Charges for a round of Magic Carpet Golf Magic Carpet Golf is a popular miniature golf course that offers a fun and exciting experience for all ages. Located in a vibrant and colorful setting, the course features 18 beautifully designed holes that challenge players to navigate through various obstacles and traps. Boasting a unique Arabian Nights theme, Magic Carpet Golf offers a truly immersive and enchanting experience. Each hole is designed with intricate details, including realistic landscapes, mystical creatures, and vibrant colors that transport players into a magical world. To enjoy a round of Magic Carpet Golf, there are certain charges that need to be considered. The admission fee for adults is $10, which allows unlimited play throughout the day.
The admission fee for adults is $10, which allows unlimited play throughout the day. For children under 12 years old, the admission fee is $8. Children under 5 years old can play for free when accompanied by a paying adult.
GOLF'S MAGIC CARPET RIDE
"Adventure" golf, the new breed of miniature golf courses, has replaced the windmills and ceramic animals with 20-foot shipwrecks and waterfalls. These courses have sloped putting greens, water hazards and rocks on a landscape that looks like something out of Epcot Center.
All this comes at a price. At the seven courses with an adventure golf theme in the Tampa Bay area, players pay up to $6 for one round.
A course costs more than $1-million to build, but the rewards are hefty, too. With some locations bringing in $500,000 a year and keeping half of that as profit, there's nothing miniature about adventure golf.
"The old, flat, obstacle-laden, rinky-dink courses are passe," said Skip Laun, executive director of Tallahassee-based Miniature Golf Association of America. Many say the newer courses add a sporting element to miniature golf, which has long been perceived as more of a children's game.
"I think those windmills (on old putt-putt courses) are luck and chance. This is the '90s and people want real golf," said David Sheppard, manager and part owner of Fiesta Falls Adventure Golf in Indian Rocks Beach. Sheppard, a professional golfer for five years, helped design the Fiesta Falls course, complete with water hazards on the greens.
The adventure golf courses have pars around 40, but scores average in the high 40s and low 50s. Some courses, like Congo River Golf & Exploration Co. in Clearwater and Tampa, change the layout and difficulty of the holes so returning players don't play the same course each time.
This brand of golf is catching on. There are more than 1,000 courses with adventure golf or similar themes nationwide, Laun said, compared to 7,000 more traditional courses.
The first adventure golf courses were built in the Myrtle Beach, S.C., area in the early 1980s. After the builders saw the success of the first courses, they began to look for warm locales where players could play year-round. Florida was an obvious choice.
At most area adventure courses, majority ownership is held by one of a number of out-of-state private companies, most of which are based in Traverse City, Mich. The city is the mecca of adventure golf courses. Designers built two courses there in the mid-'80s, and course designers then took their success to other states.
Adventure Golf Design and Development, a Traverse City company, is the biggest adventure course operator in Florida, with six Congo River courses. The adventure courses started appearing in the Tampa Bay area about seven years ago.
Fiesta Falls, the Indian Rocks Beach course, has been open for five years and draws as many as 1,000 players a day during its peak season, January to April. With an average price of $4.87 per person ($5.45 for adults, less for children and seniors), that's as much as $4,870 in revenue lining up at the ticket booth in a day.
Creating these courses isn't cheap. Building Fiesta Falls' elaborate rock formations, waterfalls and putting greens took several months and cost almost $500,000, said Wayne Lobdell. His firm, Lobdell Management of Traverse City, is a general partner in the course.
Then there are "soft" costs, including design and legal fees, that can be hundreds of thousands of dollars. The initial investment on an adventure golf course is well over $1-million, Lobdell said.
The high initial cost of adventure golf courses forces owners to charge higher fees to play. In contrast to nearby adventure golf courses, players pay only $2.50 at St. Pete Beach's Polynesian Putter, a traditional miniature golf course.
But once the course is built, operating costs are comparatively tiny. The payroll for the courses is small, utility bills are low and most of the maintenance is done by the employees. Sheppard said Fiesta Falls has had as much as $800,000 in revenue in a year and can make about $400,000 in profit.
