SHELBY – As a kid growing up in Shelby, one of Brian Crum’s fondest memories came from playing miniature golf at the course on North Gamble.
Among the various holes, one obstacle involved a cannon requiring the player to putt their golf ball through the cannon – in hindsight, not the smartest idea. Crum quickly found that out when, upon hitting his golf ball as hard as he could through the cannon, the ball smacked his friend right in the head.
That’s why when he built his own miniature golf course in Shelby as an adult, Crum decided to forego the cannon obstacle.
“I’m always trying to come up with some crazy scheme to make the world a better place,” Crum said. “I’m reliving my inner childhood with this project.”
Saturday marks the official grand opening of Roselawn Miniature Golf, an idea of Crum’s years in the making. When the property at 22 Church St. became available, Crum pulled the trigger on his project in early 2016.
But why build a miniature golf course in downtown Shelby? For Crum, it’s all about bringing back the same activities he enjoyed as a kid to the youth in Shelby today.
“Even when I was little, I still remember a lot of the stuff going on in town – we still had a bowling alley, a miniature golf course, a lot of shops downtown,” Crum said. “I probably took them for granted and didn’t frequent them nearly as much as I could have.
“In general, people say things have changed a lot here,” he continued. “There are definitely fewer entertainment and business options in town, but as far as the people – the people are the same. I’ve seen a lot of my classmates and friends come back here. It’s what we’re used to and we’d rather raise a family here.”
Crum’s golf course is a full 18-hole course, complete with obstacles like a windmill and technical skill shots. Prices start at $5 for adults and $4 for children, per game. Crum’s goal was to offer cost-effective entertainment for families in Shelby.
There are still minor renovations taking place inside, but eventually Crum hopes to stock the small building on the grounds with vintage arcade games, including Pinball, Ms. Pac-Man, Centipede, and driving games.
As for the name, Roselawn Miniature Golf actually comes from a Crum family business harking back to the 1930s.
“My great-grandparents started a dairy in town called Roselawn Dairy,” Crum explained. “I have two pictures of that; one is of my grandfather standing in front of the dairy sign. Lantz Star Graphics in town literally took the sign wording to make the logo for the golf course; it’s going to look really nice and give it an older feel.”
Paying homage to history was one goal of Crum’s when creating the golf course. In part it’s a tribute to his family, who never throws anything away. But it’s also a nod to the city of Shelby.
“This town thrives on its history, maybe to a fault sometimes,” Crum said with a laugh. “Everybody likes nostalgia. And I remember it as a kid; it means more to me to have something I remember than have one of the big fancy courses.”
Roselawn Miniature Golf is by no means a profit-motivated project; Crum joked that he and his wife still have “real” jobs to bring in income. At its core, it’s all about family – even Crum’s own future family, as he is expecting a baby daughter in September.
“It’s about the family and friends that are currently here, and giving future kids something to do,” he said. “I want it to last, I want future generations to have the same experience I had as a kid.”
