Of the two courses at Pirate’s Cove in Ormond Beach, Captain Kidd’s Adventure is considered the “easy” one. This is our review of the mostly-par-2 course.
Pirate’s Cove is the go-to beachfront mini-golf course in Ormond Beach, FL. With two courses to choose from, there’s plenty to enjoy. Though the sun can be brutal on average Florida days, cooler weather makes for a wonderful sea breeze-soaked experience.
Captain Kidd’s Adventure, a par-2-heavy course which weaves over and around the big hill of Pirate’s Cove, is considered the easier of the two courses. Most of the obstacles are created via terrain. The course makes fantastic use of various elevations and shifts in the green, creating situations that require some finesse in your swing. It’s a nice change of pace compared to the many mini-golf courses that rely on eye-catching objects. Instead of accuracy, power control is the name of the game, especially on the holes involving huge slopes, of which there are plenty.
(A dramatic downhill and a favorite hole of Carson’s)
Ryan’s Review
Captain Kidds is a pretty solid course. The use of terrain felt pretty interesting, and it forced Carson to consider how he was swinging at each hole. Putting full sauce into every putt wasn’t cutting it, and he was able to adjust and learn as we went. By hole 11, he was nailing par every time, which was cool.
The course also feels pretty well-kept. It had been raining every day leading up to our play through, but the course was pristine. Having an outdoor mini-golf course feel cared for was great, and I never felt robbed by debris on any of the holes.
(A simple-yet-unique use of terrain that really drives home the need for power control)
If I could make one change, I think I’d add a single hole that felt like the hole. While they all have a consistent and engaging feeling to them, none of the holes really stood out as the shining star of the course. Carson may disagree there, as he was enamored with the massive downhill picture above, but for me they just need that one over-the-top hole to really seal it.
Overall Rating: 4/5 golf balls
Carson’s Review
Carson rated Captain Kidd’s Adventure very highly. He appreciated the use of hills throughout, both uphill and downhill.
Carson also liked the decoration of the course. Pirate’s Cove has a strong pirate theme throughout, and they do plenty to make you feel like you’re at the titular cove. There are smuggling barrels, cannons, and plenty of skeletons. The imagery is everything a kid would associate with a pirate hideout, and he seemed to really enjoy taking in the details.
(Rocks, waterfalls, and skeletons in bathtubs make for a fun day)
If Carson could change something, he would add a moving obstacle to the course. While the terrain makes for some fun challenges, he thinks a hole with a dynamic element would really bring something special to the 18-hole adventure.
Overall Rating: 4.5/5 golf balls
You can learn more about Pirate’s Cove via their parent website, located here.