After fearing he may have to say goodbye to mini golf for good at Memorial Park, Mike Head has been given the all clear that the legacy will live on – just on different greens.

Earlier this year the Tauranga Mini Golf owner of five years put a call out to the community, asking whether they’d like to see mini golf remain at Memorial Park.

Mike jumped to action after the time had come for council to reclaim the land his course resides on to make way for a new aquatics and recreation facility for the city.

Reinvigoration

Unsure whether the new facilities would include mini golf, Mike launched a campaign for the community to have their say.

Mike says he was “absolutely wrapped” with the community’s response, receiving more than 6000 votes with a ratio of 2000-to-one in favour of retaining mini golf at Memorial Park.

“It’s reinvigorated the mini golf! Some people forgot it was here and were saying: ‘We definitely don’t want to see it go,’ so it’s an amazing result on the survey and good to see council just no nonsense,” says Mike.

Given the green light

Meeting with some Tauranga City councillors and council commissioners last month, Mike was thrilled to hear that mini golf will remain at the park and is permitted to build a brand new course.

TCC says general manager of city developments and partnership Gareth Wallis says mini golf is one of the many iconic and popular community attractions at Memorial Park “and we’re committed to having it remain as we plan for the park’s future”. 

“Planning is still ongoing, so it’s too soon to say where in the park mini golf may be located in the future,” says Gareth.

“We will continue to work with the existing owner of the mini golf as that planning progresses over coming months and we explore potential options.”

The decision for the new mini golf’s location is expected by the end of this year, with construction beginning February 2024.

Mike says Tauranga Mini Golf is still a significant part of town and he plans to open the new course by next Christmas.

“There’s about 150, 000 people in Tauranga. We can put 30,000 people a year through the mini golf.

“It’s been there for 40 years so I guess every family and everybody has played there multiple times in their lifetime. It will be my legacy by building a lovely mini golf; and when I’m gone, it will live well past me.”