Cool Crest Garden Golf — Local services in Saint Joseph

If I could give no stars, I would. I am so done going here. We have gone here for many years (despite the horrible reviews). We went again yesterday with friends. Of our group, 4 golfed as only 4 are allowed on a hole at a time. We spent a total of $85 here for 2 rounds of golf, 2 hot dogs and drinks for four people. This is outrageous!!! In addition to that, when one of the boy's balls went off the course (accidentally and not hard, it just rolled off), staff were immediately there lecturing the kids about "playing by #2". After I asked several times what she meant, she referred to the back of the score card. She was seriously lecturing them on the order in which they played. We were (gasp) playing where whomever had the ball the furthest out went next. I did not know it was a REQUIREMENT, per them, to make sure that the person with the ball closest to the hole went next. What is REALLY irritating however, is she started to talking to the kids in the group first. She kept telling them this was the second time someone had talked to them that day. (It certainly wasn't - no one had approached us to scold us yet for the day.) When I asked her about that, she changed her story to this being the first warning and second warning we were out of there. She then proceeded to say she was going to "teach us how to play by 2" referring to the scorecard rule again. She just kept standing there and lecturing and watching. We were followed around and watched like hawks for the rest of the round. It was a really enjoyable experience (yes, that is sarcasm). Additionally, when we paid, the man at the counter did not give one of the boys the $2 change he was owed. When we then asked about it, he simply said "sorry, I don't work in here much." I have defended this facility to many friends that refuse to go there due to the bad reviews. I had believed that maybe those that were "scolded" had done something worse. However, after our experience yesterday, I agree with everyone else that has posted a negative post here. If they hate having people on the putt putt course so much, why don't they...

Went there on September 1, 2013 with my children and grandchildren. The first thing the lady that was on duty wanted to know was how old my granddaughters were. They were seven and eight.Since there were seven of us she wanted us to know that we couldn't have more than four in a group. Having gone to this establishment since the 1960's I already knew the rules, but not problem. We split up into a foursome which went first and a threesome. The threesome consisted of my wife, my daughter and her daughter. The first 18 holes were great. We decided to play another 18. This time right after we started playing, eight teenagers who were friends of the woman on duty started harrassing our threesome, hitting their balls so hard that they were hitting our group members. The woman on duty was standing right there and said nothing to her friends. Finally, I had enough and let those kids know that we were going to let our threesome play in front of us and that the rude kids would now have us in front of them. They decided that they wouldn't be able to harrass us like they did a couple of women and a child, so they left. So my message is to the Cool Crest staff is : if you are going to set rules, set them for everyone not just...

I've only golfed here once (which I hope to rectify when I'm in the area again), but the St. Joseph course houses sculptures and hole features saved from the Lincoln, Nebraska course where I spent quality time as a child. The beautiful mid-century red and green color scheme, the mechanized dragon with the reflector eyes, the Eiffel Tower with the tiny tables, chairs, and people inside, they're all part of what makes the Cool Crest hole features so special. Cool Crest is the reason I turn up my nose at most other mini golf courses. I'm horrible at mini golf, but my Cool Crest time as a kid made me love it. Poetically, when I visited the St. Joe course one very warm and humid summer night several years back, after being offered plenty of cold water by the employees, my mother and sister and I actually scored a free game at that last bonus hole. I don't think we ever managed that back at the Lincoln course. I bought a souvenir book and keep it with me and still actively reminisce about what a special place those courses are. More recently, I tipped a friend off to Cool Crest and I think he's now a fan. May you keep enriching people's imaginations with your miniature golf haven for a...