Miniature Golf -8yr- End of Game Award Ceremony

Miniature Golf Party  To celebrate her 8th birthday, my daughter chose a miniature golf party.

I made the invitations on the computer, using cardstock. They read:  "Don't miss the tee-off!" (front) "Okay sports fans it's double fore!!  (Name)is turning 8!  Come join us for putt-putt and snacks to celebrate (Name's) Birthday Bash! (inside).  I then glued astro turf to the front and covered one coner with sand. I also hot-glued a small pom-pom and a golf tee on the astro turf.  The invitations looked great!  We invited all the girls in my daughter's class, ten out of twelve came.  

To decorate the room at the miniature golf center, I covered the food table with astro turf and the other tables with green table cloths.  I used golf balls and golf tees to scatter all over the tables. I used green, yellow and white balloons, which I tied to the chairs.  I used white placemats with yellow dots (wrapping paper) to contrast with the green table coverings.  I had a difficult time finding golf-themed items, so the plates, cups, and napkins had smile faces on them and said happy birthday.  The room looked very cool.

As the girls arrived, I had them play golf bingo (which I made up using pictures of golf balls, tees, flags, clubs, as well as birthday icons (cake, balloons, candles); they used tees as markers.  Once all the girls arrived, they were ready to play.  I gave each girl a visor, sunglasses and a small canteen that could hang around their necks while they played.  They played one game of miniature golf.  An attendant was with them teaching them how to play and giving them pointers on how to get a hole-in-one.  I kept track of how many holes-in-one each got. 

At the end of the game, we had an "awards" ceremony.  There were certificates for the most holes-in-one, team spirit, Happy Gilmore award (most improved, though we didn't tell her!), longest drive, most eagles, consistently making par, and great putting.  My daughter (the birhtday girl) got the "Double Fore" award, since she turned eight.  My son, the only boy at the party, got the Future Tiger Woods award.  The kids had a blast, but one game is all they could handle.  The last hole had a prize for every child, depending on where their ball landed:  candy bar, tokens, tickets, or a free game (hole-in-one), so after the award ceremony they collected their prizes. 

We then sang happy birthday.  I made the cakes.  For the white cake I used a recipe found in a magazine.  It was a sheet cake made to look like a golf course.  I frosted it green and I scooped out the cake in two spots.  I frosted these two "holes and added brown sugar to one (sand) and blue decorating gel (water) to the other.  I tinted coconut green and spread it around the edge of the cake.  I then used pretzel sticks and spearmint gumdrops to line the sides with "trees".  I made the middle of the cake into the putting green by covering a small circle with green sugar crystals, then I put a flag (pretzel stick and fruit roll-up) and a ball (tic tac) in the middle of the circle.  The cake turned out awesome!  I also made chocolate cupcakes.  I frosted them green and covered them with the tinted coconut.  Each had a "flag" and a "ball".  They were so cute! 

I was very proud.  Since the party was at 2:30, I didn't serve lunch, instead I had a veggie tray, a meat and cheese tray, chips and salsa, guacamole, bean dip, and plenty of drinks.  After the food, cake and ice cream, the girls got 20 tokens each to play in the arcade room.  They also got a loot bag with smile face goodies like a pencil, a notepad, bubbles, a pen/bracelet, five tatoos, and a gumball.  They also got to keep the visor, sunglasses and canteen.  After the party, my daughter said it had been the best party ever!  I know she had lots of fun but she does say that every year.