By Ken Mink
The blistering summer heat of 2018 has had a detrimental effect on golf in general in the U. S., particularly in the Southeast and Southwest.
Many thousands of golfers have chosen to beat the heat by getting in their shots after the sun goes down, especially when they are on vacation.
Nighttime golf has become more popular this year, with several courses offering players night golf opportunities after the moon comes out.
Some courses have fully lighted courses and some offer “glow ball” night events (using LED lighted balls and glow-marked tees, greens, etc.)
I recently tried nine holes of “glow golf” at my home course, Royal Oaks, Maryville, Tn., and found it a lot of fun (especially watching your tee shots take off into the darkened sky like tracer bullets). Maneuvering the fairways in the dark was sometimes treacherous and players had to rely on flashlights and reading greens was an adventure unto itself.
Lighted golf courses are expensive to operate and several have tried and failed in recent years, but lighted courses still exist at 56 locations in 21 states. Some are Par 3 and Executive courses. Here are many:
Legends Walk at Orange Lake Resort, Kissimmee, Fla.
Heartwell Golf Course, Long Beach, Ca.
Van Buren Golf Center, Riverside, Ca.
Newport Beach Golf Course, Newport Beach, Ca.
Lake Forest Golf and Practice Center, Orange County, Ca.
Westchester Golf Course, Los Angeles, Ca.
David L. Baker Memorial Golf Center, Fountain Valley, Ca.
Pico Rivera Municipal Golf Course, Pico River, Ca.
Arcadia Par 3 Golf Course, Arcadia, Ca.
Van Nuys Golf Course, Van Nuys, Ca.
Mission Bay Golf Course & Practice Center, Mission Bay/San Diego, Ca.
The Lights at Indio Golf Course, Indio, Ca.
Mariner’s Point, San Francisco, Ca.
