Ahlgrim Acres: Miniature Golf in a Funeral Home

Tucked away in the basement of Ahlgrim Family Funeral Services in Palatine, Illinois, Ahlgrim Acres offers a unique and unexpected experience: a nine-hole miniature golf course with a spooky twist. Created in the 1960s by Roger Ahlgrim as a way to keep his children entertained and to utilize the extra space in the funeral home's basement, Ahlgrim Acres has become a beloved community staple.The course features a haunted theme, with each hole boasting its own distinct character and obstacles. Golfers can putt through a miniature haunted house, navigate a guillotine, and even encounter a water trap on the final hole. The quirky decor incorporates actual funeral memorabilia, including an old shipping box used for rail transportation of caskets. Adding to the fun, players can also enjoy shuffleboard, ping pong, bumper pool, and vintage arcade games.Ahlgrim Acres is more than just a novelty; it's a place where the community comes together. Roger Ahlgrim initially opened the course to Cub Scouts, church groups, and other local organizations. Today, it's open to the public by appointment and free of charge, offering a lighthearted space amidst the solemnity of the funeral home. The Ahlgrim family considers it a way to show that the funeral home is not always a place of sadness.