Bigfoot Park Golf Coming Soon!
Bigfoot Park Golf Coming Soon!
Ellicottville Bartender Swinging into the Recreation Scene with New Adventure
“There are only a couple of these parks in the U.S. right now, and the flagship is in Akron, New York called Destroyer Park Golf” Photo / Destroyer Park Golf
If you’ve been to Ellicottville even once, you know that we’ve got skiing/boarding in the winter and in the summer we have biking, hiking and golf. But you know what we don’t have? A Park Golf course. (Actually, there are only a few in the whole U.S., and not many people are familiar.) So what is Park Golf and why is it important to Ellicottville?
Chad Neal, Ellicottville native and long-time Madigan’s bartender, is beginning his first business venture by creating a Park Golf park next to the Ellicottville Distillery on Robbins Road. He took the time to talk with ellicottvilleNOW about this unique and fun outdoor game, his motivation to introduce it to Ellicottville, and when we can expect to be hitting the green to play!
“It’s called Park Golf. Mine is called Bigfoot Park Golf,” said Chad. “It's similar to traditional golf and mini golf. It's a Japanese invention using smaller amounts of land. The fairways are shorter and the holes and balls are bigger. And there's only one club, which is like a mallet. The head is like a driver but the angle and length are smaller. There are 18 holes to play. (Though a typical round of park golf is just 9 holes.) There are only a couple of these parks in the U.S. right now, and the flagship is in Akron, New York called Destroyer Park Golf.”
Chad came up with the idea of making a course in Ellicottville two years ago when he and his sons were returning from Destroyer Park Golf. “We all thought it was a lot of fun!” he said. “I started seeking out property. I finally found a great spot at the Ellicottville Distillery just outside of the village. I officiated Bryan and Renee Scharf's wedding there and saw it was perfect for what I wanted to do. I asked Bryan about it and he and his father Don thought it might be a good idea. As spring came along I started working on the land to make it course-worthy. I box scraped it and rolled it to make it less choppy. It was a meadow that had been tilled so it took some work. I brush hogged it several times to get it looking like a large lawn. I've been building holes and tee boxes and flags and many other things mainly alone, but with help as well.”
Almost nine holes are completed so far, and Chad admits that it’s been a “one step forward two steps back” experience. “I’ve been a student of trial and error a lot during the process, but I love it! My goal is to have a grand opening next spring, but to have it playable this fall.”
Cost of admission and other fine details are currently being considered. To help keep costs affordable, Chad is currently looking for sponsors to help with the park’s creation and said that those who hop onboard with sponsorship will be recognized “in a really cool way”.
“I am currently in the process of drafting sponsorship letters to send to businesses,” said Chad. “Sponsorships will include advertising on the tee box sign, flag and in the scorecard.” In other words, your sponsorship means you’ll have one of the holes named after you/your business. What a wonderful way our businesses can support each other!
Park golf is a game for all ages and abilities, though it is an outdoor sport in a grass field and walking is required. It’s less aggravating than the traditional version of the sport, as the ball doesn’t fly too far, so it’s less likely to get lost, but still provides a challenge and plenty of entertainment. “I’ve gone up to Destroyer Park Golf a bunch of times with my kids; they love it and it’s a great way to spend time together. I think more families could use that opportunity, so I thought with the community’s help, we can do that out here in Ellicottville.”
Chad admits that it’s a lot of work, but well worth it. “I’ve been bartending at Madigan's going on 28 years now and I love my job there, but I felt I needed more, something of my own. And this idea came and I've been pursuing it headstrong. I've been working diligently any chance I get to build Bigfoot Park Golf and it's coming together slowly but surely. I believe Ellicottville needs more reasons for visitors to enjoy themselves. We are always doing new things here and I think this will be a hit amongst not only tourists but the locals as well.”
Our conversation ended with Chad stating, “I've never worked this hard for something that is mine and it is a great journey I am taking on my own. The help I get from my friends and family is grand as well, and I want to be a part of the local business community. As I make mistakes and figure out problems as I build Bigfoot Park Golf at the Ellicottville Distillery, I find solace knowing I am making something... quite big, too!”
Our team at ellicottvilleNOW wishes Chad all the best of luck in his venture and we can’t wait to see it in operation come fall. If you’re curious or have any questions, you can reach out to Chad by texting 716-541-4059 or by emailing him at chadski27@gmail.com.
