Boomers is the name of the former Upland Family Fun Center, a fixture along 7th Street in Upland since 1972. The miniature golf course abuts the 10 Freeway, and the property also has go-karts, batting cages and a kiddie restaurant, the Boomers Cafe.

(The restaurant was Bullwinkle’s until Boomers took over in 2002.)

In the 12 years I’ve been at the Bulletin, most of them spent commuting between Claremont and our Ontario office, I’ve driven past the golf course thousands of times. I’ve always secretly wanted to go there.

And so, a bunch of us from the newsroom went there on a recent Friday night, the day before my birthday, to celebrate by playing a round. I have very patient friends.

Turns out there are two 18-hole courses. We played the one with the school, the windmill, the Eiffel Tower and Big Ben, among other obstacles and features. It was a lot of fun, despite being breezy, dark and chilly. (Why couldn’t my birthday be during a warmer month, or at least after springing forward?)

The other course has a Spanish Mission. Oooooh. I’ll have to go back and play it sometime.

When we were playing the schoolhouse hole, in which you try to hit the ball through the open front door, a friend reminded me that the schoolhouse used to be painted the traditional red with white trim and have a peaked roof. A few years back, it was painted a softer color and the roof lopped off, for unknown reasons. Further evidence that nothing is sacred.

The Boomers main building, where you get your clubs, is a sprawling place with air hockey, arcade games (some of them very old and charming) and even indoor “cosmic” miniature golf. Another reason to go back.

Anyone have personal experiences with Boomers, Bullwinkle’s or the Upland Family Fun Center? Please post away.