Solid but small mini golf course… very hot in the summer… Small but nice paced go-karts…
Matt W.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 Niskayuna, NY
This is the mini-golf and Go-Kart place just behind, and associated with, Control Tower, the fast food — soft ice cream place right on the edge of the airport. Continuing our comprehensive review of every miniature golf course in an hour’s radius of Lock 7… The miniature golf is a mixed bag. The setting in great: right along some beautiful marsh grass and woods and literally right on the fence of the north runway of Albany International, where you can watch the planes taking off and landing, at least if you go there during the peak hours and the weather is right. There are two water courses running through the course, one from a mountain/waterfall, the latter of which seems to be out of operation right now(and the lack thereof cuts down on the ambiance a bit.) There are nice plantings and flowers, and good lights for evening play, but it’s pretty loud — they run loud contemporary rock music over the loudspeakers, and with the go-karts and the wind and the airport traffic, it’s not exactly tranquil, but it is lively. The course itself is «schtick-free»; while the holes are named after various international airports, they are strictly putting challenges, with no windmills or evil clowns or water-leaping or multilevel barns or anything like that. The holes are up-and-down and side-to-side, with a few bank shot opportunities. The maintenance is mediocre; the holes were clean of debris, but threadbare astroturf and putting mats badly need replacement, and the holes themselves had pushed up from the surrounding green(or the latter had pushed down, take your pick), so they are«lippy», like having a tiny little mountain you need to get over to get in the hole. On the plus side there are flags in every putting hole, which is a nice classy touch. I also note this is the only miniature golf course I’ve seen that I can remember, and I’ve probably been on a hundred or more over the years, that did not have a «hole in one-free game» hole on the 18th hole; the 18th hole was completely conventional, and you have to return your ball by hand to the shack. $ 6 for adults, $ 4 for 5 – 12, less for 2 – 5 year olds but not free($ 3 or $ 2 I think). The go-karts are above average, though; it’s a medium-length course with a small ess-curve at one end, that rises and falls a bit, is well-maintained, and the karts run well. They have two-seaters and if your kid is over 4′ 6″ or so they can ride themselves. Go karts $ 5 but you can get a combination pass with miniature golf that shaves a couple bucks off doing them individually. Plusses: proximity to Control Tower, the ice cream joint(see reviews for it under the Control Tower Unilocal entry) and for friendly service. Mini golf = 3 stars, go-karts = 4 stars, we decided to rank this at three stars because the golf is mostly what we care about.
