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Emerald Hills Golfland
Rating Details »
Categories: Amusement Parks, Arcades, Mini Golf
976 Blossom Hill RdSan Jose, CA 95123
(408) 225-0700
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
30 reviews for Emerald Hills Golfland
Went here last night with a few friends, and it really did make me nostalgic of my middle school days. I can't believe that 9 years ago, I used to spend hours here during my summer days, wasting my weekly allowance on Marvel vs. Capcom 2. *sigh*
Although we came here to play some minigolf, I would first like to comment on the arcade, since it was what I first saw as I entered the place. I must say, things have not changed that much throughout the years here. I noticed they added a few more Initial D machines, but otherwise, they still seem to have the same old arcade games. They didn't even have Street Fighter IV, which is probably the most popular arcade game out there these days. C'mon now!
As far as the mini golf courses go, these were somewhat enjoyable to say the least. None of my friends and I have much experience golfing, so we liked how each hole (out of 18 on each of the 2 courses) had its own respective challenge and design. We kept track of our scores for the first course, but then decided to just play for kicks in the second course that we ventured. The only problem with these courses is that their AstroTurf or "faux" grass seem very worn out and definitely need to be revamped. And oh yeah, it really smelled bad in certain areas outside. I'm not sure if it was due to the portable potties outside, which I'm assuming are for the kids who use the waterslide during the day, or if it was from the garbage cans, but at times I felt really dirty just being in that atmosphere.
Overall, I'll admit that I had a fun time for a Friday evening here, but I'll have to give most of that credit to being in the company of my friends. Yes, we like to crack jokes, and they seem to come up with the most clever and laughter-inducing lines. =P I probably won't come back to Golfland for awhile and by then, I hope that it has been fully renovated!
My dad took me to Golfland when I was 9 years old for the first time. Some 10+ years later, I still find myself coming every so often with friends or a date.
As commented by others, the astro turf is in need of repair, and yesterday, I noticed that most of the arcade games were out of order too. I haven't been on the water slides since I was a camp counselor 5 years ago, but I do remember those being fun. I think prices have also really gone up, but I never paid when I was little.
It's kind of a classic, and mini-golf is good for a wide variety of patrons-- again, I've been here with family, with camps, with friends, etc-- and everyone has fun. Just keep in mind that this place probably hasn't changed since it first opened, and that you will probably end up reaching in the nasty pond water for your ball on at least 2 holes.
Cheap date nite destination for sure. There is just something about this place, a little cheesy, a little ghetto, like a comfy dive bar that you love despite its inherent jankiness.
Fun times to be had, as long as some idiot doesn't ignore the "club below the knees" rule and duffs one upside your noggin.
Arcade is huge, the slides are perilous, and the parking lot is a recipe for getting a six year old wedged in your bumper. But boy this place has charm...
Fun times on the course, but the snack bar was terrible. The entire staff was out playing in the arcade area half the time and when I finally got food it was not good.
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I went here last night on a date and it was really fun. They have a big arcade, waterslides, and minigolf of course. Unfortunately the waterslides weren't open so we golfed and played air hockey. Besides losing my golf ball and breaking my favorite shoes (word of advice- heals and minigolf don't mix well), we had a lot of fun. Brought back childhood memories.
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Took my 2 younger sisters here today. The youngest one was excited 'cause it was her first time and I wasn't expecting it to be that great, but it was actually fun. It's definitely a nice way to spend the time with the fam bam for a good price... I recommend that you guys use the score card to get competitive and make it more fun...
Mondays after 6pm are $4.50 for family members so I thought the price was AMAZING. Plus, the guy who was working there was soooo nice and so happy... haha it put me in a good mood because I've had terrible experiences with other Golfland employees (once in Milpitas) when I went yearrrssss ago.
I was debating whether to put 4 or 5 stars because it's not like it was the funnest thing in the whole world, but for great employees and amazing prices, I must shoot for a 5.
It's that time of the year where summer is on the brain and teachers ring out every drop of creativity to keep the student mind focused .... then there's teachers like me who don't care to fight the feeling and spend the last few days of school in summer mode, and what a better place to do this than Golfland.
This year we opted to skip the yearly tradition of Great America and do something a bit more low key. With the option of giving students golf, arcade and water slides for a much lower price we reserved our final 6th grade trip to Emerald Hills Golfland. The day was wonderful! Worked on report cards in the shade while students ran in and out of our picnic area, wet from the slides, or seeking tokens and a quick snack. No complaints from teacher me or our very spoiled group of 12 year olds, so we will definitely back again next year.
