Mini-Golf Championship of 1961

In an earlier post, I bemoaned the fact that the "Putt Putt" championship was played on a course without all the signature mini-golf trappings. There's no ferris wheel, no windmill, no waterfall, nothing.

But if you go all the way back to 1961, things change ever so slightly. If you go all the way back to the 1961 PPA "Parade of Champions" and get to Hole 7, it has a barn with doors that periodically swing open and shut.

And it's all in glorious grey.

In later holes, there's a loop-de-loop hole, a ramp hole and a pipe hole. Finally. Thank You. Now that's a sport.

And speaking of sports, when we get to Hole 14, professional putter Frank Holt decides it's time to really 60s it up and lights up a cigarette during the match.

Athletes! Classic.

Other than the different styles and mannerisms of a different era, the 1961 Putting Championship broadcast is largely the same format as the 1985 edition. One notable difference is that in 1961, they refer to a diagram to show the layout for every hole.

Look at that style. They even have a pointer to refer to it. Here's Hole 11.

Remember I told you about the loop-de-loop hole? Here's what that looks like in brilliant abstraction.

Man, Wes Anderson, eat your heart out.

The 1985 Mini-Golf Championship Match #1

If I've ever posted a better phrase on this blog than "1985 Mini-Golf Championship", I don't remember it. But who can remember anything at a time like this?

This video is my new favorite thing. In the back of my mind I always thought professional mini-golf could exist but I never saw evidence for it one way or the other. And now it's here in all its glory.

This is the kind of concept you'd expect to see on Adult Swim these days. Except you can't parody it because it's already perfect.



Random thoughts:

• "Rookie of the Year", "Former Champion", discussion of the mental and physical battle, mini-golf - it's all here. 
• The "color commentary" is by Billy Packer - I think that's the same Billy Packer who commentated for college basketball.
• One of the contestants has been working out in the off-season to add muscle mass. Perfect.
• The girl who follows them with the scoreboard! Oh my flavors.
• No windmills? No waterfalls? No nothing? I wonder if that's just how they do it in professional mini-golf or if it just happens to be the most boring course on Earth.
• Why doesn't this exist now?! I would watch!