When Brett and Patti Mills were in the planning process for opening Galaxy Strikes Bowling Center, they knew they wanted to offer another attraction beyond bowling. In this article, learn why they selected mini golf over other options, how they incorporated the attraction into their mix, and how they earned an ROI in only 6 months.

Planning And Research

Brett and Patti got serious about their research and planning in 2017. Through their research, they learned the importance of offering other attractions for guests to play while they wait on bowling.

Brett knew what it was like to have a long wait for bowling. He had been an avid bowler since he was 15 years old. When he would visit his local venue as a kid, he would have nothing to do while he waited for a lane. Based on that experience and what he learned from others in the industry, he knew he needed another attraction.

To help him decide which attraction would be best, he surveyed his community, and 88 out of 100 people said they would want golf of some kind. After hearing this overwhelming interest in golf, they set their sites on indoor black light mini golf.

While attending the East Coast Bowling Centers Convention in 2017, Brett and Patti met our Creative Works team and fell in love with our mini golf attraction. Plus, they had the opportunity to see the mini golf we installed at the Kalahari Resort where the event was being held.

Opening And Results

The journey to opening the venue was much longer and more difficult than they expected. They faced the pandemic, funding delays, and location issues for years. After a lot of patience and hard work, they finally opened Galaxy Strikes in October 2022 with 18 lanes of bowling, 9 holes of indoor black light mini golf, arcade, and a restaurant.

Immediately, mini golf was a huge hit. Brett and Patti knew they would have long wait times for bowling during busy days, and mini golf was an opportunity for customers to play while they waited.

Mini golf earned a gross ROI just 6 months after they opened the venue. Galaxy Strikes charges $7 per play, which means they averaged about 3,800 plays per month. In the first 15 months (from October 2022 through December 2023), mini golf earned about $250,000.

Galaxy Strikes is located in Warrenton, VA, which is a small town of just over 10,000 people. Even with the small population, Brett and Patti have done a tremendous job engaging the community and bringing people in the door. And the results speak for themselves.

The mini golf is called Space Putt and features planets, robots, spaceships, and aliens. The course also includes our patented Electric Edging around every hole, along with a projection mapped animation that brings the murals to life. Brett said that guests love taking pictures with the alien prop and posting those pictures on social media.

Mini Golf Recommendations

Brett said he would recommend Creative Works to any bowling operator who is considering adding indoor mini golf to their venue. “I’d push them right your way,” said Brett.

Brett and Patti were amazed by how well organized the process was and how quickly the mini golf attraction got installed in their site.

“I gave ideas to you guys. You came up with all kinds of stuff, and it all worked exactly the way that I envisioned. No ifs, ands, or buts,” he added.

One of the strategies that worked well for them was to create a separate birthday package for mini golf. Since bowling is the main anchor that brings in most customers, the majority of parties they host are bowling parties. But they got an extra boost in revenue by creating a separate mini golf party.

Open Your Own Mini Golf

Do you want to add an amazing mini golf course to your venue? Request a quote today and we’ll help you reach your business goals.