Miniature golf coming to town

By Laura London
Posted 2/7/18

Miniature golf is coming to Wheatland, with the course projected to open by this year’s tourist season.

LeVay “Blinky” Byers, a member of the Wheatland Miniature Golf Association Committee, said during an interview Jan. 30 that construction starts in February on the first four holes of the course, which will feature 19 holes when completed.

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Miniature golf coming to town

Posted

Miniature golf is coming to Wheatland, with the course projected to open by this year’s tourist season.
LeVay “Blinky” Byers, a member of the Wheatland Miniature Golf Association Committee, said during an interview Jan. 30 that construction starts in February on the first four holes of the course, which will feature 19 holes when completed. The first nine holes will be ADA accessible.
Committee member Tom Bramlet, who first conceived the idea to build the course, said during the committee’s weekly meeting Jan. 30 that the project is to the point where they can start ordering electricity and lighting from the city.
“We’re very excited,” committee member Matthew Kukowski said. “We want to get things going.”
Committee member Bob “Slick” Seidel, also the contractor for the project, noted the electricity must be installed before the holes go in. Bramlet said the Miniature Golf Association will coordinate with the city as ground breaks on the project.

The city will take ownership of the course once it is completed, and the Platte County Parks and Recreation Department will maintain and administer the course. The course will be built on land from the city of Wheatland in Lewis Park; currently the site is marked by a “future home of …” sign.
Byers said the Wheatland High School Student Council is helping design the holes, and shop classes at the school are building a permanent structure for storage and office space at the course. Donations of materials have come from various community sources, including four truckloads of used bricks that Wheatland middle-schoolers helped clean up for use in the project. Byers named myriad individuals and groups that have contributed money, materials and volunteer time.
“This is a great community, and they are very enthusiastic about this community project,” Byers said.
Byers said the Miniature Golf Association has raised about $30,000 so far from various donors to build the course, noting with pride that no public money is being used for the project and it will be self-sustaining once completed. She said the association is also pursuing grants from the Shopko Foundation, Burlington Northern and Black Hills Energy. Original estimates put the overall budget at $75,000, but Byers said now it looks like it may cost closer to $85,000.
“We would like to give everyone in the community an opportunity to support this awesome project,” Byers said.
Byers said not only is more cash needed, but also “as many volunteers as we can get” to help build the miniature golf course. She strongly encouraged individuals, as well as groups, to volunteer.
“In small towns … the cry is always ‘there’s nothing to do,’” Byers said. “This will be something to do here.”
To pledge a donation or volunteer to help with construction, call Bramlet at 307-331-1546 or Byers at 307-322-9228. Checks should be written to Wheatland Miniature Golf Association and can be mailed to: First State Bank, P.O. Box 39, Wheatland, WY 82201. Byers said a GoFundMe page is also in the works.