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Safari Golf
2340 Wilbur Cross Highway
Berlin, CT
(860) 828-9800
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Our Review |

Visitor Reviews: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Our Review

• First MiniGolf CT Review: 4/19/2002
• Last Reviewed: 7/19/2006
• By: Chris (MiniGolf CT Staff)
• Overall Rating (1-5): 4
• Maintenance: 5
• Creativity: 5
• Price: 4
• Fun: 4
• Difficulty: 3 (Average)
• Par: 41

Update 7/19/06: On my second visit, the course wasn't quite as impressive as I first remembered it, maybe because I had already seen the course prior, and I've visited many other courses in the past four years. It is still a very fun course that I highly recommend, and it's well worth the half-an-hour drive that it takes me, but I revised the overall rating from 5 to 4. Maybe I'm just getting too picky about my mini golf, who knows? ;-)

Safari Golf in Berlin is quite an unusual course. Driving there, I passed another course, which was the standard flat layout, obstacles, and appearance. Safari Golf is quite different. You step onto the first tee, and realize that you’re heading into a jungle-type setting!

The first hole, like every course, is the standard straight-in shot. The next holes, unlike a few courses, are not variations on that, but creative holes. Of course, the entire course is safari-themed, so you could be putting in a birdie with a giraffe watching over you. The holes are just difficult enough that you have fun, but just easy enough that you don’t get frustrated. There are a few gazebos along the way during crowded times, though during my first visit in April 02, there were a few bees hanging around them. My July 06 visit was free of bees, however. You can choose to take the path around the gazebo and away from the bees.

In April 02, I noted that you might have to wait for two or three groups to go through a hole before you get a shot. You can study what does and doesn’t work, however. My July 06 visit was on a less-crowded weekday, so it was much easier to play the course without delay.

On one of the holes, there is a little dropoff, and you have to be careful, because if you hit it too lightly, you will land in the narrow stream that runs next to the dropoff.

The 18th hole at many courses is hard and long, and Safari is no exception. This 18th hole is a three-tiered green. Tricky, but getting the ball in the right hole can mean a 2-putt (or even a hole-in-1 if you're lucky, though I'm not sure if it's actually possible with the speed of the ball).

Summary: Safari Golf is an excellent course to visit, and will provide loads of fun. If you have never been here, you don’t know what you’re missing. Four out of five stars and Recommended.

Visitor Review 1

• Reviewed: 4/19/2002
• By: Anonymous
• Overall Rating (1-5): 3
• Maintenance: 4
• Playability: 5
• Price: 3
• Fun: 3
• Difficulty: Easy

Safari Golf has an interesting jungle theme that sets it apart from other courses and it's worth a try for that reason. When we went, however, there was no water running so the streams and waterfalls that I'm sure make it more attractive were all dry. Most of the holes are par 2 so I do not recommend it for anyone looking for a challenge but it seems like it would be great for families.

Visitor Review 2

• Reviewed: 6/6/2006
• By: Larry
• Overall Rating (1-5): 4
• Maintenance: 5
• Creativity: 4
• Price: 5
• Fun: 5
• Difficulty: 3 (Average)

Nice, friendly worker. Well maintained, lovely plants and flowers and grass and trees. Course itself is clean and well maintained, and provided a fun experience. Course two of the Holly and Daddy Summer 2006 Mini Tournament Tour.

Visitor Review 3

• Reviewed: 6/6/2006
• By: Pete
• Overall Rating (1-5): 5
• Maintenance: 5
• Creativity: 4
• Price: 4
• Fun: 4
• Difficulty: 1 (Easy)

Most likely the best course in the state, not that it's a hard thing to do since CT has the worst minigolf courses in the nation. MiniGolf CT Note: While it is true that truly outstanding courses are hard to find, especially in some counties where there are few courses to begin with, we suggest that Pete browse through our Recommended courses where he'll find some excellent courses that we think he'll enjoy.

Visitor Review 4

• Reviewed: (frequent visitor)
• By: Ron
• Overall Rating (1-5): 5
• Maintenance: 5
• Creativity: 4
• Price: 4
• Fun: 5/li>
• Difficulty: 4 (Above Average)

Contrary to the previous review, I have been extremely pleased with my previous experiences at Safari Golf, in Berlin, CT. I am what you would call a frequent visitor of Safari Golf, and other courses in Central Connecticut, and Safari Golf is my favorite. It is conveniently located on the Berlin Turnpike, which is also home to the less stellar, Putters Paradise. As you approach the gates, you are confronted with an extremely realistic safari experience. Throughout the course, you will encounter giraffes, lions, tigers, elephants, and a plethora of wildlife normally exclusive to southern and western Africa. As well as seeing the animals, you will hear them. The atmosphere is breathtaking. Gazebos are located between certain holes to give you time to rest, or just gather yourself and take in the amazing views. The plants, grass, mulch, animals, and water are very well maintained all season long. Also the employees and the owner are a class act; they know the course and the game like the back of their hands. You are always treated well when you visit Safari Golf.

Now to the golf. The design is the best I have ever played, bar none. The condition of the greens is immaculate. They run consistently at about a 9.5 to 10 on the stimp meter and they are smooth. The only complaint that I have about the greens is that the cup on #8 is crowned, meaning the cup is slightly raised, and the ball always breaks away from the hole. The layout is amazing. It is old school, with hints of Donald Ross architecture. The course has a wide variety of holes, including a fair share of risk reward holes, strait forward holes, deceiving holes, holes testing pace, and luck holes. Safari Golf opens with a hole that tests your pace along with previous course knowledge. There is a chance at an ace, you can play for the easy two, but it is also very easy to overshoot it or leave it short and make a big number. The front 9 is a par 18 that is all par 2?s, making an even par 18 a great score to get you into position for a back nine charge. The back 9 is a par 23, with 3 par 3?s and a par 4. The back nine at Safari Golf plays host to some of the best holes in mini golf, including the par 2 11th, the par 3 13th, and the par 2 17th otherwise known as the road hole. In my honest opinion, #11 is the best hole in golf. Just a strait forward 6-7 footer that breaks a good foot and a half to the right, but the break is hidden. To be honest, I can stand on that tee all day and watch the frustration on the players faces.

Overall, I love this place. If anyone has the chance of getting out on this course, take advantage, and bring some friends, you?re in for a great time.

Our Review Criteria

• All numerical criteria are on a basis of 1-5. For most items, 1 is worst, and 5 is best.
• Overall: The reviewer's overall opinion of the course. 1 or 2 is not good. 3 is average, but nothing special. 4 is worth a visit, and 5 is an exceptional course.
• Maintenance: How well the course is kept.
• Creativity: Is this a cookie-cutter type of course, or does it have some flair?
• Price: How does the price of the course compare to the quality?
• Fun: Simply put, how fun is the course?
• Difficulty: 1-5, 1 easiest, 5 hardest
• A number of older reviews have a "Playability" rating. This indicates how able is one to play the course. Things like bent cup rims, twigs, clogged pipes, and too-difficult holes were included here. (These considerations are now part of Maintenance; Creativity was added in place of Playability in 2005.)