Ahlgrim Acres

The business of death can be a sad affair, but frankly, it can also be almost astonishingly mundane between stacks of paperwork and interminable logistic issues. However Ahlgrim Family Funeral Service in Palatine, Illinois has found a way to make the experience a little less boring: an onsite mini-golf course!

Located in the basement, the appropriately haunted house themed course was the brainchild of the funeral home founder Roger Ahlgrim. When his business acquired their current space in 1964 Ahlgrim found that they had an entire unused space in the basement and, taking inspiration from his own interests as opposed to the more morbid fascinations of his work, decided that it would be a perfect place for some miniature golf. The course grew slowly and organically over the years, adding holes, decorations, and other entertainments.

Today there are nine short holes fit tightly into the basement community room. In lieu of the classic clowns and gaiety of most miniature golf courses, Ahlgrim Acres, as the course has been dubbed, features hanging skeletons, guillotines, and tombstones. Halloween music is piped into the room constantly and the entire space has the feel of a gallows carnival. In addition to the golf, there is also shuffleboard, arcade games, and ping pong. Fun for the whole family (those that are still alive that is)!

Youth groups and people from the community come to the course often to knock around some spooky putts, proving that there is more mirth than meets the eye behind these otherwise somber walls.