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1806 players at Des Moines Skywalk Golf
13 Feb 2009 at 07:40 | Published by: JJM | Views: 19261 | News search 
Hole sponsored by Des Moines International Airport. (Photo by Downtown Events Group 2009)
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Probably the biggest and funniest minigolf competition in the world, the annual Skywalk Golf in Des Moines, Iowa (USA), attracted 1806 players to the four minigolf courses (4 x 18 holes), which were temporarily set up on the indoor shopping streets of Des Moines city center.
The best scores of the day were 35 points by Mike McFall on the “blue” minigolf course, 36 points by Gibb Whitlatch on the “Red” course, and 37 points by Amber White on the “Orange” course.
Each of the four minigolf courses had its own competition, with three categories: singles, doubles, and teams of four players. Results were published live on the Internet website of the tournament organizer.
The temporary minigolf courses were sponsored by local companies. Each company set up one minigolf hole, with a theme related to the activities of the company. The hole sponsored by Des Moines International Airport (see photo above) was nominated as one of the best hole designs of the day.
The prize for Best Team Spirit, for the most cheerful attitude and coolest clothing, was awarded to “The Sand Trappers” team: Ryann Ginkens, Tara Hilton, Danna Breuklander and Diane White.
The Sand Trappers team. (Photo by Downtown Events Group 2009)
» results of the competition
» map of the four minigolf courses in city center
» news article in a local newspaper
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Comments (9)
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Smitty (Jeffrey Smith) |
16 Feb 2009 at 14:01 | | CDN is correct, almost certainly no alcohol for an event in a shopping mall. That being said, Americans are great at the 'pre-party' and the parking lot party...I agree with Haazeman, 1800 people playing mini-golf is a good thing, in a mall, on the moon, at the casino or on regulation lanes. If just a small percentage get involved competitively, the sport wins. |
 Haazeman (Hans Olofsson) |
16 Feb 2009 at 10:23 | rules about alcohol, yes and no, US is very diversified when it comes to alcohol. But for the sport of minigolf, they do take it seriously.
For the US Masters there are no alcohol on the course during tournament or practice. Some players have been seen in a very happy mood in the parking lot on the passenger sides of cars, but that could be for other reasons...;-)
Putt-Putt I believe is the same. Their locations are very family-oriented and buying a beer at site is not possible. Spent most of my time practicing hard on the course at the 2004 Nationals, can't tell how "happy" people were in the parking lot.
Laughlin, that's a whole other ball game. After all, it is Nevada, state of sin...
"Tournament" starts at 8.30 in the morning, some people haven't been to bed yet.... The casino runs 24 hours I think. Every hole of the course (9 in total) has 2-3 large coolers. At least one is filled with cold beers. I saw players downing one beer per hole (one round takes almost 2 hours). Hotel room, food and all drinks (beer, hard liquor etc) is included in the tournament fee. |
Haazeman (Hans Olofsson) |
16 Feb 2009 at 10:07 | I was born in 1974, not ON an actual minigolf course, close enough though.....
I have a hard time understanding why many people in our sport see ploy tournaments and competitive minigolf as such opposites. Of course we should not have World Champs with drunken people on the course. But having over 1000 people play minigolf in a tournament is a good thing, no matter if they are naked and/or drunk, in my opinion.
We shut people out from our courses during the tournaments, thus we shut them out of minigolf. The world of golf has used the concept Pro-Am for decades. Still to be seen in minigolf, but why?!? We need to welcome and introduce people to our tournaments and courses, not hide away from the crowds. Biggest tourneys should take place in public places such as malls and centrally located parks or venues.
WC 2007 was planned in central Gothenburg as a massive public event on temporary courses, but WMF decided to award that year's WC to Hungary. From what I understand on a course way out in the countryside. Beautiful location and maybe good for a new member, YES! but developing for the sport, NO I would say......
Btw, it was later on moved to Italy, but that is probably another story. |
 JJM (John Mittler) |
16 Feb 2009 at 10:04 | | America is long and wide, and moral norms vary from place to place. Swedish minigolf championships had an average of some 800 participants _for 3 decades_ in a row: 1950's, 1960's and 1970's. The record number of participants at Swedish minigolf championships was in 1974 I think, more than 1100 players. Would be interesting to hear, how such huge crowds were handled on a minigolf course of 18 lanes (!), and was the game more or less serious sport than it is today. |
Viking (Pierre Geerhold) |
15 Feb 2009 at 13:34 | | i mean rules/laws in the society not in the sport. In the sport i dont know how it is in the States. |
Viking (Pierre Geerhold) |
15 Feb 2009 at 13:17 | | @ Jason, you are probably right. I forgot that we talked about USA. They have much more restricted rules about alcohol than in Sweden. I think you are right Jason. |
 CDN (Jason Weaver) |
15 Feb 2009 at 13:13 | | @Pierre: If it was played in a shopping mall in the US I can almost certainly say that there was no alcohol there at least. Maybe someone that lives in the US could confirm that. I know it would never work with booze back home. |
Viking (Pierre Geerhold) |
15 Feb 2009 at 13:09 | JJM, since it is 1806 public players i have a hard time too believe that it would have been more maybe 100 players but thats a ridiculous question from you i think. This isnt a "real competition" and not samctioned by neither of the minigolf associations in USA. This is a ploy competition in my eyes.
But i do understand what you mean and i do agree but i dont think we should use this ploy competition as an example.
The question is, do we want that competitive minigolf should be like this? I mean with lanes on the floor, masquerade clothes and probably some alcohol. I know that i dont want that anyway no mather how "good" it is for our beloved sport. |
JJM (John Mittler) |
15 Feb 2009 at 08:51 | | I have run out of good jokes, so here comes some bad humour: Any guesses, how many of these 1806 players would have skipped the tournament, if the tournament had required official WMF rules about clothing, including the jeans ban? |
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