal times. Couple years ago, my now husband and I took a road trip with my parents to stay with me. Now in laws as we pulled the dry way we put on stuff. You should know and spent the entire journey sharing your camp with them and they were immediately hooked. My parents continued a love, your podcast, but every time my dad refers to it, he mixes up the name. I love this so far, he's called you guys, you should know sure stuff you ought to know
things. You need to know and stuff guys stuff guises, good, nickname lately, he's just been referring to you as the guy's by cast, which is closer for me. Eventually we're just gonna get to the yeah thanks for the amazing work in the thoughtful approach you have depart guessing so grateful to have multiple episodes to listen to every that is for Mirabelle? And she says pierre- I should add that the episode on fractals is now in, mostly nap, inducing in my family but I blame the long stretch of highway on that. Thank you. That was very kind of you at nice. Really pull it at the end there was a mere Beth if you be like Mary Beth and get in touch with us, we would appreciate that right now you can send it to via email, is the best way to reach us at stuff forecast that I heard radio dotcom study should now its production.
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Transcript generated on 2020-08-06.