Went here last week with my cousins...
I gotta say mini golfing is turning out to be one of my favorite past time haha. =)
Paid 32 dollars for the 4 of us. I think its a pretty good deal.
They have two courses. The North and South... Anyways we chose the South one and its pretty fun. Theres a lot of obstacles... like raised mounds etc. There were water obstacles too and once my ball went to the water and I had to pick it up. *The water was hella dirty thats why Im knocking out one stars* X(
Anyways despite being hella windy that day... We had fun. And we were there for roughly 2 hours hahahaha! xD Will go back here deff.
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Best Golfland. Waaaaay better than the milpitas one. The courses here arent as busted and are alot smoother. The courses are also more challenging and have interesting holes. There is even a water slide area! crazy. perfect place for kids and adults! this golfland has these water courses and there is a huge chance of getting the ball into the water but its all good because they are easy to get out. very creative courses. when i came here someone called my name and it was so random because i had no idea who they were.
Timothy and I came here to celebrate a lovely 5 months in a fun, childish way- so miniature golf it twas'!
We paid got our clubs, chose our golf balls (pretty colors were provided, teehee) and off we went. There are two courses, the North and South we decided to head yonder ... North that is. The courses were fair sans the raised mounds, those were toughies. Good thing Tim was there to support me by telling me "This is it. " then shortly laughing after. *shakes fist. Some of the courses need some work with the Astroturf and tell me why my golf ball seemed to become deflected off of the faulty hole where the Astroturf was obviously poorly cut?
The arcade was pretty entertaining, even though it had an eerie, creepy and sticky- if I may add feel to it. (Gross!) But Mario Kart and Air Hockey was quite fun, if I say so myself.
Each of use scored a hole-in-one at most and left hand-in-hand satisfied.
I'd go back again, maybe when I get tired of Chuck-E-Cheese or when I decide to claim revenge on my defeat.
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The snack bar was a disaster. Not only is there nothing remotely healthy on the menu, half of the menu was unavailable. They were out of pizza and hotdogs. This left chicken strips, corn dogs, or cheese sticks. I ordered corn dogs and then when given to me I was told they are out of ketchup too. *boggle*
The South Course is really run-down and not well-lit for night play. The course is also poorly designed in that many of the ramps have bumps which prevent any sort of controlled put. There were several places where the terrain caused the ball to go off the course even with normal strokes. And one hole consistently spits your ball off the course when it goes through one of the pipes from an upper to lower level green.
I gave two stars instead of one star because it's still a fun game in spite of bad food and a run-down course. :)
I took an ex-girlfriend here once on a date.
She said she could beat me cause she always beats everyone in her family when she goes.
So we made a bet, since I like to gamble, especially when I believe the odds are in my favor to win, since I do have a lifetime record of around $3000 worth of gambling losses (about $800 of that is thanks to Tom Brady and Randy Moss and the rest of the New England Chokers!)...(oh and we didn't bet for money on this friendly match if you know what I mean)
I beat her by like 10 strokes and I gave her a 6 stroke per hole max (triple bogey) on the score card, and I even hit a 10 stroke on a hole (which was like a 7x bogey). I hate those volcano mound shots!
I won me a prize later that night from that victory for that bet, but I probably would've won/got it anyways, but I like to feel special like I'm a champ, so hoorah! I won! She lost! =)
They got like water slides over here and an arcade, but their arcade isn't as good/big as the one in Milpitas. I think they have like 1 or 2 18-hole courses here, whereas the Milpitas one has 3 (beginner, intermediate, and expert).
I also been here on a couple occasions during high school on Fridays with my ride home to get down on some DDR bopper action in there with them (note: they were a lot better than me with my uncoordinated eye-to-foot-to-pad coordination), before we'd head over to Great Mall to grub and watch a movie or do some bopper festivities with all our FSA/PCN friends from Bellarmine & Notre Dame.
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The best attribute about Golfland is definitely its mini-golf course (obviously). The parking lot and outside appearance of the building doesn't exactly attract me, but I suppose it's not horrible... Once you get inside the building, you are in the arcade, which SMELLS. Maybe it's just me - I haven't been in an arcade in a while, so i was seriously hit by the stench, but I think it really did smell BAD. The arcade and snack bar is alright, but the cleanliness definitely needs improvement. The restroom, as well. It had some funky smell to it that I didn't enjoy.
