A proposed 36-hole miniature golf course in the SilverLeaf master-planned community in St. Johns County is advancing with a signed lease, an all-you-can-play pricing model and a design created to resemble real courses.
Beach Valley Mini Golf is planned for a 2-acre site south of SilverLeaf Drive and west of St. Johns Parkway. The project, which first appeared in a commercial application filed with the county April 6, 2026, would be the first recreational attraction open to the public in SilverLeaf. The project went before the county development review committee in late April.
Project co-owner and Julington Creek resident Michael Goolsby confirmed the project has signed a lease for the land with The Hutson Cos. through White’s Ford Timber LLC. Goolsby said he is developing the project because he wants to bring family entertainment to the area. His spouse, Bridgette Goolsby, is also his business partner.
“We live in the heart of St. Johns County, and we have nothing like this anywhere near us,” Michael Goolsby said. “It doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of family entertainment stuff the community can really wrap their paws around and enjoy over and over again.”
Site plans filed by Jacksonville Beach-based Legend Engineering show a 30,131-square-foot development featuring two 18-hole courses, a clubhouse, pavilions and pergolas.
Goolsby described the aesthetic as a departure from “old school” miniature golf. Instead of brick-pavered outlines, the project will utilize modern turf and a “flowing” layout similar to PopStroke, a concept co-owned by Tiger Woods and TaylorMade that features synthetic turf putting courses designed to emulate traditional golf bunkers and fairways.
“It’s more of a modern aspect with beautiful scenery, landscaping and turf,” Goolsby said. “Gone are the days, in my opinion, of the brick-pavered outline golf holes. This is a beachy, tropical feel where adults can sit and watch TV under the pergolas with beverages while their kids continue to play.”
The facility plans to offer a single-price, “all-you-can-play” model, tentatively priced between $20 and $25 for adults.
“We want to make sure we’re at the right price point, because that’s more important to us than overpricing people,” he said. “We want people to come as often as they like and want to be a part of this community.”
The owners also are pursuing a license to serve beer and wine, he said, while food options will be minimal, such as popcorn and other grab-and-go items.
“My wife and I are OK with sitting down and having a drink while our kids continue to play, because they’ll play all day,” Goolsby said.
He said the rapidly growing SilverLeaf area was a major reason he chose the site.
A 55,701-square-foot Publix opened nearby March 26 with several additional tenants planned at the shopping center. A separate 61,000-square-foot grocery project matching the footprint of a Harris Teeter is in permitting about 2 miles west, which will have surrounding businesses of its own.
At full build-out, SilverLeaf is planned for 16,300 homes.
“SilverLeaf is booming,” Goolsby said. “We feel like it’s the perfect time and the perfect place for a community that needs something like this.”
Goolsby noted that the proximity to the First Coast Expressway extension also was a key factor in the site selection, eventually allowing residents from Clay County to easily access the facility. Goolsby said the design for the clubhouse and course is complete, and he hopes to apply for building permits this month.
Goolsby added the couple is already looking at long-term growth.
“We want to make this one the best it can be, but we definitely see an opportunity to scale,” he said. “If the community supports it the way we think they will, we’d love to see Beach Valley in other high-growth areas of Northeast Florida down the road.”
Beach Valley would enter a regional market that recently saw the closure of Adventure Landing on April 12, which had featured miniature golf as part of its offering. Remaining competitors include Anastasia Miniature Golf and Fiesta Falls, while another project with a similar concept, Nothing Putt Fun and Games, is also working its way through the St. Johns County approval process