Arin Thompson
Daily Egyptian
Robby Binder, 11, sinks a hole in one on No. 6 as a 20-foot giraffe looks on with big, brown eyes.
"Oh! A hole in one!" shouts Robby's father, Howard.
As Howard Binder squares up the ball on the same hole, his two sons, Robby and Jimmy, start shouting to deter his perfect shot.
"Noonan! Noonan!" they shout as he sinks his own hole in one.
"You know Robby, you should not watch "Caddyshack," the elder Binder said.
The Binders left Glenview to visit Carbondale because their daughter is at the SIU basketball camp. To pass the time, Robby, Jimmy, Howard and his wife, Suzi, all ventured to the Carbondale Fun Park, 1525 N. Reed Station Rd, in search of a good time.
The Fun Park, which is made up of a miniature golf course inspired by the African jungle, a go-kart track and a small arcade, is owned and operated by Eddie and Ruby Mead.
Mead opened the park in 1993 after he was inspired by his father, who opened a mini-golf course in Jonesboro, Ark., 20 years ago. The course is littered with life-like jungle animals and heavy, green foliage. The fiberglass animals come from a company in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
It wasn't originally a jungle atmosphere, though.
"Well, it's changed to that," Mead said. "In 1995, we put in all the plants."
By the time the Binders reach hole 10, the sweat has begun to bead on their foreheads.
"Jimmy, be the ball," said Howard, a basketball coach in Glenview.
A fierce-looking Rhino glares from the dark shadows of trees and bushes as Jimmy lines up his shot. Jimmy finishes well above par, but his dad sinks yet another hole in one. The Binders came to the Fun Park last year and decided to return for more hot summer fun.
"It's fun; it's open; it's clean; there's no vandalism; it's nice," Suzi said.
"When you're from Chicago - that's a good thing," Howard added.
"It's a good value too; we could all do it for under $30," Suzi said.
Not just families visit the Fun Park, however. High-school-aged youth come to play golf in the safari atmosphere. Jessica Green, 16, and Sarah Powell, 14, golfed with Du Quoin High School friends, Jesse Smith, 16, and Derek Beard, 17.
Eva Potter, 20, from Carbondale works at the Park renting golf clubs. Potter said that the plant life is a unique aspect of the course because it really looks like a forest.
"It's a pretty considerable job; I do most of the gardening myself," Mead said.
"A lot of grandmas and grandpas bring their grandkids here," Potter said.
Potter also mentioned that although the golf course is popular, the go-kart track is more popular.
The go-karts are actually sponsored by local area businesses, just like real NASCAR racers.
"We need to repaint the cars occasionally, and that helps to pay for the paint jobs," Mead said.
Allison Schildkne, 8, flew around the mini-track in a red kart. Her uncle, Dan Musgrave, shouted at her every time she made the loop.
"Go faster! Take your foot off the break!"
Allison was in town from North Carolina, and her uncle took her out to have a good time.
"There are not too many places that close that offer outdoor activites," said Musgrave, of Cobden.
Sean Bandy, 7, waited in line for the bigger-sized karts. He was wearing a racing shirt signed by a driver. His mother, Loretta, stood next to him in a purple racing shirt.
"We are out here for fun," Loretta said.
"It's just a family night evening," adds Duke, Sean's dad.
"It's something different; it's a change," Loretta said.
After the family boarded the "NASCARTS," Sean and Duke raced against Loretta around the track. The family was all smiles as they raced neck-and-neck around the track with wind blowing through their hair. In the end, it didn't matter who was ahead because they all had a good time.
The Binders finish their golf game with Howard winning. Robbie came in second and Jimmy and Suzi lagged at the back.
"It's great, but it's a little hotter than I thought," Howard said.
"I had a little too much fun," Robby said.
"I wanna do it again!" Jimmy said.
Carbondale Fun Park opens in mid-March and stays open until the first of November. A game of golf is $5, and a go-kart ride around the track is $5.
Published on 11/17/05; 12:24:44 PM
