by Brendan Smith
Reprinted from the Weirs
Times
When Bob Lawton built his first Mini-Golf course indoors in 1952 he never imagined that 56 years later he’d still be adding innovative touches to it to keep it a year-round family attraction.
The Retro Mini-Golf course inside The Funspot Family Entertainment Center in the Weirs is a replica of the original Lawton built above Tarlson’s Arcade in Weirs Beach in 1952. It has been in operation since 2003 but, until this year, closed for the summer. It was an addition to the Indoor Golf Center, which highlights six-state-of the art simulators. It is open November through April.
This spring the golf simulators were walled over for the season to help expand the American Classic Arcade Museum, which is also located in Funspot. With dozens of classic video and pinball games being added in time for the 10th Annual Classic Video Game and Pinball Tournament this past June, more room was needed for the museum.
The Golf Center was the obvious choice. When expanding the museum the question was raised what to do with the Retro Mini-Golf.
Gary Vincent, who is the President of the Museum as well as Operations Manager at Funspot suggested that they keep it open.
“It made perfect sense,” said Bob Lawton. “Now with the classic games here the room needed to be open for the summer season. We didn’t see the practicality of having an attendant just for the Mini-Golf so we decided the best way was to make it self-service.”
And that’s where good old Yankee Ingenuity took over. Lawton discussed the idea with Funspot’s Business Manager Steve Lawton. The idea to incorporate one of the original Bill Breaker Machines they had purchased three years back, and have since been replaced by more modern ones throughout the building, and a dispenser to issue special Mini-Golf tokens seemed like the only alternative.
“The only question was could we get someone who could program a connection between the Bill Breaker and the token dispenser so they would work as one,” explained Steve.
He contacted Chuck White of Triad Designs in Littleton, Mass., and they made it work. Unbelievably, it was the first time they had ever reprogrammed a Bill Breaker to partner with another machine.
The Bill Breaker, made by the Rowe Company, will change any bill up to a twenty, dispense a token and make the appropriate change. (Other Bill Breakers around Funspot can change up to a $100 bill.)
Next up was the actual Mini-Golf Ball dispensers to accept the tokens and plunk out a golf ball.
What seemed suited to the task were golf ball dispensing machines made by Northern Beaver in Canada. These gumball type dispensers are made with a little wider path for the golf balls to be dispensed easily. Put in the token, turn the handle and out comes your golf ball.
There are five of the Nothern Beaver machines set up to provide five different colored golf balls.
“It really is the perfect set up,” Bob Lawton said. “Kids especially love to help themselves. It makes them feel like they are a part of it. It’s even better in the Retro Mini-Golf because it’s really an easy course for little ones to handle and have fun.
Our outdoor mini-golf is a lot of fun and very challenging and sometimes a little frustrating for little kids. They find this one much more fun and now they can be involved with their parents from start to finish.”
The Yankee Ingenuity for the Indoor Mini-Golf didn’t stop there. Now came the bells and whistles…literally.
The last hole on the 9-hole mini-golf course has the player hit uphill into an enclosed case and then watch and see if their ball will make its way into the “Free Game” hole. When Funspot’s Golf Center was only open in the winter there was an attendant on duty who would verify the Free Game ball and give the player a pass for a free game. Now, with an attendant no longer always in the room, a new approach was needed.
“That’s where we turned to our outstanding game technician Randy Lawton,” Bob said. “There’s not many things that Randy can’t figure out when it comes to games and electronics.”
This time was no exception. Randy figured out a way to attach sensors inside the Free Game hole that, when the ball dropped down into it, would ring a bell. A light then goes off and a token is dispensed at the “Free Token” dispenser next to the final hole.
“I built a new cabinet for the Free Token dispenser,” said Bob. “I made a carboard facsimile first so to make sure the size was correct. We used the dispenser from an old “Wack A Mole” game we had lying around our shop here at Funspot, “ Bob recalled.
The free game problem was solved. Well, for awhile anyway. After all was completed the first golf ball was tested. It made its way perfectly up the hill, around the bumper and settled into the Free Game hole…and got stuck.
“The ball was too big,” Bob laughed. “We took another one and measured it against an older mini-golf ball and it was just a little bit bigger. We couldn’t help but laugh."
Never to be deterred, Randy ground out the tube where the ball fell and soon they were back in business. “We opened the new “Self Serve” Retro Minigolf Golf on June 24th and it’s been a big hit ever since,” said Bob.
The Retro Mini-Golf is now officially open every day Funspot is, and that’s every day except Christmas. “It’s open to enjoy every minute Funspot is open, “ Bob said. “This is the perfect activity for parents to participate in.
Join your kids in one of the few amusements you can do with your child.” All thanks to a little Yankee Ingenuity. You can call 366-45377 or visit for more information.
|
