Golf the Galleries

Miniature golf, that salve for many a dull summer night, returns to the Sheldon Galleries (3648 Washington Boulevard; www.thesheldon.org) this summer, with creative and challenging holes designed by artists. The indoor golf course will fill the Sheldon's second floor, providing a welcome respite from the summer heat.

Golf the Galleries officially opens Saturday, June 1, with nine all-new holes. Justin King, creator of last year's recycled cardboard fantasia Serengeti Park, will be back with a new hole that's again made of old cardboard. King's Kraken's Cove has a giant octopus and other sea life; players must thread their ball through the creature's tentacles to sink their putt. Master puppeteer and theater scene designer Ryan Marshall will offer The Little Foxes, a scaled-down version of the Fox Theatre, starring marionette versions of Louis Laclede and a skulk of tiny foxes. And Constance Vale, architectural director of the Factory of Smoke and Mirrors, will offer The Mat, the Tapestry and the Magic Carpet, which inverts the golf course. Carpeted surfaces travel up the wall and are suspended above the floor, so that the playing surface becomes the obstacle.

Golf the Galleries will be open from noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 1 to August 11. The last tee time is one hour prior to closing.

It's free to walk through the course, and $6 to $10 to play. Tee times are first come, first served. Group rates and private rentals are also available; call 314-533-9900.