Offering the Max in Mini-Golf Fun

Got the urge to putt and frolic under in the shade of a mini-golf windmill? Here are some area recommendations.

Arroyo Seco Golf Course--Built in 1955 and constructed with lava rocks and cement blocks, it’s the oldest course in town and has only nine holes. The three-level bank shot is a whopper. 1055 Lohman Lane, South Pasadena, (323) 255-1506.

Boomers Park--The only place in the Southland to mini-golf indoors. Those courses feature a Wild West theme and Middle-earth fantasy. 1500 W. 7th St., Upland, (909) 981-5251.

Camelot Golfland--The biggest mini-golf spot in Southern California with five courses. Picturesque holes include shots over a fishing wharf, putting through an Oriental pagoda and by an African village. 3200 E. Carpenter Ave., Anaheim, (714) 630-3340.

Castle Park--Each of these four courses has different musical accompaniment. Highlights include a Native American village, a haunted house and an old western fort. 3500 Polk St., Riverside, (909) 785-3000.

Fountain Valley Boomers--California Mission-themed courses as well as European favorites, the Eiffel Tower and Big Ben. 16800 Magnolia St., Fountain Valley, (714) 842-1011.

Golf Gardens--Hand-made in 1971 with none of the commonplace kitschy statuary. You will encounter complicated obstacles encased in a park-like setting. Watch out for roaming cats. Island Plaza, Avalon, Catalina Island, (310) 510-1200.

Golf N’ Stuff--A fiberglass hippo and alligator cavort in a pond; a huge elephant sprays water. Putt inside a gold mine cave. 5555 Walker St., Ventura, (805) 644-7148.

Malibu Castle--Avast ye mateys! Pirate-themed courses with sunken ships and even a water fountain that erupts from a skull on a nearby lake. 2410 Marine Ave., Redondo Beach, (310) 643-5167.

Sherman Oaks Castle Park--Putt alongside the 405 Freeway near a tiki god that blows mist. Springtime usually brings out early morning rabbits that scurry round the fairways. 4989 Sepulveda Blvd., Sherman Oaks, (818) 756-9459.