Pop-up miniature golf course comes to streets of Oakland - TribLIVE

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Mini-golfers are invited to play at a free pop-up course beginning Thursday in Pittsburgh’s Oakland section.

Presented by the Pittsburgh Innovation District, the nine-hole Oakland Open will welcome duffers from noon-8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and noon-5 p.m. Sundays through April.

The ADA-compliant course, located on Oakland Avenue between Forbes Avenue and Sennott Street, is the city’s first pop-up mini golf course.

To maximize social distancing, those who are interested in playing the Oakland Open are asked to reserve a time slot, including the number of people expected to be in their party, at pittsburgh-id.com.

Walk-ups will be allowed as space permits, but reservations are highly encouraged.

“This latest investment in the neighborhood will benefit local businesses and showcase all that Oakland has to offer,” said Sean Luther, executive director of InnovatePGH, which runs the Pittsburgh Innovation District.

While the course is offered to give people “the opportunity to get out and have fun in a safe environment,” it also is intended to draw traffic to nearby businesses that have suffered during the pandemic, Luther said.

“Mini-golf naturally provides for social distancing and it’s a great family activity and date activity,” he said. “Obviously, you can pair mini-golf with going out to eat or other activities.

“Oakland is such a vibrant neighborhood. It’s a great place to walk, and everyone is wearing a mask these days,” he said. “It’s very diverse. You have the students, the tech crowd, the researchers — it’s very cosmopolitan.”

All players will be provided with scorecards that offer $5 discounts at nearby restaurants, cafes and retailers.

There will be competition-style play days with prizes such as a free overnight stay at the nearby Oaklander Hotel and gift certificates to area restaurants. Information on competition days and other updates is available by following Pittsburgh Innovation District and #OaklandOpen on Instagram.

The course also is available to rent for parties and groups during non-operating hours.

The mini golf course was installed last Thursday and soft-launched over the weekend. Its run may be extended, based on public demand, although it may move to a new Oakland location after its time on Oakland Avenue, Luther said.

Conceived and overseen by Epic Development, the course is sponsored by Wexford Science & Technology, Oakland Business Improvement District, Walnut Capital, Avenu, Hilton Garden Inn, The Oaklander Hotel and Bob O’Connor Golf Course at Schenley Park.

The Pittsburgh Innovation District is “a neighborhood-based initiative to develop and promote Oakland’s critical mass of talent, entrepreneurship resources, urban amenities, and research strengths to attract new talent, startups, and innovation companies to Pittsburgh,” according to its website.

Shirley McMarlin is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Shirley at 724-836-5750, smcmarlin@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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