Gruene Putt-Putt is a fun little miniature-golf course with a unique local twist in the historic district north of New Braunfels.
Instead of obstacles created by windmills, dinosaurs, or clowns, the Gruene course has cowboy boots and the façade of the famous dance hall down the street. The guitar-shaped hole is difficult to visualize until you look at it from the correct angle.
All of the holes are shorter than you might find at most mini-golf courses. This makes it more fun for the younger players and keeps play moving for older players. Everyone in our party of three shot three strokes or less on every hole with few exceptions.
There are nine holes with two cups with different color flags. To play 18 holes, you play one set of flags and then the other color. The colored golf balls have as much bounce as a stone and the rough-hewn rock bumpers are unpredictable. These characteristics tend to level the playing field between experienced and beginner players.
The toughest hole entailed hitting the ball between two cowboy boots. The balls hit the 3-foot-tall models of family footwear and died with no ricochet. Amazingly, everyone in our party still finished the hole with two strokes.
Gruene Putt-Putt is at 1632 New Braunfels St. in Gruene and is open 10am to 10pm. Misters around the perimeter of the course and the shade of a giant oak tree tamp down the afternoon heat. It’s a relaxing hour of play and conversation before heading down the street for a pilgrimage to Gruene Dance Hall or a visit to the Grapevine for a cold beverage.
The miniature-golf course will be in place at least through September when they bring in the pumpkin patch. In December the location next to Gruene Outfitters becomes an ice-skating rink before the golf course returns in March.