Parkside Whispering Pines Miniature Golf Course
N 43° 13.702 W 077° 32.804
18T E 293186 N 4789324
Little did I know that the mini golf course of my youth was the oldest one in continuous use... since 1930! Gosh I suddenly feel old...
Waymark Code: WM113H
Location: New York, United States
Date Posted: 12/10/2006
Views: 77
Parkside Whispering Pines -- originally known as "Tall Maples" -- is the oldest miniature golf course in continuous use. It was designed in 1929 by Robert Ocorr, a local journalist and entrepreneur, and opened for business the next year.
All the cliche miniature golf hole themes are seen here -- the windmill, the mystery pipes, the two-tiered hole. The difference is, it was places like this that invented these fun ideas.
I grew up a few miles from here. My earliest memory of Whispering Pines is coming here with my parents in the 1960's. Then, as young teenagers, my friends and I would ride our bikes here and to nearby Sea Breeze amusement park. And in my last years as a full-time Irondequoit resident, miniature golf made for a great double date. Now, I can take my own daughter to have fun here.
We visited, however, during the off season while we were in Rochester for Thanksgiving. This allowed me to get some cool pictures with nobody else around! I look forward to seeing others upload pictures of their family or friends having fun playing miniature golf the old fashioned way -- just as people have been doing for more than 75 years.
Next door to the course, and under common ownership, is the Parkside Diner. Strategically located at the intersection of Culver Road and Lakeshore Boulevard, this is the "meeting place" for people around here. A classic diner next to a classic mini-golf course. The website link below goes to a nice newspaper article that talks a bit about the history of both places.
If your kids think history is boring, take them here.
Street address:
4083 Culver Rd., Sea Breeze
Rochester, NY USA
County / Borough / Parish: Monroe
Year listed: 2002
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture
Periods of significance: 1925-1949, 1950-1974
Historic function: Recreation and Culture (Miniature Golf Course)
Current function: Recreation and Culture (Miniature Golf Course)
Privately owned?: yes
Season start / Season finish: From: 04/15/2007 To: 09/15/2007
Hours of operation: From: 11:00 AM To: 11:00 PM
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.