Okay, so I was out in Vegas, right? Had some time to kill between shows and the usual casino stuff. Heard about this putting course tied to Tiger Woods, called PopStroke, figured why not give it a shot. Needed something a bit different than just throwing money at slots.
Getting There and First Look
Finding the place wasn’t too hard, it’s pretty well known now I guess. Rolled up and you could tell they put some money into it. Looked slick, clean, definitely not your average run-down mini-golf joint. It felt kinda professional, but still relaxed enough. There were quite a few people around, families, couples, groups of buddies, seemed like a mixed crowd.
Checking In and Getting Set
Walked into the main building. Pretty straightforward process. Went up to the counter, paid the fee to play. They handed me a decent putter, felt solid, not like the cheap metal ones you sometimes get. Grabbed a ball, they had a few colors, just picked one. The staff seemed alright, pointed me towards the start of the course. They’ve got two 18-hole courses there, supposedly designed with some Tiger input, or at least replicating tough conditions. I just picked one, didn’t really matter which one to me.
Hitting the Greens
Stepped onto the first hole. The greens are artificial turf, but man, they were nice. Rolled really true, fast too. Not like hitting on bumpy carpet. They’ve got contours, slopes, little undulations, things that actually make you think about the putt. It wasn’t just straight shots.
Actually Putting:
- Lined up my first putt. Took a practice swing.
- Gave it a tap. Woah, faster than I thought. Rolled right past the hole.
- Okay, gotta adjust the touch here.
- Second putt, got the speed better, missed just left.
- Tapped it in for a three. Not a glorious start, but whatever.
Moved through the holes. Some were tricky, with little bunkers nearby (just for show, obviously, but they shape the hole) and weird breaks you wouldn’t expect. I definitely didn’t shoot the lights out. Sank a couple of decent ones, three-putted more than I’d like to admit. It was fun though, trying to read the fake greens, getting frustrated when I misread one completely. You’re out there, focusing on this little white ball, trying to get it in the hole. It’s a good mental break.
They had music playing, not too loud, just background stuff. People were generally having a good time, some taking it seriously, others just laughing when their ball went way off course. You could also grab drinks and food there, saw people walking around with beers. Added to the casual vibe.
Wrapping Up
Finished up the 18 holes. Took maybe an hour, hour and a half? Something like that. Walked back, dropped the putter and ball in the return bin. Simple as that.
Overall? Yeah, it was a decent way to spend an afternoon. It’s definitely a premium experience compared to old-school mini-golf. The course was challenging enough to be interesting for someone who plays golf sometimes, but easy enough that anyone could try it. It’s Vegas, so it costs a bit more, but the quality was there. Glad I checked it out, got me away from the tables for a bit, which is probably a good thing.