...STILL only $5 Dollars!

Goofy Golf’s history begins in the 1940s, when Phillip Weller, a World War II veteran and electrical engineer, returned home from service. Using his skills and creativity, Phil became a pioneer of miniature golf on the Ocean City boardwalk. His pride and joy was the Hawaiian Course, remembered as one of the very first miniature golf courses in Ocean City.

Families loved its tropical theme, colorful design, and clever challenges. But what truly made it stand out were Phil’s innovations. He was among the first in the region to develop “moving obstacles” for miniature golf. Players delighted in putting past spinning pineapples, dodging a Hawaiian girl swinging on a swing, and navigating other playful contraptions that brought the game to life. For decades, the Hawaiian Course captured the imagination of boardwalk visitors.

By 1980, Phil stepped away from the course. That’s when a young Danny Kohr, already running businesses on the Ocean City boardwalk, saw an opportunity. Coming from a family of builders — his father, Spurgeon Kohr, was both a custard man and a skilled carpenter — Danny knew he could revive the course. He partnered with his roommate, David Walcott, a successful tennis professional and businessman, and together they purchased the business.

The first order of business? Renaming the course. Kohr and Walcott debated names like Adventure Golf and Wacky Golf, but they wanted their true customers — kids — to make the final call. Walcott brought the campers from his children’s tennis program to the course and staged a “cheer vote.” Adventure Golf got some claps, Wacky Golf earned more — but when the name Goofy Golf was announced, the kids went wild with cheers. The decision was clear, and so Goofy Golf was born.

After purchasing the business, Kohr and Walcott reworked the course. They bought several whimsical figures from local parade organizer Phil Turner — including the lion and the beloved skiing Santa, which can still be found on the course today. They also added a custom hand-built ferris wheel crafted by Spurgeon Kohr himself.

Kohr and Walcott kept innovating, becoming some of the first to add sound effects to mini golf. Using mechanical switches, they wired the holes so the ball could trigger recorded voices of their own family members. A witch’s evil laugh, talking figures, and playful sound bites turned Goofy Golf into a truly interactive experience long before such features were common.

Over the years, Goofy Golf has gone through several transformations. Today it’s known for its multicolored, themed, goofy holes, each one designed to spark laughter as much as competition. And while the boardwalk has grown and changed around it, Goofy Golf has proudly held onto something rare: a price of just $5.00 per player — making it one of the best values in Ocean City.

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In recent years, Kohr and Walcott have passed the torch to the next generation of family members, who continue to innovate in the miniature golf world. They developed a technique using composite trim that allows curved greens to blend seamlessly with traditional wooden-rail construction — a style that was featured in miniature golf design magazines.

Today, Goofy Golf is especially famous for its talking frog, who still makes passing patrons laugh with its satirical “ribbit” or its long, drawn-out cry of “Goooooooofy Golf!” It’s the perfect symbol of what makes the course so loved — a little silly, a little surprising, and always memorable.

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That mix of creativity, affordability, and family tradition has earned Goofy Golf recognition beyond the boardwalk. In 2024, Goofy Golf was voted Best Golf Course in the Atlantic City Best of the Press Contest — proof that after more than 75 years, it’s still one of the shore’s most beloved attractions.

Goofy Golf remains family-owned and operated, carrying forward a legacy of veterans, innovators, and entrepreneurs who believed in building something lasting. Whether you remember the spinning pineapples and Hawaiian girl of the original course, or you’re here to laugh at the talking frog, every putt at Goofy Golf is part of a story that has delighted Ocean City for generations.