Technically, there’s a difference between putt-putt and mini-golf. Putt-Putt is actually a brand, and each Putt-Putt course is relatively similar: No windmills, no hitting it through the snake’s mouth … no frills. Just a putter, a ball, some artificial turf and a couple slabs of wood. These classic courses, typified by St. Pete Beach’s Polynesian Putter, have the same endearing old-school style as your local two-chair barbershop. And when put up against the garish amusement park feel of mini-golf (or adventure golf, as some decidedly unadventurous people like to call it), Polynesian Putter has an air of class that you just don’t find anymore. Sure, there are a few dead spots in the wood, and the turf is coming up at the corners. And yeah, playing 18 holes without the possibility of your ball being swallowed or lit on fire or hit down a 25-foot hill might not keep ADD-addled kids as engaged as Grand Theft Auto does. But Putt-Putt courses like the Polynesian have two things those “adventure” spots never will — a round costs just $4 and it’s actually possible to ace every hole. 4999 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach, 727-360-9678.
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