Now, the waterslides. They are fun, but not as large and exciting as those from water parks, obviously. They are pretty fun though. The black slide is the best :) I never see any long lines for the water slides - probably at least 5 people the most.
Last but not least, the golf course is great! The north course, which faces the street, is definitely more appealing to the eye with its different themes and fountains. The south course looks more fun though, with its interesting obstacles. But I chose the north course anyways, I think because it looked more "friendly".
Oh, and the employees there. I have to say, most of them intimidated me. There was one guy who had this bored look on his face, but he looked angry at the same time. I was ordering an Icee and he kind of muttered when he answered my questions and didn't even hand me my change - he just put it in front of me.
I'm Scottish so I know a thing or three about Golf. We invented the beautiful game back in 1457 in Edinburgh at the Burgess Golfing Society right behind my old house on Yacunchee Street. It was invented after a heavy night on the scotch and haggis as a hangover cure... All that rain and wind and sand and walking and ball hunting. Yes. Those were the days. When we were free of those bloody English tyrants. Anyway... I digress.
Golfland is great fun. They have two eighteen hole courses that are sufficiently challenging. Especially those ruddy "volcano holes". Grrr.... I was particularly impressed with how well kept the courses were. Nice and flat and no sun-bleached curling of the faux grass. The eighteenth hole is pretty challenging considering its a pitch shot using a putter. You manage to ring the bell, you get a free eighteen holes. Sweet. I marked Golfland down a star for having pretty diabolical food, even the smell of it cooking as you walk in to the establishment, but hey - you're not there to eat - you're there to beat the shit out of your companion at the greatest game in the bloody world.
Tip:- During the daytime in the summer months, this place gets mega crowded, so do what we do. Go have some dinner first then head over there around 9pm. You'll be finished the back nine by 10:30pm - just in time to find yourself a decent "nineteenth hole".
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This Golfland is better than the Golfland on El Camino but like it's sister, it needs some renovation. The AstroTurf is all warped and that makes playing golf a lot less fun.
Also, a lot of stuff in the arcade area feels sticky, creepy, and plain dirty.
Lastly, what the hell is up with the food here? There isn't a single thing on the menu for someone who doesn't want to die of colon cancer at age 35. =/
You have to go to Golfland just once. Cheesy but fun in the summer to bring the family and friends and play golf or slide down the water slides. When I was a kid it seemed safer than it is now but didn't everything.
Looks kind of gangy and the parking lot is really small but I've never been broken into.
Pass on the food though unless you have a date you are trying to impress, it isn't that great and kind of pricey.
Nostalgia brings me back to Golfland, where two and a half decades ago I was a below legal drinking age teenybopper playing the video games (not that people didn't drink illegally, but that's another story).
The clothes and the hairstyles and the music have changed, but otherwise it is much the same for underage teenyboppers now as it was then. There even appear to be quite a few nostalgic oldsters who wander in, now with their kids in tow.
Minus one star because the arcade and food areas need to be renovated as they are outdated and look shabby (as of June 2008).
Golfing is fun, arcade leaves much to be desired.
The courses, although they haven't really changed in the last 15 years (How long has that clock tower been broken?!), are both really fun. The variety of challenges are fun, although the layout can get really confusing, so make sure you check the directions.
The arcade is disappointing at best. I used to think it was a great arcade when I was a kid, but most games are old and need to be updated. The only games that ever seem to get attention are the racing games (which admittedly, are a big draw judging by the big crowds of kids playing Initial D.) But I really wish they would replace the Beatmania machine. Core Remix has been there since I was 14, go for IIDX Golfland!!
Right across the street from Oakridge, so if you're looking to occupy some time for the day, there's plenty of stuff around here to do.
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Can't wait for the "3rd Annual Putting Tournament!"
Last year Putting Tournament (held at Sunnyvale-Golfland) was really fun and exciting, and I really couldn't believe that I won that tournament. There were about "70" of us Putters left on the final tournament, and each of us has to play two rounds (18 holes each round). After my 1st round, I was only able to score 42 which is not really good, coz some Putters they scored less than 40, and one person even scored 33. So after the 1st round (I think I was on the top 30), I was really far behind from grabbing the 6th place at least.
Then the 2nd round comes, when all hope seems to fade away, then suddenly, luck turns into my side. I was able to sunk 7 holes-in-one, hitting the daunting volcano with just one stroke, and then I end up scoring only "31" on this round.
I was speechless for a while after finishing my 2nd round. My 31 score spread quickly to some Putters, and I could hear them from a distance saying, "Are you sure he scored 31?" My friends (also joined the tournament) couldn't believe it and neither do I.
