May the Course Be With You

Interbay Golf Center Photo by JiaYing Grygiel

8 family- and budget-friendly mini-golf courses around the sound

By JiaYing Grygiel

Golf, it turns out, is a sport that’s tailor-made for social distancing. After months and months of staying home, this relatively safe and inexpensive outdoor activity might be just what your family needs for its sanity. Here’s a list of terrific minigolf courses in the Greater Seattle area. 1. Interbay Golf Center (premiergc.com) is located between the Seattle neighborhoods of Queen Anne and Magnolia. Putters and balls are available and sanitized between uses. Cost is $9 for adults, youths ages 17 and younger $6.50. Maximum size of a group: 5. 2. The Family Fun Center in Tukwila (fun-center.com/tukwila) has two outdoor 18-hole mini-golf courses to try out. Mini golf here is recommended for ages 5 and older, and costs $10 plus tax per person. Other open attractions include go karts, bumper boats, batting cages and more. 3. Call ahead to make a reservation at Rainbow Run Putting Course at Willows Run (willowsrun.com) in Redmond, as time slots fill up quickly. Loaner putters and balls are available, but bring your own equipment if you can. Cost is $12.65 for teens and adults; $8.63 for kids ages 12 and younger. 4. High Trek Adventures (hightrekeverett.com) in Everett is known for its huge ropes course with zip lines, and it also offers laser tag, axe throwing (!) and an 18-hole mini-golf setup. Cost is $8 for ages 11 and older, $5 for ages 7–10, or $5 with the purchase of a same-day ropes course ticket. 5. King Family Fun Center in Puyallup (kingfamilyfuncenter.com) is open now for outdoor mini golf and fitness skating. Maximum group size for mini golf is 5 people; cost is $10 for ages 13 and older, $8 for ages 12 and younger. Credit and debit cards only; no cash. 6. Groups of up to 5 people can play the 18-hole championship mini-golf course at Snohomish Valley Golf Center (snohomishvalleygolfcenter.com) in Snohomish. Cost is $10 for adults, $8 for ages 55 and older and 12 and younger. It’s first come, first-served, so no reservations are needed. 7. In Tacoma, Parkland Putters (miniaturegolftacoma.blogspot.com) offers four levels of mini-golf courses — ranging from easy to hard. Sand traps, trees, hills and hidden holes will give you extra challenges to conquer. Cost is $6.50 for ages 13 and older, $5.50 for ages 12 and younger, and $3.50 for extra games. 8. Mini golf, go karts and batting cages are open at Mike N Terry’s Outdoor Fun Park (mikenterrys.com) in Puyallup. Mini golf runs $8.50 for one course, $12.75 for both; kids under 48 inches in height are $4.25. Bring cash, your own hand sanitizer and a pen for keeping score.

BONUS: When you’re ready to take your golf game to the next level, head to Green Lake Pitch & Putt (greenlakegolfcourse.com). Call same day to reserve your tee time and bring your masks — they’re required. Cost is $9 for adults, or $7 for youths ages 17 and younger and seniors 65 and older. ■ JiaYing Grygiel is a freelance photographer and writer who lives in Seattle, where she takes too many pictures of her two sons and blogs at photoj.net.