The Mini Golf “Par-Tee” on Nov. 8, hosted by Bucknell’s CORE club at the CAP Center, was a night of competition, fun and lots of yummy bites. Students, though they remained in the comfort of the climate-controlled ELC, were invited into a space decorated to mimic a true course. 

But there weren’t just simple, blasé putting holes set out for students to play! Creative themes, from Hershey’s chocolate to strings of holiday lights, were assigned to each step of the course. Groups of friends strategically targeted their favorite setups to golf at first. With many prospective golfers present, lines queued behind most of the putting holes.  

Upon entering, Bucknellians were able to claim a golf club and a couple of golf balls before getting straight to playing. Some groups made a competition of keeping diligent scores and comparing results, while others were more relaxed and simply putted as their hearts desired. Kevin Duong ’25 golfed “three holes-in-one in a row,” which was very exciting for him. 

In addition to the mini golf setup, there was a provision of snacks available, carefully selected to mimic an immersive “country club” vibe. The food spread included potato wedges and “TEE Sandwiches,” a play on classic “tea sandwiches,” of which there were several options, including pimento cheese, chicken and cucumber hummus. For those looking to satisfy their sweet tooth, there were peach-filled vanilla cupcakes available, each decorated with the golf theme in mind. 

The snacks were such a hit that it was hard to keep the trays full! After being asked what the best food choice was, Jaylen Scott ’27 explained how “[he] tried everything” but “it’s definitely the pimento sandwich.” Those sandwiches, in particular, seemed to be a big hit, potentially due to the “smoky bacon taste” that Ma’kea Regis ’27 described, after enjoying one herself. 

After completing nine putting holes in the course, students were given the opportunity to try for a prize at a Plinko game. Potential prizes covered almost every category of treat, from Arizona iced tea, cookies, candy and other tasty treats to golf-theme stress balls, tiger plush keychains and drink vouchers for Seventh Street Cafe. Maddy Kalaigian ’25 shared that her “favorite part” of the evening’s prize-winning attempts was when she “won a $5 drink voucher” that she’s excited to “use for milkshakes.”

This Mini Golf “Par-Tee” was CORE’s “New Member Event,” an opportunity for those new to the organization to take the wheel and plan an all-campus event collaboratively, without the help of more seasoned members. The experience gave these new members the opportunity to get involved with the club and the Bucknell community on their own terms, which opened up some new perspectives and honed their event-planning skills. Jules Pia ’28, one of the new members of CORE, explained how she “liked having some authority on campus and being able to do stuff for [her] community.”