Mini golf, Toptracer Golf driving range coming to Swenson Park Golf Course in Stockton
Stocktonians who are tired of traveling to Boomers in Modesto will soon have a closer alternative to get their miniature golf fix.
After a unanimous vote at Tuesday's San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors meeting, miniature golf is coming to Swenson Park Golf Course in north Stockton.
The miniature golf course will be approximately 16,000 square feet, according to a presentation by Joe Smith, general manager of Swenson Park Golf Course. It will be located on the south side of the golf course's parking lot and to the west of Alexandria Place, across the street from Lincoln High School.
The addition of a driving range family center by Toptracer Golf — a cutting-edge technology used on driving ranges to enhance the practice and playing experience — is also planned for Swenson Park. Smith told the board the center could be considered "a scaled-down version of Top Golf." It will consist of 12 covered hitting bays with specific areas built for party rentals, family gatherings, and youth clinics.
Smith said he hopes to keep costs for miniature golf low in order to provide affordable entertainment for families.
"Golf can tend to be a little bit on the expensive side, unless you're controlling the costs well," Smith said. "The idea of a golf course being $8 to $20 to play instead of $20 to $120 ... which in our county right now is the going rate for different golf courses in the area."
The county is investing $393,688 into the project, plus a 10% contingency funded by the contingency provision budget. The city of Stockton is expected to consider funding for the project this summer.
If the city of Stockton approves funding by July, Smith said the groundbreaking would happen this fall and construction would be completed in November.
"It's important to get kids outside, and this partnership is huge, between the city, the county, and Kemper Golf," said District 1 Supervisor Paul Canepa, who spearheaded the project with District 3 Supervisor Tom Patti. "It's a win-win for everybody."
Patti echoed the same sentiments.
"It's a collaborative effort," Patti said. "We can never say it enough, the benefits of bringing this in."
Swenson Park Golf Course has been in Stockton since 1952, and offers junior leagues and event hosting.
The city had a miniature golf course, Golfland, for more than two decades until it closed in 2005. At the time, owners said the facility, worth about $3.5 million, hadn't turned a profit in years and had barely managed to break even.
Record reporter Hannah Workman covers news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at hworkman@recordnet.com or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton's Swenson Park to open Toptracer Golf driving range