After receiving the award and talking to the other 5 winners, I realized that what really helped me grabbed the 1st place was when I luckily perfected the two daunting volcanoes (one volcano on each round - East & West) by sinking only 1 stroke on each. They said they also have bunch of hole-in-one, but the daunting volcano is what really messed up their scores.
1st Annual Putting Tournament which was held at Milpitas-Golfland two years ago was also fun and exciting. Well on my part, I played really bad on this tournament. I scored about 50 on my 1st round, and then about 50 again on my 2nd round, and on the final standing, I think I was about #40. What's really remarkable about this tournament is that there were bunch of intermediate and professional golfers joined this tourney (about 30-60 years old), and the surprising was, it was a "13 yr. old kid" who grabbed the 1st place. Yes, a 13 yr. old kid whoop us all!
I really like and enjoy putting, and I really look forward to this upcoming 3rd Annual Putting Tournament. Hope to see you all there!!!
p.s. Below link-site is the "news article" about the Golfland's 2nd Tourney:
http://rey2.web.office...
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I grew up with this Golfland too, so I can't help but have fond memories associated with it. Highest ranking memory: The time my mom hit her ball into the fountain for the 100th time, accidentally fell in while trying to retrieve it, then laughed so hard she peed her pants! My sisters and I never quite forgot that one!
Anyway, I can't vouch for the waterslides, but it's great for basic miniature golf and back in the day, had cool arcade games too. I can't wait for my 6-year-old daughter to be ready to putt putt.
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The golf courses are pretty challenging. I hate those damn volcano holes!
Also, everytime I go here, I'm reminded of how I hate teenagers.
Oh well.
I still love mini-golf.
This place is still a lot of fun but you have to hold your breath when you go through the arcade. Few things smell worse than that arcade. Don't leave anything valuable in your car. The area is a little sketchy, especially after dark.
10+ visits
Ok, this place has been here for as long as I can remember and it all started with a elementary school field trip for me and this golfland. When i was younger they seemed to take care of it better but the last time I went with friends the astro-turf was so uneven perfect shots missed the hole (I may suck at mini-golf, but the astro-turf really was uneven). A childhood friend who moved to sac years ago and I went here last year and it was a blast, but not for the reasons you think. The waterslide is what you would expect from a place like this and the golfing can be competitive and a test of skill but this particular friend and I play a different kind of miniature golf game. The most fun is hitting the ball hard, i'm talkin hear the ball go *tink* when you hit it with the putter loud, and seeing where it goes. WARNING: do NOT do this while others are anywhere near you. The crowning glory of that trip was hitting the loop so hard my ball bounced straight back narrowly missing my shin and hitting my friend on his leg.
For the more sporting folk, it is actually a decent course and fun with mellow friends who are not into alternative mini-golf. A group of about 6 of us had a pretty good time (i wasn't even last! woot)
If you are bored and don't want to go bowling and the weather is decent I say give it a shot and see how you like it, you may hate it or you may have a blast and put it in the rotation of places to go every once in a while.
i Love golfing am not good at it, but it's nice to be outside and do something active, i Love the arcade and the water slides! the environment is great and after you play golf , you can walk across the street and visit the mall! Golf land is great for everyone that like to have fun outside or inside!!!
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Review of the arcade only!
Another arcade where the bathrooms are in the same vacinity of the games =X Relatively good games for the price, a simple collection of new and old games, but the selection is a little lack luster. I do enjoy to stop by here mostly because after golfland closes there's a 24/7 starbucks just down the street, which is a nice place to just relax.
I love this golfland, they have everything! Water slides, video games, artery clogging food, and of course 36 holes of mini golf! My boyfriend and I have to come here at least once everytime he is in town, I love golfing with him, we usually tie, or beat each other by one stroke.
I love this Golfland! Now, I grew up going to Malibu Grand Prix in Redwood City where the obstacles were non-intentional; divets from wear and tear and random spots of ripped up green. Golfland is like nirvana in comparison. Such cute little water obstacles and the playing field is actually level. It definitely has all the suburban kitschy feel you could want. They have a water slide here too. Haven't been able to convince my boyfriend yet...
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EDIT: I wouldn't suggest this place any more to anyone. What was good when I was younger has been squandered away when I came back. The inside is dirty with garbage laying around, the arcade games are all old (if they work at all) and the food is horrible.
i gave it two stars because of my bfs addiction to the stacker game
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fun stuff
