Ode to the “Jolly Mon”: A Lost Philly Mini-Golf Course

Miniature golf was the first huge  recreational fad of the Great Depression.  The “Jolly Mon”,  which opened in 1934 as the “South Seas”,  was part of the “wave” which allowed the struggling masses to live out their country club fantasies. Jolly Mon was a prominent Roosevelt Boulevard landmark. Its appeal continued for decades.

 

monkey cage

6 thoughts on “Ode to the “Jolly Mon”: A Lost Philly Mini-Golf Course”

  1. Good memories! I’m trying to recall the features of the holes at the Jolly Mon/South Seas course — 1-monkeys, 2-cobra, 3-Lion, etc.

    Can you help?

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    1. Hi Brett, I can only recall the unusual names of the holes, not the features. Maybe some other viewer can chime in. What most stands out was crossing that dangerous Roosevelt Boulevard for some real fun times. I also recall the “54” hole giant golf-course at the corner of the Boulevard and Tyson. What was it called??? Thanks for watching. Tell your friends!

      Radio Rick

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      1. Monkey
      2. Cobra
      3. Lion
      4. Native
      5. Elephant
      6. Quicksand
      7. Panda bears
      8. Ostrich
      9. Crocodile
      10. Shrunken heads
      11. Gorilla
      12. Eagle
      13. Zebra
      14. Native Hut
      15. Tiger
      16. Native
      17. Flamingos
      18. Seal

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    2. Seal with a spinning ball on his nose at the end for a free game!! If you got the ball in the whole of the red and white striped ball, you won a free game! There was a whole around 16 with an armadillo whose tail went up and down, and if you hit it just right, you could get a hole in one!! I also had a monkey with its tail spinning with coconuts and a lot of other stuff I can’t remember lol

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