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Bel Air Golf Center Driving Range

Gunpowder Falls Adventure Miniature Golf

Bel Air Golf Center Driving Range
Our History
Approximately twelve years ago a group of interested golfers got together and discussed the possibilities of starting a driving range in the Harford County area. Looking for and finding the property, solving zoning and environmental problems, designing the facility, raising the necessary capital and finally building the range took about five years.

Needless to say, numerous challenges came up from time to time. It seemed as though we would never accomplish our goal, but on November 12, 1994 we finally opened our doors for business. We looked very different from the way we do now. We had 47 tees (none covered), and a building that was 25 feet by 50 feet. We have built four other buildings since we opened. We had no miniature golf – that came three years later. We hadn't yet built our maintenance facility and had only one picker to retrieve the balls. As the saying goes, “we came a long way, baby.”

Improvements
We've continued to put money back into the business to make us more suitable to the customer's needs. Ten of our tees are enclosed, lighted and heated. We have 14 target flags for the committed golfer to practice hitting various clubs. The distance to those flags has been lasered from each tee pad; they are correct to plus/minus 1 yard.

We have installed a fairway bunker and a practice putting green for the use of our customers at no additional charge. We have 30 mercury vapor lights mounted on 10 – 30 foot high poles for evening use. Our covered tees have additional interior lighting to add to the external lighting. We have added comfortable benches to the tee line so that golfers can rest after hitting a bucket of balls.

Consistently the Best Balls and Mats
All these changes have come about to make us a better facility, but the most important standard we live up to is to have the best balls and best mats in the area. We don’t state that you will never get a ball in your bucket that hasn’t seen it’s better day, but we do submit that our buckets of balls will be of a higher quality consistently than anyone else. We rotate new mats and new pads into our system at least twice each year. If you are ever dissatisfied with the quality of ball you hit or mat you hit off of please bring it to the attention of the person on duty.

Our driving range offers a wide variety of uses. We have hosted company outings, fundraisers, family gatherings and birthday parties. We are very flexible and can create, with your guidance, an event for your guests that can be very enjoyable. We can include some group lessons by our PGA Golf professional and USGTF teaching staff which could be very rewarding to your gathering. A game of miniature golf presents an opportunity for children of all ages and skill levels to experience success in a wholesome environment.

Finally, we have tried to maintain a high standard of cleanliness and service. Our staff is instructed to “go the extra mile” to make our customers' visit more enjoyable. We are always looking for ways to improve our facility and invite you to offer any suggestions you may have. Please feel free to forward any comments you may have directly to Alex Sotir.

Gunpowder Falls Adventure Miniature Golf
Our History
Our Facility opened in November of 1994. We had a basic Club House with a conservative Pro-Shop, 47 tee pads and loads of hope and enthusiasm for the future of our company. Four years later we built Gunpowder Falls Miniature Golf Course, plus added to the club house and built a maintenance facility. Along the way we also enclosed, covered and heated the tees, built a practice putting green and sand trap and added a number of subtle improvements that made it more comfortable for our customers.

A Challenge Yet Fun for All Ages
Our miniature golf course is unique in many ways. We wanted it challenging enough for the more skillful golfer, but also enjoyable for young and inexperienced golfers. It is a very fine line to walk and we believe we accomplished our goal. We included some undulations and hazards that had to be taken into account in order to score well, but they weren’t so difficult that they created frustration for the novice.

A year after we built the range we added a sound system that allows us to play background music. As normal we had some problems with our water system, but we have worked our way up the learning curve and finally achieved the effect we were seeking in the beginning. We invested in extensive plantings that add tremendous character to our course.

A "Course" in History
When the course was under development we tried to think of an appropriate theme for the course. Fort McHenry, Federal Hill and the Chesapeake Bay gave us all the “theme” we needed. The water, the “America” Star Circle and the “History” of our Flag highlighted at the start of every hole accomplished our goal. We are very proud of the opportunity we give every player to refresh their memory of the many flags we have lived under for more than 200 years.

We have hosted many special events at our course from Birthday Parties to Fund Raisers, Company Outings and just plain fun outings. We are open to any suggestions and look forward to meeting your individual requests. See our Events page for more details and suggestions.

Upgrades
We have recently installed new carpet on all 18 holes. We also repaired and upgraded some of the areas that have shown wear and tear.

Also, new targets have been placed on the range for better target practice and depth perception. Great to practice aim and alignment or to compete with friends and family.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please email alexsotir@aol.com. We will be happy to do our best to accommodate your request.