The William Vale (111 N. 12th St.), a boutique hotel in Williamsburg, has created its own mini golf course called VALE(mini)GOLF. The small outdoor course is located just outside the hotel’s lobby in the middle of the William Vale’s plaza near Leuca and Isla & Co. It features nine holes, ranging in difficulty, but easy enough for young kids.
Adults are charged $15, and children under 12 are $10. No reservation is required. When Greenpointers visited on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, there was no wait. The booth also offers a range of golf club sizes and a variety of brightly-colored balls, plus scorecards and pencils.
Near the ninth hole, there is a sign that promotes a prize from Mister Dips, the burger and ice cream food truck located on the second floor of the outdoor plaza. It reads: “Get a hole-in-one on the 9th hole to win a prize from Mister Dips. Tag @thewilliamvale and post your winning shot to claim your voucher at the VALE(mini)GOLF kiosk.”
Playing the course supports mental health awareness through a project called “You Are Not Alone.” The backdrop to the course is a huge mural created by Brooklyn-based artist Jason Naylor. The mural reads “You Are Not Alone” and is part of a global public art project. According the the project’s website, the “You Art Not Alone” project aims to inspire artists to create work in their communities and offer hope, connection, and conversations about mental health.
“Murals are painted by different artists in different communities all around the world. Some are artists we found, some are artists that found us,” the “You Are Not Alone” website reads. The project began with three murals in Brooklyn in 2019 and has expanded to over forty murals worldwide, including Australia and Brazil. One of the other Brooklyn murals is in Greenpoint at 402 McGuinness Blvd. It’s called Dirty Bandits by Annica Lydenberg.
The William Vale donates $1 from every round purchased to the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City.
The mini golf course is open Wednesday and Thursday 1 p.m. – 9 p.m., Friday 2 p.m. – 10 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 1 p.m. – 9 p.m. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. If you’d like to book the course for a private event, inquiries can be directed to valeminigolf@thewilliamvale.com.