We went to Dan's last night with a friend after a long hot day, thinking we would just grab some ice cream and hang out. We typically go up to Rob and Deb's in Glens Falls but Dan's is closer. What a disappointment. I'm not sure if it was Dan that served us or he had just found the most miserable, rude " I don't want to be here." staff member out there, because that is what we got. He was sullen, snippy, rude and actually seemed like he resented us being there. Huge turn off. We ordered 3 small ice creams, and they were indeed small! Definitely not reflective of the price, which was more indicative of a larger size. I was disappointed, but the snippy service we had received prior to actually getting the ice cream left a yucky taste anyway. We will not be going back, and will instead continue to drive to an alternative. Maybe Guptil's, which is also nearby. These days, with so many other options, service and being polite to people is key. An older couple arrived shortly after us and he was equally rude to them. The one star is because we did actually get ice cream. I'd give zero stars for service. read more

This is a throwback golfcourse, with every last bit of it truly hand-made, right down to the golfball water retrieval tool crafted out of an old kitchen spoon. Many of the holes show a recent sprucing up, although about half still have threadbare turf and are missing "schticks", it still has the feel of a place where an owner cares about how things look. The holes are a mixture of nyeah to moderately interesting. The two that standout are #14, where you have to launch over a fountain, which is fun but the engineering of the ramp wasn't done nicely enough to allow a true skill shot; and #17, a deviously simple-seeming rotating hole (yes, the cup is not in the same spot, it spins around). No Insane Clown hole, which I consider a plus,and one of the better windmills I've seen. I do find it a bit annoying that dead-on shots for trick holes where the "feeder hole" should lead to a hole in one are misaligned; this was the case on two holes, and the 18th hole had a lip to it that made launching into the hole-in-one zone a bit of an adventure. All in all in terms of fun factor and playability it's only slightly above average, but the real grass in place of concrete paths and generally homey feel about the place lead me to give it a fourth star on warm-and-fuzzies. We've been to other courses in the area (we're in the midst of a comprehensive review of every mini-golf in an hour's driving distance of Lock 7) and so far this is the only one we wanted to play again right away, and the only one where they'd obviously bothered to sweep the leaf and grass debris off prior to opening. The large caboose that serves as the snack bar will attract the kids, but unfortunately since the inside is the food prep area, they will in turn be disappointed that they can't go inside it. We did enjoy some soft-serv icecream, but I have to give them downgrades for not knowing how to do a proper dip. Why does nobody know how to do a swirl dip anymore? Is it a lost art? read more

I took my family here the other day as my son has been wanting to go here ever since we moved to the area almost a year ago. We had such a great time on this course. For the other parents of young children out there, it's very easy to do with kids and a baby. Most mini golf courses are not stroller-friendly but this one is. This one is almost completely flat and it was easy to move around any obstacles. The staff was very friendly and welcoming. We'll definitely be back . read more

Dan's Miniature Golf - Mini Golf Near Me - Ballston Lake, New York

See all

Man, how times can change. My boyfriend and I used to frequent this place. It was convenient and we enjoyed the soft serve. But for the most part, it was fairly quick and fairly yummy, so we have been consistent customers for a while. Which is where any of these stars come from. Last week, though, we had a particularly bad experience which has now snowballed. My boyfriend ordered two medium-sized ice cream cups with chocolate dip. We've ordered this many times, and it always comes in 16-oz cups, ice cream overflowing, with a bunch of dip. I guess it SHOULD be a lot of ice cream, because for the two cups, it comes to almost $9, and for that price, let's be real, I can get two pints of Ben & Jerry's and still have some change left. He comes back to the car with two either 8 or 10-oz cups with lids on. Something was clearly not right. "Oh, so you ordered smalls?" I asked. Even so, this would have been closer to the kiddie sizes I've ordered. And that was fine...I'm watching my calories, so I'm fine with a smaller size. "No," he responded, "I ordered mediums." We were both kind of shocked and confused, and then he ended up going back up to the caboose, and asking if we got the correct size because it was abnormally small, and could they please do something to rectify the situation. Because at this point, it was just kind of crazy that we paid almost $9 for a few bites of ice cream. There were a few kids working, and they were SO RUDE, and gave him lip. "UM, I gave you FIVE swirls," a very confused employee snarked at him. "And, um, dip is an extra 60 cents." Well, yes, we did pay the exorbitant amount for your dip, and no, you really didn't give us any. The kids waved him off and were unbudging, and there was apparently no supervisor there. We were shocked and upset and disappointed, and really did try to deal with this in-person. And what it comes down to is not that we are gluttonous and want ALL THE ICE CREAMS, but that (a) we paid you money for a service we did not receive, (b) your service is super inconsistent, and (c) there is absolutely no respect for your customers. Okay, fine. But we were still very, very bothered by all of this. Not knowing what else to do, I find that Dan's has a Facebook page that they update maybe once a week with new flavors. I figure that this is my best chance at actually being able to get a hold of someone to at least let them know what was going on. And to make sure that I got some sort of response, I did post on their wall, which is something I really wouldn't do unless I had bad feelings. Ya know. I wrote basically what I'm writing here--that we had a bad experience, that the employees were rude and didn't care, and we were appalled by the way we were treated. I received some sort of snarky comment from someone who may or may not be related to the business (along the lines of, "YOU'RE the rude one, and this isn't these kids' careers!"), and was later deleted after I suggested that respect is an important trait to acquire regardless of career, but especially if you are forward facing. Now today, I was a bit surprised that I hadn't heard a response, so I went back to the page, only to find that my entire post was deleted. Okay, fine. I've heard THEIR message loud and clear. I have no idea who is managing their social media (maybe the same kids swirling ice cream?), but they clearly are not interested in the experiences of their customers, and they certainly must not be interested in social media best practices, which encourage owners to always respond and to NEVER delete! This entire experience just leaves a very bad taste. It would have been so, so easy to keep two very loyal customers--when we returned in the first place, all you had to do was re-swirl our ice cream and not be so rude. Or, even respond to a Facebook post with grace! Unfortunately, no, Dan's did none of this, and even actively has tried to just make it go away in every way they can think of that is NOT the correct way to smooth over a situation like this. So instead, they get this review, and me continuing to tell all my friends and neighbors about this experience. Unlike another reviewer, I do not hope that Dan's closes down. I only wish for the success of local businesses, and this spring we were actually counting the days until they opened. But until they can muster up the decency to be consistent and have excellent and kind service (I don't care if it's your first job or your last, you can't be a dick. Ever.), I will always pass them by, forgoing the convenience, and using my time and gas to go somewhere that is not only far more delicious but way more service-oriented...like The Ice Cream Man. read more

