GREENSBORO – A ball rolls down the back of a slithering serpent, under the tangled webs of a lurking spider and into a lake guarded by a frog king.
These are not scenes from a fairytale. They are part of an outdoor mini golf course in Greensboro. Behind the Highland Center for the Arts, the course winds through a hilly lawn speckled with tiny wood or wicker houses and sculptures.
Enchanted Kingdom Mini Golf, the official name for the course, runs from July to the end of August. The course was designed and created by a host of local artists. It began last year after organizers noticed the popularity of outdoor events at the center.
“We actually had more visitorship during Covid-19 than this place has had before,” said Keisha Luce, executive director. “And some of those things, I think it actually really allowed us to understand how to use the outside space, which probably led to mini golf.”
After considering their options for summer activities, the group landed on mini golf. That was in the spring. So if the center wanted to open in time for summer festivities, the artists needed to work together, fast.
“We were like, ‘Yes, we’re doing this. We have a very limited time and no one’s ever done it,’” said Luce. “And we just sort of all came together and figured it out.”
The activity has been a hit for the center, she said, bringing in about 1,500 guests in its first year. Many have returned this year to play again.
The magical theme is a nod to the center’s annual Fairy Festival and Northeast Kingdom location.
“Our chef at the time actually is the one that came up with that name and one of the holes is named for her,” Luce said.
The hole, named Charlotte, features a large paper-mache spider that sits atop a web made of rope. Players must maneuver the ball under the web to shoot.
Musician Roy MacNeil designed the mechanics of the course itself, while the artists created decorations and obstacles out of materials they had on hand: a frog tongue made out of a kids’ slide, paper-mache mushrooms, lilypads sewn by Luce’s mother.
“We just thought, Well, it’s going to have to be whimsical,” said Luce. “It’s going to have to be made with things that we have and are inexpensive and around.”
The process was full of experimentation.
“So we made a prototype, built the first platform, put the turf on and then I would just set down temporary little obstacles and things and just sort of start playing with it and imagin(ing) how I could make a ramp or other interesting, distinct things,” MacNeil said.
MacNeil returned to the course recently to play. Though he said his own experience was marred by “the curse” of perfectionism, he was happy to see others having a fun time.
“I saw a family coming through, and they all had smiles on their faces,” said MacNeil.
For artist Kate Den Herder, who interned at the Highland Center during the construction process last year, the golf course served as practice in teamwork.
“Usually I work alone, so it was definitely a learning experience in that I was able to collaborate with so many people and, I guess, figure out what we needed to do to make it look the way everyone was satisfied with,” Den Herder said.
They worked alongside one other intern, stapling down turf, painting and constructing the large mushrooms seen on the course’s second hole.
“Everyone was working on everything. So when I think of making something it’s like I made it with everyone,” Den Herder said.
While most of the pieces survived the take-down and rebuild after winter, some holes required patching up. Luce hopes that next year the team can add even more.
“We’ve had people who’ve played the course so many times, they want to make a hole. And we’re like, Great. We’ll help you do that,” said Luce.
Over the winter the team hopes to begin the process of designing new holes that will fit with the pre-existing theme.
Though time for the golf course this year is up, the center will continue programming throughout the coming months including several music and dance events.
Elise Coyle writes for the Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship
