If you’ve ever dreamed of taking your mini-golf skills to the next level, Hawaiian Rumble Minigolf in North Myrtle Beach is a must-visit. For 27 years, the course has hosted the US ProMiniGolf, or USPMG, Master’s.
Yes, mini golf is a professional sport and the championship is televised right here in the Grand Strand.
“It’s growing like wildfire. We’re getting bigger and bigger every year,” said owner Bob Detwiler. “We started our first year in 1997 with 15 people … today we’re up to almost 90. They come from all over the world.”
Hawaiian Rumble, which has welcomed putt putt enthusiasts for 35 years, was actually inspired by harsh Midwestern winters.
“My mother wanted to go to Hawaii. We’re from Indiana originally. People in the Midwest, they see those pictures on TV in the wintertime, how beautiful it is,” Detwiler said. “Everybody wants to go to Hawaii but not everybody can make it, so I offer them a Hawaiian experience right here.”
Visitors are guided through Hawaiian Rumble by colorful signs, each decorated with the hole number and a Hawaiian word translated into English, like hula (dance), pilikia (trouble) and moana (ocean). Blue waterfalls and palm trees dot the course, but the real attraction is the gargantuan volcano in the middle that erupts every 20 minutes.
While Detwiler promises that all holes can be aced if hit just right, some shots are trickier than others. The 16th hole, which he says is Hawaiian Rumble’s, “signature,” presents a challenge even for the professionals.
“It’s a slope plus an angle and, if you don’t hit that right, it’s going to come right back to you again, so I’ve seen pros get eights out there during the tournament,” said Detwiler. “It’s not an easy hole.”
Despite some challenging holes, Hawaiian Rumble is designed to appeal to all ages and skill levels.
“It doesn’t matter your gender, your age, we all have fun … I think that’s one of the things that makes it so enticing, because it’s conducive for anybody, an 8-year-old or 80-year-old can play and have fun and compete,” Detwiler said.
While the course is here to stay, Hawaiian Rumble is planning for some changes. The tiki bar serves drinks like jello shots and beers in beach buckets, but Detwiler said he plans to introduce a food menu soon.
There are also plans to introduce sports betting once it’s legal. Although South Carolina doesn’t currently allow sports gambling, Hawaiian Rumble has partnered with DraftKings with plans for the future.
Though they can’t bet yet, tournament spectators come out to watch professional competitors at work in the championship every October. The course sports wooden bleachers and more will be added soon to accommodate crowds, Detwiler said.
“It’s really fun to watch. The most exciting part about golf, if you watch it on TV, is they show them on the green cutting. Ours is all about the green and cutting and so it’s exciting the whole time,” Detwiler said.
