Record summer crowds could not best the 35-stroke game of Masterton mini-golf king Duncan Adair on the reworked $160,000 course he manages. But last night the upgraded Trust House Mini Golf course at Queen Elizabeth Park was officially opened, and every mini-golfer worth their weight in putts was hunting the topscore posted by The Old Master, as Mr Adair is known on the champs board. "I've got a hole in one on every hole but not all in the same game yet. Two people have equalled my top score but no one's beaten it. Everyone will be gunning for it now." Mr Adair, who has been managing the course along with wife Cheryl for 20 years come October, said a hole in one is possible on every hole of the new course, which is now "more challenging but gives the players a visual experience as well, not just a game like before". "But it is about 10 shots harder than it was before." The Trust House Mini Golf is a Masterton South Rotary Club project that first opened as Masterputt in 1979 but is now a joint development along with Masterton District Council, Trust House, and 20 individual business house hole sponsors, Rotary project co-ordinator Cedric Percy said. He said the course was run from a caravan at the site for about three months through the upgrade work, which cost about $160,000, with record crowds in attendance throughout. Building designer Geoff McNelly said the two structures feature several innovations including anti-tagging paint, Perspex windows, a security camera mast and PVC window surrounds. Masterton South Rotary member Marilyn Hunt said the course design is Australian but was modified to make the course more unique and challenging. The course has flexible opening hours "whenever the sun is shining basically" and costs $6 for adults and $4 for children.
