Failure™ Magazine

As The Windmill Turns

The U.S. professional minigolf tour goes for the green.

Written by Jason Zasky   Filed under Sports

In some ways, the Minigolf Masters is reminiscent of a PGA tour event. Each player’s name, hometown, and tour wins (if any), are announced as he or she steps up to the first tee. Television cameramen can be seen wandering the course, filming the players and taking distance shots that, predictably, often feature a plastic flamingo or faux volcano. (This year NBC’s Today show was on the scene; in past years ESPN has broadcast the leaders’ final round, along with highlights of the layout). But in contrast to PGA tournaments, playing partners don’t play the holes simultaneously; whoever has the “honor” must hole out before his or her partner tees off. Not surprisingly, there are no caddies—after all, American players hit the course with a single ball and putter—and the gallery is solely made up of friends and relatives of the players. In case you’re wondering, there’s no green jacket for the winner, either.

Now the challenge for Detwiler is to raise the profile of the minigolf pro tour and attract national sponsors that can help bring the prize money to more attractive levels. The formation of a players association (for $30 a year players get an actual USMGPA tour card) and an owners association (for owners of miniature golf courses) has given the three-year old USMPGA credibility. But the fact that the International Olympic Committee has sanctioned miniature golf as a provisional sport for the 2007 World Games is even more significant. “The media is starting to take notice [and saying], ‘hey, they must be doing something right,’” states Detwiler.

To date, traditional golf companies like Titleist haven’t stepped up to back the tour. “We’ve been doing this for only three years, so they don’t realize that we do have some credibility. They think, ‘miniature golf, that wouldn’t do us any good,’” says Detwiler. So the Masters has been relying on small sponsorships from companies like Pepsi, Carolina First [a local bank] and Nestle. But Detwiler is cautiously optimistic about the future. “I think we’re on the verge of getting some national sponsorship,” he says, which would effectively raise the Masters’ total purse well into five figures and help attract national television coverage.

At the same time, Detwiler is taking care not to neglect his grassroots plan for building the sport. “The goal is to set up tournaments in every state. As many cities as would like to hold tournaments, we’re willing to help. We have guidelines and a charity for every tournament,” he notes. In order for the sport to realize its potential, “it will take an effort by course owners all over the country to run tournaments and start leagues,” concurs Shiff.

Meanwhile, the current tour pros continue to putt along in virtual anonymity, taking advantage of the modest benefits afforded a minigolf professional. According to Norman’s girlfriend, Shannon, minigolf played a role in her attraction to him. “It was so quirky and unusual that it was actually a very big draw,” she says. “It‘s like in Jerry Maguire when she [actress Renée Zellweger] says, ‘You had me at hello.’ I always tell him you had me at, ‘I play professional miniature golf.’”

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