PMGA: PR Crystal Lakes Chicago Tribune

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - The PMGA made an appearance in the Chicago Tribune Thursday in an article by staff reporter Barbara Szul relating to the planning and positioning of a certain miniature golf development in Crystal Lake, Illinois. Excerpts from the article are as follows:

Crystal Lake thinks big for mini golf
Officials hoping new course lures tour and families

By Barbara Szul
Tribune staff reporter

February 20, 2003

Miniature-golf pros who tackle challenges similar to their PGA counterparts may be making Crystal Lake a stop on their tour if the Park District approves a plan next week for a 36-hole course in Lippold Park.

"Miniature golf has always been a popular pastime, but the trend is that it is becoming more of a sport," said Tony Hunnicutt of Harris Miniature Golf Courses Inc., a New Jersey manufacturer that has built about 500 courses around the country in the last 10 years.

"Windmills, dinosaurs and trick shots are a thing of the past," Hunnicutt said. "Today's courses offer more of a challenge with water hazards and contoured greens."

"Each and every weekend, there's a (miniature golf) tournament somewhere," said Paul Hemingway of the Professional Miniature Golf Association. "No one makes a living at it. It's a weekend warrior kind of thing."

Still, enthusiasts see the game as worthy of respect and note that players come from all walks of life to compete for $100,000 to $150,000 in total purses each year. An average tournament purse is about $10,000, Hemingway said.

"People in the U.S. are not familiar with the competitive side of miniature golf," Bob Detwiler said. "People in the U.S. are familiar with adventure golf, which is like going through a Hawaiian garden or a jungle or something."

Competitive miniature golf requires some of the same skills as regulation golf, Detwiler said.

"Putting on a miniature golf green is not much different from putting on a regular golf green," he said. "You have undulations. You have to read the green."

Besides attracting professional miniature golfers, the Crystal Lake Park District hopes families would use the course. Plans are to charge adults $6 a round. Seniors and children 12 and under would pay $5 and $4, respectively.

"The older-type courses mainly catered to kids, and adults were bored silly," park planner Ann Viger said. "One of the really neat things about modern courses is that kids can still play. I have two teenagers and an 11-year-old, and we all have fun."

If approved, construction will begin in mid-March and could be completed by mid-May. The course, which would cost the Park District about $580,000, has projected earnings of $430,000 for a full season and should pay for itself in a couple of years, Viger said.

"We're not funding it with tax money," she said. "We're getting a standard loan from the bank and will repay it with revenue from the course."

For access to the complete article, please visit:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-0302200301feb20,1,2163313.story