Every golf course needs a greens keeper, even the Nelson Museum’s Art Course
Memorial Day weekend is, at least unofficially, the beginning of summer.
That means, among other things, more hours to play miniature golf at the Nelson-Atkins Museum’s Art Course.
It also means James Throckmorton will stay plenty busy.
The owner of Small Planet Gardens, Throckmorton keeps the nine hole course on the Nelson’s south lawn shipshape for family-friendly fun.
Each of the holes reflects an artistic take on on a piece in the Nelson’s collection. Everything from Wayne Thiebaud’s “Jawbreaker Machine” to Roxy Paine’s “Ferment” and of course, the iconic Shuttlecocks.
For Throckmorton, it’s one of various installation and conservation tasks he handles for the museum, but the only one that leaves him cursing gingko trees. Especially in the spring.
“They’re just kind of messy,” he explains. “They’ve got these crazy flowers that go everywhere. Like you’ll come and clean this off completely, and ten minutes later, it’ll be completely covered again. You want things to look nice for the museum.”
Throckmorton shares leaf blower duties with the Nelson’s landscaping crew, but his main domain is astroturf. Keeping an eye out for rips, tears and “speed bumps” that might need to be re-stretched (which can entail lifting some very heavy sections.)
Each time out, he starts his inspection tour with Hole #8. That’s the one with a bicycle—inspired by Evelyn Cofer’s painting “Girl With Bicycle, in the Coombe, Dublin.”
It requires players to putt through the spokes on one of its wheels while somebody pedals. Overly vigorous riders, he says, can take a toll on the bike’s frame and its moving parts.
In fact, Throckmorton’s discovered that even at a place as genteel as the museum, “people are extremely competitive. I mean, they’re coming out and and really, really trying to beat each other. And so they end up kind of beating things up.”
Still, Bryan DeWitt, the museum’s vice-president of earned income and guest services, notes there’s only been one injury since the Art Course opened in 2019.
And yes he says, the attraction (complete with snack bar and cocktails on the weekend) does “earn a little income.” But most importantly, it helps create community and connects people with the great art the museum has inside.
“It’s a great opportunity to hang out, especially if the weather’s really nice,” Dewitt says with a smile. “Get away from your cell phone, get out into the park with friends and have some fun.”
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This story was originally published May 24, 2025 at 5:00 AM.