With the weather turning, we are looking to staying indoors and keeping dry and warm. And thanks to the new indoor mini golf meets bar concept: Par Tee Putt you can do just that.
Their first location in Vancouver has opened just off of the Granville entertainment district. With multiple floors, the location takes advantage of the adjacent food and drink bar to be able to entertain and feed their customers for an afternoon or evening of fun.
My original visit was for their grand opening, and it included free-flowing tropical cocktails and a bevy of small bites being passed around. A fun time, but not the true experience. So today I returned with a group of friends to be able to report to you what it is like to playing full rounds of mini golf at our own pace.
The full course has over 20 holes, some more challenging than others. Most more fun than technical. Not necessarily for mini golf enthusiasts, but something anyone with zero to no skill can appreciate. Especially as even though you are equipped with a score card and pencil, each tee off isn’t signed with a par. So, you are pretty much left to your own devices and interpretations. Plus some holes don’t even require a club to earn a hole in one.
Not to mention, if you are like us, you will find yourself giving up on scoring all together, in order to just focus on the fun to be had. And even more so if you are drinking.
It has been almost 2 months since my initial visit where the propping and decorative display of each course was still brand new. Since then, you can see the effects of wear and tear as missed clubs have chipped fixtures and the starting markers on a few courses have gone missing. Nonetheless the charms of the various courses remain.
They speak to pop culture with a hole in the iron throne and one that runs along the wall and staircase banister of the Griffin’s home in Family Guy. And in the distance ET is ready for you to get him home via bicycle and basket.
One course is carpeted to look like an old Nintendo controller and another the Pac Man course with ghosts and berries included.
The Vancouver connection is visible with mini golfers having to putt around Science World’s iconic dome and over and across the Lion’s Gate bridge.
The whimsy of the entire course is evident with the Plinko round that you put down your club for. And climbing up a step stool, simply drop your ball into any open slot and let fate and luck take the lead. There is also a Skee-Ball course that has the most skilled mini golfers struggling. You do not putt, but chip towards the desired hole instead.
For the Twister course you can either play through and avoid the hanging mannequin staged in mid-play, or join in with a spin to the wheel for appendage and what colour to put it on.
Being able to take your time and have drinks in hand and refills at the ready means you do end up staying longer. And when hunger strikes, golfers are easily able to take a pause in the game and move off to the Clubhouse bar for a break.
Here, you can order from a list of popular bar snacks and specialty drinks. Many listed with golf related puns.
Our visit coincided with Happy Hour so we were able to take advantage of their $4 highball and beer specials plus $5.95 food specials, which comes to about $2 off.
Like the Garlic Parmesan Fries that were satisfying with a generous amount of diced garlic. Worth licking your fingers for.
The Onion Rings were lightly and evenly battered for a nice crisp, flavoured with a dip in the provided side of Chipotle Mayo.
The Birdie Wings are available in 6 different flavours with 2 different sauces. We would go for the Salt & Pepper with Ranch over the Lemon Pepper, Hot, BBQ, Honey Garlic, or Buffalo Butter with Bleu Cheese dressing. They were exactly as expected: salty and crispy, leaning towards hard. Best with beer.
The Chip-in Nachos were a platter of fully loaded nachos topped with Shredded Cheddar and Mozzarella Cheese, Pickled Jalapenos, Tomatoes, Green Onions, Black Olives, Salsa, Guacamole, and Lime & Cilantro Crema. We had the option to but passed on adding on meat to the meal. There were plenty of toppings to not need any. We just would have liked more dip for the bottom layer of chips that went undressed.
The Loaded Pogos were fun but hard to share. Two Cornbread battered hot dogs dressed in hot sauce, sour cream, bacon bits, nacho Doritos, and green onions. We believed them to be from frozen but with all the toppings this fact was easy to mask.
The Jalapeno Popcorn Shrimp was an easy snacking option, crispy popcorn shrimp served with a jalapeno & lime cilantro dipping sauce on the side. This too was pretty standard, no complaints.
In closing, Par-Tee Putt is a great place to celebrate a birthday or an event. A unique activity option that keeps you warm, dry, and entertained regardless of weather. Book them for your next group gathering.
Par-Tee Putt
670 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1L2, Canada
+1 604-670-2980
parteeputt.com/vancouver
