MoxVib

Getting In the Swing
With Miniature Golf

I was introduced to miniature golf at the tender age of 2 at the Montreal Inn in Cape May, N.J. The hotel had a little nine-hole course, which my parents tell me I refused to leave.

As I grew older, miniature golf became the perfect place for a date. I've always loved movies, but you end up spending two hours staring at a screen (fine if it's a bad date, not so fine if you want to talk). It was the 1984 movie "The Karate Kid" that forever changed the way I viewed a miniature golf course. To this day, no film has better captured the inherent romanticism of midget golf. In the movie, Daniel (Ralph Macchio) takes Alli (Elisabeth Shue) to a miniature golf/arcade/water park. At one point he helps her putt by standing behind her, holding her club, fingers touching -- all to the beat of romantic '80s music.

As a youth, I tried to bring this romanticism to my miniature golf dates -- occasionally even using Daniel's maneuver -- and sometimes it worked, even without the soundtrack music.

Though many people consider miniature golf a beach activity (which is probably due to the fact that many beaches have at least one or two courses), there are plenty of places in the Washington area where you can putt the night away. And no matter what your age, miniature golf is fun. You can take it as seriously as you want to.

If you really want a challenging course, try Champions in Woodbridge. This 18-hole course, which opened in May, is part of a huge complex that includes two Go Kart race tracks, a batting cage, an arcade and bumper boats. The thing that separates Champions' golf course from most others are the holes. Hills and bumps substitute for windmills and other traditional miniature golf landmarks. Each pin rests on a little hill, which makes even the simplest putt a challenge and a hole-in-one nearly impossible. I liked this course because it is spread out nicely over an acre with very long greens. There are real sand traps thrown in to perturb even veteran golfers. Though golfers of all ages will enjoy this par 3 course, this is a must-try for anyone who takes golf seriously.

Another new miniature golf course opened last May in Centreville. Located behind a multiplex theater, Centreville Mini Golf & Games squeezes 18 holes into a fenced-in outdoor area. "The course has a surface that gives the feel of a real putting green," says manager Glenn Cornell, "by using a combination of a larger Astroturf and really fine sand set on top of a padded styrofoam base." Though it may sound state-of-the-art, the only difference I noticed was that it was a different hue of green and much softer to walk across. Still, rocks, water hazards and simulated sand pits (actually Astroturf painted white) replace the traditional cartoonish miniature golf attractions. This course has flat turf surrounding the holes, which makes for a much easier golfing experience. (If you tire of golf, there's an arcade and Laser Storm inside.)

The Magic Putting Place in Manassas offers two 18-hole courses: The Magic Castle Course is geared toward beginners, while the Windmill Course adds a few extra challenges for the hard-core miniature golfer. The courses are reminiscent of those at beaches, with a miniature operating water mill, a mine shaft, a windmill, a barn and, of course, a magic castle. Water runs through both courses. The miniature lights shine hues of green, red and blue across the pathways as the miniature town comes to life. It's a fantasy land, even if it is in the middle of a Manassas parking lot.

Though most of today's miniature golf courses have an adjacent arcade, stepping out onto the semi-quiet of the first hole sets the stage for an experience without the beeps and booms of a video game. It's a place for quiet, relaxation and, yes, maybe even romance.

LILLIPUTTS

Here are the area miniature golf courses. Unless noted, prices are per round.

THE DISTRICT

MARYLAND

PUTT PUTT GOLF & GAMES -- 130 Rollins Ave., Rockville. 301/881-1663. Open Sunday through Thursday 9 a.m. to midnight, Fridays and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Children (4 and 5 years old) $2.50, adults $5.

ROCKY GORGE MINIATURE GOLF COURSE -- Route 29 and Old Columbia Road, near Burtonsville. 301/725-0888. Open weekdays 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., weekends 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Saturday unlimited play till 6 p.m. for $3.50 (all ages); after 6 p.m., $3.50 per round.

VIRGINIA

CAPITOL GOLF -- 12499 Dillingham Square, Woodbridge. 703/670-PUTT. Open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sundays noon to 8 p.m. Children (under 12) $2; adults $2.50.

CENTREVILLE MINI GOLF AND GAMES -- 6206 Multiplex Dr., Centreville. 703/502-7888. Open Sunday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. Children (ages 5 to 12) $3, adults $4, younger than 4 free with paying adult. CHAMPIONS -- 13585 Minnieville Rd., Woodbridge. 703/730-3866. Open Sunday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m, Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m. to midnight. $4 (all ages).

THE MAGIC PUTTING PLACE -- 8902 Mathis Ave., Manassas. 703/369-9299. Open Sunday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Children (under 12) $3.50, adults $4.50; the cost to play both courses is $6 for children, $7 adults.

PUTT PUTT GOLF COURSE OF MOUNT VERNON -- 7698 Richmond Hwy., Alexandria. 703/765-0707. Open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to midnight, Sundays 10 a.m. to midnight. Children (under 5) $1, adults $3.50.

UPTON HILL REGIONAL PARK MINI GOLF -- 6060 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. 703/237-4953. Open daily 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Weekdays: children (under 16) $2.25, adults $4; weekends: flat rate of $4 for all ages.

WOODY'S GOLF RANGE -- 11806 Leesburg Pike, Herndon. 703/430-8337. Open daily 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Children (under 12) $3.75, adults $4.25.

John Gaudiosi last wrote for Weekend about laser tag.

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