Mini-golf course eyes July opening

JUPITER — A new 18-hole mini-golf course called Golden Cub Mini Golf is set to open next month at Downtown Abacoa.

“We are very close to opening,” said Josh Simon, owner of Downtown Abacoa. “We are just finishing up some odds and ends, but we expect it to be open in early July.”

Nicklaus Design — a company founded and run by retired professional golfer Jack Nicklaus — designed the mini-golf course. The company brought in a golf course architect to create a shrunken version of a typical golf course.

“[Nicklaus Design] is known for designing really nice golf courses,” said Simon about why he chose the company. “We wanted to do something different. We wanted to focus on the game of golf.”

The course features giant yellow bears to be on brand with the name, which was inspired by Nicklaus’ “Golden Bear” nickname.

“It’s really cool,” Simon said about the course. “It came out way better than our wildest dreams.”

Part of the original plan was to have a food shack with rotating items from different restaurants, but Simon said this changed because he didn’t want to compete with the restaurants in Downtown Abacoa and “provide mediocre food.”

Instead, there will be a building where people pay for their rounds, pick up their equipment and can purchase beverages and ice cream.

Golden Cub’s tagline is “Golf has a heart,” said Simon, which is why it’s partnering with the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation. For each full-price round of golf purchased, a dollar will be donated to the foundation. Simon said the donations will be made indefinitely: “We thought making a commitment to raise money for a good cause should become part of our brand.”

Construction began in December. Simon said there will be an official grand opening in a couple of months.