Heading north on 87? Dan's is a great place to stop with the kids! We needed to stretch and to have some fun- Dan's was perfect. Family owned. Very fun course. My son loved the classic loop the loop. My husband and I enjoyed hitting up a ramp and over the small water hazard. Much fun, and also yummy soft serve ice cream that you can order from a real caboose. You can even ring the railroad crossing signal! Definitely worth a visit. read more

I cannot recommend this course highly enough. Beautifully maintained classical course, with some particularly challenging holes. A great time for all ages. This is one of the best miniature golf courses I've ever played on. As a bonus, the grass around each hole is very soft, a delight to walk on barefoot. The ice cream is also a treat. Very reasonably priced. read more

I Saw This Online And Took A Chance Going There. It Was Definitely Worth It.The Course Is Small But Very Nice. It Has Some Really Cool And Difficult Holes. I Would Give It A Chance If You've Never Been There Before. On One Of The Holes You Have To Hit The Ball Over The Water Onto The Green. Very Hard. I Also Thought The Last Hole Was Cool. If You Get It In The Free Game Hole A Siren Goes Off And Alerts Everyone... I'd Give It A 4/5 read more

See all

Let's be honest. This is a good quick get out of the house for some fun mini golf. Do not expect an extravagant mini golf coarse. I was a little let down when I pulled up but as you play, some of the holes have some original ideas put into them such as a ramp over water or a moving hole which makes it more fun. read more

Dan's Miniature Golf is in need of a second look, indeed! Since my last visit back in 2009 Dan's has really upped it's mini-golf game. Let's start with ice cream. Step up to a real caboose on a real train track with a real railroad crossing signal that you can operate! It lights up and rings a bell when you push the colorful lighted buttons. Don't let the kiddies be too over zealous with the bell. The staff listens to it all day. Three soft serve flavors at a time. Vanilla, chocolate and a flavor of the week that changes from orange to cherry to watermelon to mocha to who knows...gotta check the sign. You can have each individually or each twisted with vanilla. You can also get a sundae made out of the soft serve with typical toppings. Slush puppies are also offered in various flavors. I dislike melty ice cream so I choose to take the second cone when I go with my outing partner. On to Miniature Golf... The course has been meticulously and thoughtfully maintained. The vintage obstacles have been cleaned, painted and are maintained in proper working order. Each hole is challenging and offers enough of a diversion in creativity that it makes you want to comment on it. There is a new water feature that is pretty cool with a new wooden bridge to cross over it. All the putters and balls are new. The grounds are planted with new saplings and annual flowers. One hole is still under construction and invites patrons to re-play their favorite hole for a full 18-hole game. That is fair. We replayed the wishing well. You get a hole in one if you land the ball in the bucket. I did not land the ball in the bucket but you bet I dropped it in just to watch it roll into the hole. The cost is $6.50 as of July 2013. Dads play free on Father's Day and Moms play free on Mother's Day. There are other deals throughout the year that are displayed on their roadside sign. Some of the greens are worn and most of the holes are sloped in not your favor. I think I'll be back for another round before the season's end. read more

I found this Mini Golf Course to be absolutely adorable and charming. The obstacles have some great character, and the grounds are kept neat and clean. I liked that it wasn't big and corporate like all the others, yet you still got a full round of mini golf in. The ice cream caboose was really something, and gave great eye appeal to the place. Great deck. The Ice cream was also very good, although I wish there were more flavors and variety. I was there a few times last summer, and my kids ask me when they're going to open every time we drive by. Looking forward to next year. read more

Fabulous course. If you want to play a classically designed miniature golf course that is well maintained and has some challenges to it, this place is for you. Ice cream afterward is also a wonderful plus. read more