Oakland’s new mini golf course is tee-rrific

Walking down Forbes Avenue in Oakland, you might notice some new, bright yellow fixtures along Oakland Avenue. These mini golf holes constitute the Pittsburgh Innovation District’s Oakland Open, which opened to the public Thu., March 11. The nine-hole ADA-compliant mini golf course is located on Oakland Avenue, between Forbes Avenue and Sennott Street, and it is free and accessible to all. The Pittsburgh Innovation District has been working with the city and the Oakland Business Improvement District for about a month to set up the course, according to Sean Luther, executive director of the InnovatePGH, which runs the Pittsburgh Innovation District. Players receive a $5 discount on purchases of at least $20 at local restaurants, cafes, and retailers, such as Redhawk Coffee, Maggie & Stella’s, Prince of India, Stack’d, Fuku Tea, and Fuel & Fuddle.

“We are thrilled to officially open the ‘Oakland Open’ in the heart of the Pittsburgh Innovation District,” Luther says. “This latest investment in the neighborhood will benefit local businesses and showcase all that Oakland has to offer.”

Admittedly, most of my golf knowledge starts and ends with Troy Bolton in High School Musical 2. Still, I took it as an opportunity to approach the Oakland Open with a mostly blank slate.

To start, players must go to the booth on the Forbes Avenue end of the course, where they will receive a scorecard and sanitized pencil, putting club, and golf ball. From there, the holes take players down to Sennott Street, then back to Forbes. Each hole is on a raised box and painted bright yellow, making them reminiscent of Pittsburgh’s iconic bridges, and each sign also has the name of at least one of the Oakland Open’s sponsors.

The course’s nine holes have different shapes and Oakland-themed decorations, starting with a straight shot through a series of letters spelling out the neighborhood’s name. While the scorecard and signage informed me that this is a par-1, it took me seven strokes to get the ball into the hole. Perhaps a more proficient golfer could have hit the ball in a simple, straight line, but my inexperience led to many awkward angles stuck between letters.

Not to be deterred, I chose to think of the first hole as a warm up. The second and third holes were easier, with challenges in the form of emoji-decorated golf balls attached to the course for the second, and a carved-out middle section, creating an “O,” for the third. I even got on and below par scores, which were a pleasant encouragement.

The fourth and sixth holes were perhaps the most directly Oakland-themed. The fourth hole is inspired by the Panther Hollow Bridge in Schenley Park, which looms over a smaller bridge crossing the Panther Hollow Lake. Players must hit the ball across the smaller bridge, avoiding the lowered, smooth blue sections of the lake. While it took two attempts to avoid the “lake,” the hole was relatively easy, and I managed to score just one above par.

The sixth hole had a windmill challenge, but with a looming replica of the Cathedral of Learning, although players also have the option to hit the ball around the structure if they don’t want to risk the ball getting stuck underneath the Cathedral. To stay true to the spirit of the game, I attempted to hit the ball through the Cathedral, leading to a triple bogey after hitting the ball towards the side and having to maneuver it back to the front.

Hole five was deceptively difficult. The straight-shot with no obstructions, was the hole where I learned that not all golf courses are created even. There’s a slight tilt — I won’t spoil which direction — that makes aiming slightly more challenging. Or, for an inexperienced player like myself, much more challenging. Once again, I needed seven strokes on a par-1 hole.

Holes seven, eight, and nine were not Oakland-themed, but each offered a different challenge through zig-zagging shapes and, for hole eight, a loop. My triumph came on hole seven, which, despite being a par-4, I got a hole-in-one. Sadly, it wasn’t enough to balance out my scorecard, and I finished with 33 strokes on what the scorecard says should have been 21.

The Cathedral and Panther Hollow Bridge were the highlights of the course, with minimalist designs that were recognizable and impressively tall. While it would have been fun to see more Oakland-themed holes — perhaps drawing from Dippy the Dinosaur or a Pitt-themed panther for inspiration — the course was an entertaining way to spend 20 minutes.

The Oakland Open is open Thursday through Saturday, from noon to 8 p.m.. Walk-ups are allowed, but online reservations are encouraged to maximize social distancing. The course is also available to rent for parties and groups during non-operating hours, and there will be competition-style play days with prizes such as a free overnight stay at the Oaklander Hotel and gift certificates to nearby restaurants. The course will be open at least through April, depending on demand, giving people time to shoot their shot on this new Oakland attraction.

This article appears in Mar 10-16, 2021.