- Slug: Sports-Tiger Woods Mini Golf, 600 words
- Three photos available (thumbnails, captions below)
By Lucas Gordon
Cronkite News
GLENDALE – Golf legend Tiger Woods is again leaving his mark on the sport, this time by playing a crucial role in Glendale’s newest attraction, PopStroke.
The 36-hole mini golf course, located inside the Westgate Entertainment District, opened its doors on Thursday, making it the latest technology-infused golf experience in the Valley.
“Here at PopStroke, we’re all about being inclusive. Whether you’re 3 years old or you’re 83 years old, you can putt,” said Timothy Glita, PopStroke’s Director of Operations.”If you’re not into putting, we have a restaurant, an ice cream parlor, an amazing playground for children and complimentary ping pong, cornhole and foosball.”
The 36-hole mini golf course is co-owned by Woods and designed by the 15-time major winner’s golf course design firm, TGR Design. Woods and TGR have been involved with PopStroke since 2019 and have uniquely designed all seven locations in Florida and Texas.
Woods’ fingerprints are seen all over the Popstroke facility in Glendale. People can buy replicas of Woods’ iconic tiger head cover, a former golf bag is displayed, and a large plaque containing a quote by Woods greets golfers as they walk onto the course.
Having Woods’ name associated with the business also helps bring customers through the door.
Avid mini golfers Gabriel Ligatta and Brett Fraley were the first to step up to the tee to break in the new course. They said Woods’ connection as co-owner is part of why they decided to experience the new digs.
“We grew up watching Tiger Woods, and we love him. As soon as we saw the advertisement that they were opening this place, we were super excited,” Ligatta said.
PopStroke divides into two different 18-hole courses that are split up based on difficulty. The black course is designed for beginners as it is primarily flat. The red course is for more advanced golfers as there are many obstacles that players have to avoid.
The gameplay at the new location is different from any other location. Each hole mimics the greens of actual golf courses in the Glendale area.
“This course is going to be different from all our Florida and Texas locations,” PopStroke corporate trainer Haley Moody said. “The holes are different, the difficulty is different and the sand traps are different. That’s just how Tiger Woods and his team wanted to design it.”
Patrons can still attend PopStroke even if they don’t want to partake in the mini-golf. The facility contains a restaurant, a rooftop bar and an outdoor gaming area for attendees.
During Super Bowl weekend, PopStroke had a soft opening for their employees to experience all the golf course offers. After trying out the restaurant, employees recommend first-timers order the smash burgers or crispy chicken sandwiches.
While they don’t offer any special promotions for food or drink during the week, PopStroke does have different themed nights in which certain groups of people get discounted golf rates.
“We have senior day, college night and kids day, so we do have different golfing options,” Moody said. “We don’t have any food discounts, but we do have different golf prices for those days.”
On average, a person can buy an all-day pass for $30. The pass gives access to all 36 holes from purchase until the doors close.
Seniors and children save a couple of bucks as those over 65 spend $20, and those 12 and under spend no more than $18.
PopStroke has plans to expand in Arizona, and they are currently constructing their second location in Scottsdale. The Scottsdale location is on pace to open sometime this summer.
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