Fore! Mini-golf course bringing these whimsical holes to Long Branch Pier Village

LONG BRANCH - This summer visitors to Pier Village will be able to hit the links, albeit in a miniature way.

Under construction and presently behind temporary white fencing at Festival Plaza is a nine-hole miniature golf course. Several of the putting greens are down now, and adorned with landscaping features such as shrubs, giant lollipops and cupcakes.

Kushner plans to operate the course all year-round, dependent on weather. In the past, Kushner had put up an ice skating rink for the winter at Festival Plaza, but the golf course will take its place and there are no current plans to bring the rink back, a Kushner representative told the Asbury Park Press.

The miniature golf course joins a handful of other games and one ride at Pier Village, a mix of boutique shops, restaurants, hotels, condos and apartments that is one of the marquee attractions at the beachfront.

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Presently, there is a carousel made of 42 figurines crafted out of basswoods housed in a retractable glass encasement. The figurines are shaped like sea horses, dolphins and clown fish to name some. Pier Pins features four lanes of bowling, virtual golf, ping pong and pool tables, while Boardwalk Fun and Games offers an arcade with a few classics such as Skee-ball, Pac-Man, air hockey and claw machines where players use a small crane to try and grab a prize.

Four decades ago, Long Branch's boardwalk had arcades, stands and a haunted mansion, but those attractions and others were lost when the old pier burned down in 1987. City redevelopment plans brought in a round of high-end condo building along with Pier Village.

However, this winter the city announced it will use a $3.25 million grant it received from the state Boardwalk Preservation Fund to build a new pier. The pier is the conceptual design phase, but it will be placed at Laird Street and extend 500 feet out over the ocean.

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When Jersey Shore native Dan Radel is not reporting the news, you can find him in a college classroom where he is a history professor. Reach him @danielradelapp; 732-643-4072; dradel@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Long Branch Pier Village adding miniature golf course in 2024