After checking out the partially unearthed Titan II missile silo complex and experiencing a fairly benign brush with the law, I got back on the road and headed east toward New Mexico.
I took a brief detour from I-10 to check out an abandoned mini-golf course south of the town of Willcox. Remarkably free from vandalism, the props and obstacles have been left to the mercy of the harsh desert climate.
The decor seems to lack a coherent theme, though Native American elements are present in some of the props.
A creepy gnomish figurine keeps vigil over the overgrown course while dry desert grass pushes up through cracks in the pavement.
Faded green turf still covers small patches of the course.
The rusty mechanisms inside the props are rusty from years of exposure to the elements.
Even the creepy gnome has mechanized components. I would love to have seen him in action back when his motors were still running. Though, as a child I probably would have fled in terror.
Several of the course's most notorious obstacles include the Rings of Death
and the Arrow of Despair
The only two structures on the property are "throne" room
and the boarded up trailer home that once served as the office.
Out back lies a discarded stove.
I was unable to find any records about the mini-golf course online, though it is apparent this place has been abandoned for at least a decade, and probably much longer.
A reverse lookup of the phone number on the for sale sign reveals that the lot is owned by one Janet Hoctor of Maricopa, AZ. Judging by the state of the sign, it is safe to assume the land has been on the market for quite a few years.
If anyone has any more information about this neat old miniature golf course, please leave a comment below.
Come back next week to hear about my adventure (including yet another encounter with the police) in the dying city of Willcox, Arizona and its countless abandoned buildings.
Thanks for checking out this article. If you enjoyed it, please feel free to share it on Facebook. While you're at it, please subscribe to Places That Were and follow me on my social media sites:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/placesthatwere
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JimSullivanPlacesThatWere/posts
EyeEm: https://www.eyeem.com/u/placesthatwere
flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/placesthatwere/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/placesthatwere/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/jimplicit
Instagram: http://instagram.com/theplacesthatwere
Tumblr: http://placesthatwere.tumblr.com/
Thank you!
Interesting!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes--that gnome would have scared the daylights out of me.
Have a good weekend
Thanks, Sue! I'd love to have seen the place when all the little motors were still working. I bet the gnome was even scarier. Sorry for the late reply. For some reason I'm not getting comment notifications.
DeleteGreat stuff Jim!! The whole Wilcox coverage is really cool.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Bill!
DeleteI'm from willcox just left there last year love this story and the pictures so sad the town not much left anymore
ReplyDeleteThank you! Such an interesting place.
DeleteScary knome! So interesting (like the water park in CA). What happened?!
ReplyDeleteI had trouble finding info on this place. I wish I knew more.
DeleteHello, came across your post and thought I'd add what I know about this place. I was born in Willcox in 1979 and to my knowledge it was closed by then. I never went while it was open and I don't think there's anything more than "owner couldn't keep it open" to the backstory. I did smoke weed in that teepee if that helps!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. I didn't realize this place had been closed for such a long time. I'm kind of amazed there is anything left. The teepee does seem like an appropriate place to smoke :)
DeleteI lived there in the late eighties/early nighties, and yes, it always looked like that.
DeleteRight on. I'd love to know the story behind it. Please let me know what you find out.
ReplyDeleteHere is a link I just found about this place, hope it helps shed some light on this old mini golf course. Thanks for posting this story. We have traveled to Wicox many times and never knew this place existed. https://www.uer.ca/locations/show.asp?locid=23888
ReplyDeleteaa
ReplyDeleteI just stumbled upon this. My brother Bob Lusk and my dad, Harry Lusk, built that miniature golf course in the late 70s. Bob still lives in Tucson. They never really finished the course for a variety of reasons and sold the property in the early 80s.
ReplyDeleteMy dad owned this back in the day!!
ReplyDelete