June 5, 2015 · Exit133

Pop-Up Mini-Golf Course Coming to Downtown Tacoma

This sounds fun: in June, during the U.S. Open the Tacoma Art Museum and the Tacoma Arts Commission hosting an art-themed mini-golf course running through downtown Tacoma. Free to the public, the 10-hole “Pop-Up Art Putt!” will be open from Thursday, June 18, through Sunday, June 21.

Each of the 10 miniature golf holes, designed by Tacoma artists is built around a theme - comic and playful, or showcasing local landmarks. Artists, each working with a team to design and build the installations, include Jori Adkins, Sean Alexander, Gabriel Brown, Oliver Doriss, Christopher Hoppin, Nori Kimura, Jillian Nintze, Chris Sharp, Shayne Weeks and Taylor Woodruff.

A free kick-off party is planned for June 18, during Third Thursday, from 5 to 8 p.m. There will be music, food trucks, and a beer garden, and the chance to vote on your favorite of the holes. And, of course, you'll have the chance to try out the new mini-course for yourself.

Pop-Up Art Putt! Hours are Thursday, June 18, from 5– 8 p.m.; Friday, June 19, and Saturday, June 20, from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Sunday, June 21, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Clubs and balls can be checked out at the TAM. Read more about the Pop-Up Art Putt here.

This sounds like a great way to celebrate the US Open... without going anywhere near Chambers Bay.

Filed under: Downtown Tacoma, Arts, Neighborhoods, Events, Sports, Museums, Tacoma Art Museum

2 comments

paolo June 5, 2015

The Tacoma Country and Golf Club and Washington State History Museum, which named its Mount Tahoma Auditorium in tribute to the City of Tacoma's financial outlay to buy the museum site from Burlington Northern/Santa Fe for the institution, should partner together during the U.S. Open to display artifacts and materials related to the founding the venerable now-Lakewood golf institution in the fields of South Tacoma in the 1894, one year before a similar golf course open in Seattle. Scotsman Alexander Bailie founded the organization, the first golf club west of the Mississippi River. Legend is that puzzled customs inspectors categorized his golf clubs as farm implements. A tiny house at the corner of S. 62nd and Junett streets is the only structure of four altogether that served the club in the 1890s prior to its relocation to American Lake. The founding meeting for Tacoma golf club occurred at the University-Union Club, a distinctive 1880s wood-frame building that languishes just north of the old Elks Temple. Organized golf in the West started in Tacoma. Perhaps the WSHS could sponsor receptions at the institution surrounded by artifacts of the pioneer days of golf in the Pacific Northwest where the tournament at Chambers Bay could also be telecast on the screen in the museum auditorium. The U.S. Open is also the appropriate time for LeMay-America's Car Museum to host at one as of its drive-in movies the Chevy Chase/Rodney Dangerfield flick Caddyshack. In general, there is still opportunity to bring even greater excitement to the downtown Tacoma area during the tournament than just with the fabulous temporary putting course planned right now. The putting course is a wonderful way to mix arts and leisure in a fun environment for locals and visitors alike.
Tiger Woods June 5, 2015

I saw some really deep potholes on S Alder near 54th that if filled with sand or water will make nice bunkers.