Six Putt’s Under

Pebble Beach it’s not, but this fantastical, high-tech 14-hole indoor miniature golf course is San Francisco’s first and only, with awesome food and drink thrown in. Urban Putt is the brainchild of techie-turned golf enthusiast Steve Fox- a former editorial director at PC World and CNET- who enlisted local artists and builders to construct the course. Having opened in May, every single hole was designed with something fun about the Bay Area in mind, including a Rube Goldberg-esque one involving a spiral elevator and a musical instrument that never plays the same tune twice. Located in the city’s hip Mission district and housed in a historic Victorian building that was once a mortuary, Urban Putt looks like a pee-wee San Francisco, complete with a Transamerica windmill.

Fox created a technically sophisticated playground for people of all ages with the help of a dream team of industrial designers, robotic engineers, welders and artists. This is the future of mini-golf, as kinetic sculptures, LED motion sensors, original sound effects, virtual simulations and mechanical parts make Urban Putt a vibrant and unique venue. The first hole, 1906 Earthquake, features trembling, pivoting replicas of the Painted Ladies, a quivering Mission Dolores Church, and a miniature Lotta’s Fountain. A full-service restaurant UP@Urban Putt serves eclectic California comfort cuisine under the leadership of chef Dane Boryta where pizza, and fried chicken and waffle skewers may give you the stamina to get that hole in one. www.urbanputt.com