GAYLORD — An 18-hole Modular Advantage Mini Golf course, along with a putting green, shuffleboard and lawn game court, recently opened at Alpen Bluffs Outdoor Resort, expanding recreational offerings at the Gaylord property.
According to a Dec. 16 news release from Amusement Today, the new amenities were designed and installed by Adventure Golf & Sports and include courts for croquet, bean-bag toss and lawn bowling.
Rob Platt, co-owner of Alpen Bluffs Outdoor Resort, said the resort is Michigan’s first outdoor hotel.
When all construction phases are completed, the resort will include 227 recreational vehicle sites, 30 fully furnished camper cabins and 14 glamping yurts. Current amenities also include a waterpark, pickleball courts and pedal carts and bicycle rentals.
The resort features a camp store, a full-service grocery store called Alpen Market and a full-service restaurant and bar, Mulligan’s at the Bluffs, which includes seven golf simulators.
Additional amenities scheduled to open later this quarter include an outdoor pool with cabanas, an outdoor movie theater, Gaga Ball and sand volleyball courts.
Platt said the Alpen Point Mini Golf course differs from traditional miniature golf layouts.
“These guys do stuff that’s a little bit different,” Platt said, referring to Adventure Golf & Sports. “I’ve never seen miniature golf holes with sand traps included. They’re not filled with sand, but they have a beige-colored turf surface to look like sand surrounded by rough turf. The general public thinks that’s kind of cool, too.”
Platt said the course uses an interlocking panel system beneath the turf, allowing holes to be raised or lowered based on design needs and improving drainage.
“It’s not a concrete course,” he said. “From a maintenance perspective, it’s a lot easier for us.”
According to Platt, the first nine holes are ADA compliant and largely flat, while the second nine holes are more challenging and include hills, off-site ponds and fountains integrated into the design.
Platt said the resort has seen repeat customers and incorporates the mini golf course into broader social activities, including hole-in-one contests with prizes such as free ice cream.
Adventure Golf & Sports is a global company specializing in the design and installation of entertainment attractions, including miniature golf, pickleball, shuffleboard, bocce ball and other game courts.
The company has experience installing both permanent concrete courses and modular interlocking panel systems for indoor and outdoor applications at entertainment centers, resorts, hotels, campgrounds and other venues.