Two things are hitting families at the same time right now: children home on summer vacation, and less discretionary income than in years past. Fortunately, there’s an activity that allows you to talk, laugh and connect in a relaxed and beautifully landscaped atmosphere without spending a lot of money. It’s the miniature golf course!
A local recommendation is Mel’s Funway Park, an easy drive from almost anywhere in the Merrimack Valley. There are two courses at Mel’s, a par-56 with challenges including “Short & Sweet,” “Triple Diamond” and “Farm Run,” and a par-48 with more personalized shots, such as “Phil’s Can’t See the Hole” and “Gary’s Block.” As a bonus, additional rounds are half price. This means a family of four can golf both courses for $42 — a date will cost $21 per couple.
I brought the two best miniature golfers I know — my sons Ethan, 10, and Max, 7, for an after-school treat. It was time and money well spent. It may be an overstatement to call it a sport — and it’s best if you don’t take yourself too seriously — but there’s a lot of fun to be had. Although there is occasional competition between players trying to shoot par or better, even the best athletes will likely find themselves feeling foolish on one hole or another, and that’s part of the fun! On our course, the hole named “Wendy’s Triangle” brought a lot of laughter, with bad putting and balls rolling back to their starting points on more than one occasion. Max took several opportunities to invent new ways to putt, including standing on rocks, sitting and spinning around. It didn’t improve his score, but it did improve the quality of our time together.
With go-carts buzzing around in the background, we walked through the clearly marked and well laid out course. It’s a tight configuration, allowing Mel’s to get the most use out of the space (there’s also a driving range for serious golfers). And there are plenty of benches, which is great if there’s a wait for the next hole.
As we enjoyed our round, a family with teenagers played ahead of us. A group of independent young adults and a family with young kids were on the other course. Everyone appeared to be having a great time. An almost mandatory stop for ice cream when we were done added a little to the cost of the evening, but there’s plenty to talk about after having putted your way around for an hour or so.
If some in your group don’t want to golf, there are other options at Mel’s, including go-carts, batting cages featuring a replica of Fenway Park’s Green Monster, and both Laser Tag and a Laser Maze. Afterward, you can meet up for ice cream or, exclusive to Mel’s, a meal at Woodman’s, a branch of the Essex, Mass., restaurant famous for its fried clams. Plus, the fun doesn’t end when the kids go back to school in the fall; in October, Mel’s transforms its four areas into different haunted houses for Nightmare New England.
When you can’t stand another summer movie blockbuster and you need a change of pace, an afternoon or evening of miniature golf may be just the ticket to end your boredom and start a new tradition with friends and family. Fore!
Mel’s Funway Park 454 Charles Bancroft Highway (Route 3A) Litchfield, NH
(603) 424-2292 www.MelsFunwayPark.com
An Old-Fashioned Good Time
Two things are hitting families at the same time right now: children home on summer vacation, and less discretionary income than in years past. Fortunately, there’s an activity that allows you to talk, laugh and connect in a relaxed and beautifully landscaped atmosphere without spending a lot of money. It’s the miniature golf course!
A local recommendation is Mel’s Funway Park, an easy drive from almost anywhere in the Merrimack Valley. There are two courses at Mel’s, a par-56 with challenges including “Short & Sweet,” “Triple Diamond” and “Farm Run,” and a par-48 with more personalized shots, such as “Phil’s Can’t See the Hole” and “Gary’s Block.” As a bonus, additional rounds are half price. This means a family of four can golf both courses for $42 — a date will cost $21 per couple.
I brought the two best miniature golfers I know — my sons Ethan, 10, and Max, 7, for an after-school treat. It was time and money well spent. It may be an overstatement to call it a sport — and it’s best if you don’t take yourself too seriously — but there’s a lot of fun to be had. Although there is occasional competition between players trying to shoot par or better, even the best athletes will likely find themselves feeling foolish on one hole or another, and that’s part of the fun! On our course, the hole named “Wendy’s Triangle” brought a lot of laughter, with bad putting and balls rolling back to their starting points on more than one occasion. Max took several opportunities to invent new ways to putt, including standing on rocks, sitting and spinning around. It didn’t improve his score, but it did improve the quality of our time together.
With go-carts buzzing around in the background, we walked through the clearly marked and well laid out course. It’s a tight configuration, allowing Mel’s to get the most use out of the space (there’s also a driving range for serious golfers). And there are plenty of benches, which is great if there’s a wait for the next hole.
As we enjoyed our round, a family with teenagers played ahead of us. A group of independent young adults and a family with young kids were on the other course. Everyone appeared to be having a great time. An almost mandatory stop for ice cream when we were done added a little to the cost of the evening, but there’s plenty to talk about after having putted your way around for an hour or so.
If some in your group don’t want to golf, there are other options at Mel’s, including go-carts, batting cages featuring a replica of Fenway Park’s Green Monster, and both Laser Tag and a Laser Maze. Afterward, you can meet up for ice cream or, exclusive to Mel’s, a meal at Woodman’s, a branch of the Essex, Mass., restaurant famous for its fried clams. Plus, the fun doesn’t end when the kids go back to school in the fall; in October, Mel’s transforms its four areas into different haunted houses for Nightmare New England.
When you can’t stand another summer movie blockbuster and you need a change of pace, an afternoon or evening of miniature golf may be just the ticket to end your boredom and start a new tradition with friends and family. Fore!
Mel’s Funway Park
454 Charles Bancroft Highway (Route 3A) Litchfield, NH
(603) 424-2292 www.MelsFunwayPark.com