AIDS WALK Kansas City Open

On the «things that Matt likes» list, day-​drinking and miniature golf are PRETTY dang high on the list, right along with wearing random costumes. Therefore, how could I not be a fan of the AIDS Walk Open?
Currently in its 6^th year, this annual pubcrawl supports AIDS Walk Kansas City, a kick ass charity that has helped raise almost half a million dollars to support men and women in the KC metro that are living with HIV/​AIDS. Because it’s such a great cause, I have no qualms with cracking open my first beer of the day at 9 AM. So here’s how it works: 9 different bars in or near the Westport area each put together a miniature golf hole. Busses shuttle you in between locations as you make a mad dash around the city. Everybody drinks and has fun. Many teams are dressed in costume, most have dirty names. It costs $ 150 for a team of 4, but again, it goes to a great cause.
They offer a good number of fantastic prizes to the winners, but let’s just get this out of the way: unless you open up your wallet, you don’t have a shot at winning them. You are able to buy strokes off of your score, so the winners are generally whoever donates the most rather than who has the most mini golf skills. Also, at nearly every hole they are hounding you to buy raffle tickets. It can get a bit annoying, but this event IS for charity, so it’s not that shocking.
Not all holes are created equal (rim shot!), and you can tell which bars really have their hearts in it, and which just wanted to draw some extra business into their bar with as little of effort as possible. For the former, I’d say the best holes were Missy B’s (obviously) and Morning Glory Antiques. Missy’s had two holes, that were professionally put together, quirky and entertaining. PLUS they had a fun emcee on stage where everybody could spin a wheel for fabulous prizes. I won a drink ticket (yawn) but the significant other won the most hideous doll/​jewelry stand in the world. Morning Glory Antiques turned their upstairs into an underwater-​prom paradise, complete with seaweed and mermaids (who need to learn that there’s a difference between being super skinny and being built)
For the bad holes, I’d say the two that stood out were Kelly’s Westport Inn and Outabounds. I expected it from Kelly’s, as everything about that bar is half-​assed. But Outabounds, i’m disappointed in you.
Overall, it was a heck of a day, and for a good cause. Sign me up for next year!