Rooted in Princes Park
The pitch-and-putt course in Princes Park originally opened in the 1940s. For generations, simple outdoor games like this were part of the rhythm of an Eastbourne day: a walk through the park, a round with family or friends and the pleasure of trying to improve on last time. After the course had been closed for many years, its greens and character still held the promise of becoming a lively local attraction again.
Salim Rajwani saw that promise. He had the idea of rejuvenating the eighteen-hole course and giving it a fresh purpose for modern visitors. His vision was not about turning the park into an indoor-style crazy golf attraction. It was about restoring a real putting experience in a beautiful setting and making it approachable for children, adults, experienced golfers and complete beginners alike.
Continuing Salim’s idea
After Salim sadly passed away, his brother Hanif and Salim’s business partner Yasim chose to continue the project. Carrying the idea forward meant more than reopening a course. It meant honouring the original ambition to bring a neglected Eastbourne attraction back into use and to create a place where people could enjoy time together.
Princes Mini Golf and Café is the result: an outdoor course with eighteen holes, a clubhouse and seating both inside and outside. The combination matters. Golf gives the visit energy and a little competition; the café gives everyone a reason to slow down, talk about the round and enjoy the park for longer. Together they create the kind of local day out that can become a family tradition.
A course for the whole community
The revived course is built around inclusion and ease. There is no age restriction, no need to own equipment and no expectation that visitors already know how to play. Club hire is included, the rules are simple, and the first-come, first-served approach keeps a visit spontaneous. A child can take a first swing beside a grandparent, while friends can keep a serious scorecard or laugh off every missed putt.
The setting remains central to the experience. Princes Park offers greenery, open space and a sense of calm close to Eastbourne seafront. The course follows that character rather than competing with it. On a clear day, it is active without being hectic and playful without feeling artificial.
Keeping the welcome warm
Today, Princes Mini Golf aims to be the sort of place visitors remember for the right reasons: a friendly greeting, a satisfying round, a good coffee and the feeling that everyone was able to join in. Seasonal weather will always shape an outdoor course, but the purpose stays the same throughout the year — to make Princes Park a little more fun and to keep a piece of Eastbourne’s leisure history alive.
Whether you remember the older pitch-and-putt course or are discovering Princes Mini Golf for the first time, every visit adds another chapter. The next story might begin with a family scorecard, a long putt across the green or a rematch arranged over ice cream at the clubhouse.