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| Aroostoook Republican photo/Natalie De La Garza Emma McLaughlin, 6, of Carlingford N.B. watches her ball roll close to the hole at the new golf course of Goughan’s Berry Farm in Caribou. McLaughlin enjoyed the new course and a beautiful day with her family. |
By Natalie De La Garza
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — Some holes are more difficult than others, but every single putting green of the nine-hole miniature golf course at Goughan’s Berry Farm was designed to be a little challenging, a lot of fun and a great way to enjoy friends and family outdoors.
It used to be that the front porch of the farm was the best place to sit and enjoy a home-made ice cream, but co-owner of the farm Mark Goughan said that’s not the case anymore. Whether drawn to the babbling brook, the rolling green strips of turf or the entire aesthetically pleasing package, customers are trending toward the course.
Construction of the course started back in May and as Goughan isn’t a golfer himself, close friend Douglas Morrell worked closely with Goughan on nearly a daily basis.
With nine sloped and winding holes that seem to topographically ebb and flow into one another, it’s apparent that constructing the course was a labor of love. A miniature golf course has been built into the Goughan’s Farm business plan since 1999, and there isn’t much Goughan doesn’t know about the activity at this point.
“The new courses of the day … they like it simple, challenging, good looking, clean, and make believe,” Goughan said, describing how he arrived at the course’s simply trimmed aesthetic — dotted with pleasant signage, landscaping and a few Farmer Mark cut-outs, of course.
While the nine holes are open for play, the course in its entirety is only half way done.
Hopefully by Sept. 1 next year — in time for the 2014 corn maze — the Goughan’s Berry Farm Miniature Golf Course will be at its full 18-holes. The first nine holes were handmade by Goughan and Morrell, making sure the current course had every bit the design and shape to uphold their high standards. The phrase they tossed back in forth all summer long was “Minimal Acceptable Standards,” which Goughan was more than happy to explain.
“In other words, a person who wants to play miniature golf in Portland should expect to get the same quality of miniature golf in Caribou, Maine,” he said. “There’s no difference to what people want, whether you live in Portland or whether you live in Caribou — and we had to go after that.”
Given the overwhelmingly positive response they’ve received — generally a heart-felt, smile-clad “This is nice” — Goughan’s Berry Farm has embodied their high standard.
While Goughan doesn’t have a favorite, the farm’s signature hole is number 5 — a long, sweeping green that runs down to a little island.
Enjoying every twist and turn of the miniature golf course, Goughan family members have been challenging each other to games every night since the course has been completed.
“We’ve done it for about 10 days now since it’s been open, and I haven’t broken par yet — and we’re the ones that set what par is!” Goughan said with smile. “There are some holes you’ll be happy just to make par on and there are other holes where maybe you can get a hole in one … but then there are other holes where you learn to just pay attention so you don’t get in trouble.”
A game of golf at Goughan’s costs $3.50 per person, but they’re currently offering the special price of $10 for those who want to play a game of golf and take a trip through the famed corn maze.
“It also comes with a free ice cream if you complete one of the games in the corn maze … and everyone completes one of the games in the corn maze,” Goughan said.
The golf course will be open with normal farm hours — 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Additional information about the farm and the new miniature golf course can be found by visiting their Facebook page or by calling 498-6565.
