Miniature golf has remained a beloved American pastime for more than a hundred years. The first mini-golf course in the U.S. was established in 1916 in Pinehurst, North Carolina, and called Thistle Dhu (“This’ll Do”). The course was designed to resemble a miniature version of a full-sized golf course, with artificial greens made from cottonseed hulls, sand, oil, and dye.
By the late 1920s, miniature golf had fully taken root in the United States. There were nearly 30,000 courses spread across the country by 1930, causing movie box office receipts to plummet by 25%. Around this time, the first miniature golf course was built in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on the corner of 9th Avenue North and U.S. Highway 17.
Myrtle Beach remained a popular tourist destination throughout the 1950s and 1960s because of miniature golf. The courses were relatively economical to build, and they appealed to multiple generations of families who vacationed and lived there. With more than 70 miniature golf courses, Myrtle Beach has become known as the Mini Golf Capital of the World.
Snake River Golf is an 18-hole miniature golf course spread across 1.3 acres on a prominent stretch of U.S. Highway 17. A cluster of mini-golf courses can be found along the 20-mile stretch from Myrtle Beach to North Myrtle Beach. When it opened in 2012, Snake River Golf was open from 11 A.M. until midnight, offering gem and fossil mining as an additional attraction. Customers could play the 18-hole course for $5.
According to customer reviews, the course became rundown and unmaintained just a few years after opening. Considering all the nearby competition, it is no surprise that Snake River Golf permanently closed in 2019. In March 2020, the property was listed for sale for $1.3 million. With no buyers, the vacant miniature golf course falls further into disrepair with each passing day.
Thank you for reading. Please share the blog with your friends. I appreciate your support. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. For more amazing, abandoned places check out my photography books.
Abandoned Southeast 