Putting through: The Boys & Girls Club 'Skyway Open' tees off

MINNEAPOLIS -- Hundreds of mini-golfers hoped to play through as thousands navigated the Downtown Minneapolis skyways on their lunch break; The U.S. Bank Skyway Open kicked off on Thursday.

The course features 18 holes designed and built by local architects and construction companies.  All the money raised by the three-day event goes to Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the Twin Cities.

"We want to make sure that the kids have places to go and the staff is there to help them out," Carrie Dahl said.  Dahl has been a volunteer with the organization for years and she is the co-chair for this year's Open.  "Retro Minneapolis is the theme this year," she explained.

The hole sponsors took that message and rolled with it.  Some holes were played on ice while others were played through cafes and pinball machines.

Dozens of curious onlookers stopped for a look as they passed hole #6 in City Center.  Designed by Ellerbe Becket and built by Kraus-Anderson, the hole featured putter heads connected to beer taps.  A well struck ball navigated through a bar filled with empty beer bottles from local brewers.

"What we have here is retro drinko.  It gives us a different element to express our creativity. Then you have the bonus of it going to a great cause like the Boys & Girls Club," Ellerbe Becket designer Steve Gamache said.

For Amy Van Schepen and her co-workers, the tournament gave them a chance to kick back a little bit.  "It's fun.  It's a well-needed break from work," she said.  Her employer, Outsell Digital Marketing, paid for her round and is an associate sponsor of the event.

The second hole had hundreds reaching for their cell phone cameras.  It featured a putt through a decent sized replica of the Metrodome.  When the ball went through the loading dock, the dome deflated; only to re-inflate itself a few moments later.

"It's a little bit of poking fun at the kind of winter we've had," Dahl said with a smile.

The course, which again, is open to the public, will be open from noon to 9 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.  The course starts in City Center in Downtown Minneapolis. 

Golfers on Friday must register as foursomes. Saturday is family day and rates are $5 per child, $20 per adult, and $35 per foursome (with a minimum of two kids). All money raised goes to Boys & Girls Clubs around the metro area.

(Copyright 2011 by KARE. All Rights Reserved.)