Exploring the Eerie Remains of a Once-Thriving Mini Golf Course in New York

Last year, on a trip to New York with our main goal of visiting Boldt Castle, we stumbled into an abandoned mini golf. We arrived as the sun was setting, which gave us a perfect opportunity to capture some photos. From the front, it was difficult to tell just how expansive the entire place was, but upon looking beyond the front gate, we were greeted with a full 36-hole mini golf course. The once well-kept course has now surrendered to nature, with untamed foliage and weeds sprawling rampantly across its once-pristine greens. The structures that once stood proudly within the mini golf course are now collapsing to decay, their once vibrant paint flaking and curling away from the weathered wooden surfaces, showing off the passing of time and years of neglect. Other features along the 36 holes are now coated in rust, many of them broken and crumbling away. 

Bonnie Castle Greens: A Lost Piece of Alexandria Bay’s Tourist History

The former Bonnie Castle Greens Mini Golf in Alexandria Bay, New York, once visited by many tourists visiting the Alexandria Bay area during spring and summer months, has now sat abandoned for nearly 10 years. On its 38 acres, in addition to the mini golf course, Bonnie Castle Greens also had a driving range, batting cages, and an ice cream shop. The 36 holes were split into 18 holes for the American Journey and the other 18 for the Canadian Adventure.

Nearly 200,000 people visit Alexandria Bay each year, mostly to tour the Thousand Islands and see Boldt Castle on Heart Island, or any of the other castles and mansions in the area, including The Twin Pine Tree House, Casa Blanca, Longue Vue Island, Castle Rest, Ina Isle, Red Stone Island, Singer Castle or The Swiss Chalet. So how did such an interesting, and fun little spot in such a well-visited tourist area become abandoned?

The Rise and Fall of Bonnie Castle Greens Mini Golf: A Reminder of the Cost of Neglect

Nearing its final years, Bonnie Castle Greens saw the need for many updates and repairs. These continued to build up over time, and were mostly ignored, with minimal work being done to keep the place up to date, and code. With a lack of work being done, things would progressively get worse, eventually becoming too costly of a task to handle. Funds ran short as time moved on, eventually leading to its closure. The final inspection done by the state of New York cited conditions including unsafe water, foods being kept in unsanitary and hazardous conditions, unfit to serve, including improper thawing conditions, and foods not being kept cold. The inspection also cited insects and rodents in the building.   

The once-popular Bonnie Castle Greens Mini Golf in Alexandria Bay, New York, serves as a poignant reminder of how neglect and the passage of time can transform a bustling attraction into a decaying, abandoned relic. Despite its prime location amidst a thriving tourist hub, the failure to address necessary updates and repairs eventually led to insurmountable costs and its eventual closure. The overgrown greens, rusted features, and peeling paint provoke a sense of nostalgia for the laughter and joy the mini golf once brought to visitors. Yet, they also serve as a cautionary tale for the importance of proper maintenance and care in preserving the vitality and appeal of recreational destinations for generations to come.