Fans of the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s Mini Golf, a wildly popular public program that debuted last year, will be happy to know the family-friendly activity is back. While last year’s theme paid homage to the state’s Bicentennial, this time around, local and regional artists were tasked with designing holes that centered on the outdoors. Some stayed close to home, incorporating the White River or a cardinal into their creations, while others strayed thousands of miles from Indy, taking putt-putters on an oh-so-brief trip to Africa and Japan. Word on the street is that the course is actually fairly challenging. Ready to test your skills? Here, a little foreshadowing of six holes you’ll play this year.
Hole 2: 2058: The First Mini Golf Hole Without Ice
Artists: Luke Crawley and Quincy Owens
Golfers must navigate around several “icebergs” made of mirrors and transparent panels, symbolizing a world where such natural features have melted due to climate change.
Hole 4: Putting Around Africa
Artist: Scott Shoemaker
It shouldn’t be a big surprise that Shoemaker, who works at the Indianapolis Zoo, incorporated animals, like a cheetah and a ring-tailed lemur, in this brief tour of critters you might find in the African bush.
Hole 11: To Bee or Not to Bee
Artists: Tom Loftus and Robin Schwartzman
Putt through the hive—or work around it—on this hole, created to both celebrate the world’s best pollinators and draw attention to their decline. You might call it the Plight of the Bumblebee.
Hole 13: Jungle PARadise
Artist: William Denton Ray
Wild animals received a whimsical makeover at this colorful hole that looks like something out of a cartoon. See how well you can aim at the king of the jungle—and his gaping mouth—to sink your putt.
Hole 15: Geology of Indiana
Artist: Brent Aldrich
Aldrich looked to Indiana’s really old past for inspiration. Here, you’ll steer your ball past the skull of a mastodon, the largest creature in Indiana’s fossil record, before depositing it in the cup, which is housed in a limestone cave.
Hole 17: White River Putt
Artist: Alan Goffinski
At this hole, you have no choice but to hit the ball in the water—the White River, to be exact, and its tributaries that run through many Indianapolis neighborhoods.
Mini Golf is open now through Labor Day, and is included with regular museum admission. We definitely suggest packing sunscreen and dressing for hot temperatures, as the concrete patio of the IMA provides little shade from the summer sun. Luckily, snacks and drinks are available at the concession stand—and thankfully, there are drink holders at each hole.
