Up North: Proctor’s Rogue Eagle Mini Golf holds 1st annual tournament
Mini golf can be a fun, leisurely sport to pick up at any time. Or, it can be a way to win some money, and some bragging rights.
Even over your own mom.
“She just wants to say that we tied, but I would say that I won,” said Adam Payton, who was there playing with his mom.
Rogue Eagle Mini Golf in Proctor was home to a tournament this past weekend, thanks in part to the American Mini Golf Alliance, or the “AMA”.
“It would be fun to do a competitive event and one of our leagues in the Twin Cities did an event up here and started to get to know some of the locals and kept in touch. And it’s like, ‘Let’s do something for real stakes.’ Let’s not have it just be a league night. Let’s play for some trophies. Let’s play for some money. And let’s also celebrate everybody,” said Tom Loftus, a co-founder of the AMA.
Loftus is a proud co-founder of the AMA, a group of mini golf enthusiasts looking to grow the game.
Turns out, Tom is pretty good at what he’s passionate about.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing though, as Rogue Eagle gives even the best mini golfers some fits.
“There is some really quick snapping breaks that you hit them wrong and all of a sudden you’re like, “oh no!” said Loftus.
“It’s a lot more like unknowing because you don’t know like where the ball is going to go in like certain situations,” said Payton.
Despite the twists, turns, and obstacles, the first annual tournament has plenty to be excited for for next years edition.