The courses pay for themselves in two years, Laun said, and only two adventure golf courses have gone out of business nationwide since the concept began.
The players at these courses, mostly tourists, don't seem to mind paying more money to play. Bill and Linda Faletti, on vacation from Ashford, Conn., stopped at Pirates Cove Adventure Golf in Madeira Beach recently because it was the first course they saw.
"We find it relaxing," Bill said after his ball lipped the 17th hole, eliciting a groan from his wife. "We hit every (course) we see."
The course owners say two basic elements in business success, location and good service, get people to come and play. The courses are located on heavily traveled streets like Gulf Boulevard on the Pinellas County beaches and U.S. 19 in Clearwater and Port Richey, where many people drive by, see the shipwrecks and waterfalls, and stop to play.
But the key to survival in this business isn't getting players to come on the course _ it's getting them to come back.
There are four courses within 12 miles of each other on Gulf Boulevard, and the courses have plenty of tricks to get visitors to play their course more often than the competition's.
Brenda Bromley, manager and part owner of the Ruins de El Dorado course in St. Pete Beach, uses coupons, special rates for residents, discounts on second rounds, and a variety of other incentives to get people to come back.
While the adventure golf courses are businesses out to make money, the owners and managers tend to think of them as labors of love.
"It's a fun business because, in general, people go there and have a good time," said Jerry Kocis, part owner of Global Golf, the company that started Ruins de El Dorado. "You don't have to deal with irate people or other people of that nature."
Another plus is that adventure golf appeals to people of all ages. That alone should keep people paying to putt yellow, purple and green golf balls, course owners say.
"It's an escape," said Fiesta Falls' Lobdell. "I think the most important thing is that the whole family can go out and play. The whole family can't go out to play tennis, the whole family can go out to play miniature golf and each can be reasonably competitive."
Fiesta Falls, the Indian Rocks Beach course, has been open for five years and draws as many as 1,000 players a day during its peak season, January to April. With an average price of $4.87 per person ($5.45 for adults, less for children and seniors), that's as much as $4,870 in revenue lining up at the ticket booth in a day.
In addition to the admission fee, there are optional extras available for those who want to enhance their experience. These extras include renting a putter for $2 or purchasing a souvenir scorecard for $3. These extras can add an extra element of fun and enjoyment to the game. To make the experience even more enjoyable, Magic Carpet Golf also offers a range of amenities. These amenities include a snack bar where players can grab refreshments and snacks, as well as a gift shop where they can purchase souvenirs and mementos to remember their visit. Overall, playing a round of Magic Carpet Golf offers a memorable and fun-filled experience. With its unique Arabian Nights theme, challenging holes, and affordable pricing, it is a must-visit destination for families, friends, and individuals looking for a fun and entertaining activity. So gather your friends and family, and embark on an unforgettable adventure at Magic Carpet Golf!.
Reviews for "Hidden Costs to Watch out for at Magic Carpet Golf"
1. Jessica - ★★☆☆☆
I was really disappointed with Charges for a round of magic carpet golf. The course itself was shabby and run-down, with torn carpet and broken obstacles. It was clear that no maintenance had been done in a long time. Additionally, the staff was rude and unhelpful. They seemed more interested in chatting with each other than assisting customers. I had high hopes for this place but left feeling let down and like I had wasted my money.
2. Sam - ★☆☆☆☆
I do not recommend Charges for a round of magic carpet golf at all. The prices they charge are incredibly high for what you get. The course is small and uninteresting, with outdated and poorly maintained decorations. It felt like stepping back in time to visit a poorly kept mini golf course from the 1980s. The whole experience felt like a cash grab, and I left feeling ripped off. Save your money and find a better mini golf option elsewhere.
3. Jason - ★★☆☆☆
I was excited to try Charges for a round of magic carpet golf, but unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. The course was overcrowded, with long waits at each hole. The staff seemed overwhelmed and unable to keep up with the demand. The lack of organization took away from the enjoyment of the game. Additionally, the course was not well-maintained, with dirt and debris on the carpets. It's a shame because with some improvements and better management, it could be a fun place to visit.