Coronavirus: Saskatoon’s mini-golf course hopes to open soon

The Putt N’ Bounce mini-golf course has been open for 59 years and it wants to keep the streak alive well beyond 60.

But that requires opening this year, and due to restrictions put in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the business is still waiting for clearance from the provincial government.

With the majority of Putt N’ Bounce’s revenue made between June to August, the business is anxious to open.

“We have to make enough profit in that time frame to carry us for the year,” says Sheldon Giesbrecht, owner of the Fuddruckers Family Fun Centre, home of the Putt N’ Bounce.

“We are closed for six to seven months a year and we continue to pay rent and expenses during that entire time frame, so what is happening now is we’re losing our season, and if it continues into July or August then we run the risk of not even having enough capital to carry us through the winter.”

Giesbrecht said there is natural physical distancing to mini putt, as players stay on their par until the next one opens up. The facility says it will clean the putters and golf balls when returned so the owner feels they can operate within current regulations.

“Nobody golfs onto a hole when somebody is golfing so you automatically have that 30-foot separation and we basically just have to tell people not to wait between greens, and separation just happens. People come in their own groups already, so we don’t have to worry about putting them with strangers, it seems very, very straight forward.”

The facility also has a climbing wall which it will hold off on reopening. The facility also has batting cases it hopes can reopen. The bats and the helmets would be sanitized between each use.

“When you are in the cage, you are in a 12-by-12 cage so you’re distanced from anybody. Nobody can go in there with you. So it would very easy to distant that as well.”

The Family Fun Centre is hoping to open alongside other businesses during Phase 3 of Saskatchewan’s reopen plan on June 8.