Golf has Augusta National Golf Club, the gem of all golf courses that serves as the home of the Masters.
Miniature golf has Hawaiian Rumble in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the gem of all mini golf courses that serves as the home of its Masters. Last week I had the opportunity to play a round at Hawaiian Rumble and it lives up to the hype and then some.
Hawaiian Rumble is widely rated as the best miniature golf course in the United States, and perhaps the world. It is an immaculate space, beautiful and well-maintained. The last two rounds of the Masters every year are played on this course, which is a testament to the construction and maintenance of the grounds.
The course features a 40-foot high volcano in the middle of the property that does in fact spew fire at regular intervals.
Notwithstanding the 40-foot volcano, the course is relatively gimmick-free. There are no windmills or obstacles or water hazards or other gimmicks to trip you up. It plays as a straight par-36 course, so roughly two shots per hole. It adequately threads the needle between straightforward and challenging. I shot a 3-over 39 in my round, which included three aces. But there were no holes where I shot over three, either.
I am not a golfer, but I understand the appeal of playing a round at Augusta National and the importance that the course has to the sport. Hawaiian Rumble has that same kind of panache and allure for the sport of mini-golf. The best of the best play this course. But unlike a members-only club like Augusta National, anybody with $13 can play a round at Hawaiian Rumble.
The Myrtle Beach area has over fifty miniature golf courses. But Hawaiian Rumble exceeds them all in every phase. The next time you are in Myrtle Beach, I encourage you to make the trip.