If ever there was a city that laid “between science and superstition” and “between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge,” it would be Las Vegas. In this town, the surreal is the everyday. So, what better place for Twilight Zone-themed miniature golf? Fans will enjoy the nostalgia and the course design of the 18-hole Twilight Zone Mini Golf in the lower level of Las Vegas’s Horseshoe.
Naturally, you start the course by walking through the famous doorway. The first hole is largely dedicated to the imagery of the opening credits, but most subsequent holes are devoted specific episodes. Hardcore mini golf enthusiasts might be disappointed there are not a lot of contraptions built into the holes. Instead, most of the challenges involve carom shots. However, they often cleverly employ stacks of books as obstacles, in reference to “Time Enough at Last.” The classic Burgess Meredith episode also inspired one of the most elaborate holes, built to resemble the post-apocalyptic wreckage of the public library.
Other highlights include the hole dedicated to “The Invaders,” featuring models of the “aliens” that torment Agnes Moorehead. A number of the show’s creatures have been placed amid the course, such as the eyeball giant from “The Fear,” for your selfie pleasure. The walls also feature dozens of cool murals depicting scenes from iconic episodes, like “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet,” “Eye of the Beholder,” and “The Hitch-Hiker.” Plus, the black-light glow-in-the-dark balls further set the right mood.
Fans should try to challenge players who are less familiar with the classic series, because they will surely appreciate it if you obsessively explain the cultural significance of each hole’s episode while they are trying to putt. We’re just trying to help them enjoy the full experience, right?
Regardless, the Mini Golf course should remind us all just how remarkable The Twilight Zone remains as a series. Other successful shows premiered in 1959, but it is hard to imagine a mini golf course devoted to Rawhide or Bonanza. Yet, what might be most incredible is how little most Twilight Zone episodes have been impacted by the intervening advances in technology. Most of them hold up just as well today as when they were first broadcast.
During its original run, The Twilight Zone was the underdog show that somehow kept surviving from season to season. Now, it is a storied “franchise” that has spawned three reboot series and a feature film. Yet, you can’t beat the originals, thanks to writers like Richard Matheson, Charles Beaumont, and creator Rod Serling. Shrewdly, IDW evokes the tone of the original series by printing their new Twilight Zone comic book series in black-and-white (and so far, its pretty good). Of course, a lot of franchises have licensed comics, but mini golf is a fairly unique distinction. Enthusiastically recommended for fans and their indulgent families, Twilight Zone Mini Golf is open daily in the Horseshoe (and bring your Caesar’s card for a small discount).