Living on the [Putting] Edge

Yesterday I went mini putting with a couple of friends. We went to the glow-in-the-dark mini golf and arcade place Putting Edge. I’ve been mini putting many times before, but never in a glow-in-the-dark setting. Interesting!

I’ve lived in my town for nearly 11 years, and I regret to say that I have not been to many hangout places. Hangouts usually consist of everyone chilling at someone’s house, a meal at a restaurant or the local bowling alley. For several years when I first moved, there was an indoor roller skating rink that we used to always drive by. Unfortunately, the place closed before I could get a chance to check it out. Bummer.

All of my friends who grew up here were shocked when I said I have never been to Putting Edge. Everyone else has been there at least once for a birthday party, a date or a hangout. I was a little ashamed. I was invited to go last year with coworkers of mine, but I was working the night they decided to go. Meanies!

On a Friday or Saturday night, the place would be packed with friends fooling around with the clubs or young couples making out in random places on the golf course, but it was 7 p.m. on a Thursday. The place was dead. It was the three of us and a family. That’s it.

As soon as we entered, I was not impressed. The atmosphere was shit. Big room, poor lighting, old arcade games and an unattractive front desk. The employee at the register looked bored out of her mind. I used to work with someone whose first job was at that Putting Edge so I’ve heard many stories about terrible staff, crazy parents and the things people do inside the golf course area. I just paid $9.60 and was hoping for it to be my money’s worth. I believe it was. I did save $1.86 for using my student discount card so it was nice not having to break up my $20 bill and using my $10 bill instead. We’re given a club, a ball and a glow-in-the-dark bracelet. Then we enter the golf course room. Yay! The white on my sweater and my shoe laces lit up and I got excited!

I haven’t been mini-golfing in 5-6 years [maybe even longer than that] so I’m a little rusty at first. I’m trying to develop a comfort level with the club and the ball. Trying to figure out how to swing and aim right. I’ve never been taught how to properly golf, nor do I know how golf really works—especially the point system. The extent of my golfing knowledge comes from playing Mario golf and the golf game on the Wii. Then again, this is mini putting so it’s not to be taken seriously… but I do like competition. We are given a sheet of paper to tally our points. Rather than going with golf rules that have to do with a birdie, a par, then the +1, etc. we decided to tally how many strokes it took us to get the ball in the hole. Quite fair.

As in real golf, each course got more challenging. Nonetheless, I was having fun challenging myself and hoping to win. Somehow we ended up catching up to the family that was on their 8th hole when we started and waiting for them by the time we both reached the 12th hole together. While waiting, we just fooled around the courses.

Both of my friends had an advantage because they have been there several times over the years. One thing I can take away from yesterday is that going there is a once-in-a-blue moon experience. If you go there as often as you go see a movie—say once a month—it gets boring because it is the same. The place hasn’t changed since it opened. So it’s a place to go once in a while but nothing more. The entire experience wasn’t very special, but it is nice to know I had that experience of going there.

It was all over in 45 minutes. It seemed too quick. One friend and I were neck and neck the entire time, but I prevailed victorious!!! Boy, do I love winning.