When Joe Rieman decided to open up a mini-golf complex in Sahuarita, he wanted it to be a place that would cater to all age groups.
That idea evolved into Triple Play, a family entertainment center with batting cages, a restaurant, an arcade, a banquet room and five plasma television sets.
Triple Play is at 1570 W. Duval Mine Road, west of Interstate 19.
Rieman, a physical-education teacher at Sahuarita High School, got the idea from the students at his school.
"The kids say there is not a lot to do down here," Rieman said.
Locals agree.
"There's not enough activity for kids," said Cathy Walker, a Green Valley resident.
The facility can help keep children occupied, she added.
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Adeline Mitchell, 65, said, "It's a place for kids to go and stay out of trouble."
Even though the idea was inspired by his students, Rieman didn't forget about the adults and retirees who live in the community.
"I realized goofy golf wouldn't cut it," he said.
Instead, the course is designed to resemble a real golf course.
"Anything you face in a regular golf course, you face here," he said.
The 18-hole golf course features sand traps, hills and taller grass around the greens that slows the ball down.
The course also has a special kind of sand that fills in the grass and makes the ground softer when the ball lands and rolls on it.
It was designed to give patrons a chance to work on their games.
"If you hit a hole-in-one in here, you earned it," he said.
The batting cages at Triple Play have five stalls that feature fast- and slow-pitch softball, as well as baseball.
The cages can be rented out or people can use tokens.
Marcos Blanco, 22, an employee, said he believes everybody can enjoy the facility.
"It's an adult thing, too," Blanco said.
"People can mingle with other people," he added.
Inside the facility, patrons can eat at the restaurant while watching various sports on any of the televisions in the complex.
Besides the five plasma televisions, there are also two regular TVs on the outside patio and one TV overlooking the pool table inside.
The televisions feature most of the sports packages offered by Direct TV, including the National Football League and Major League Baseball, Rieman said.
They also tune into UA games and NBA games on TNT.
The complex is not just a neighborhood hangout.
Many groups use the facility for fund-raisers, banquets and other functions, Rieman said.
The golf course has become a popular destination for groups wanting to hold fund-raisers because of the realistic course and cheaper prices, he said.
It also takes only an hour to play the course, Rieman said.
Neighborhood Little League teams hold their sign-ups at the complex. Rieman lets the teams use the facility for free.
"We do whatever we can to help the kids," he said.
Not only has Triple Play contributed to the community, but the community has also looked to return the favor.
The walls are decorated with memorabilia from professional, college and high school teams, as well as pictures of neighborhood softball teams.
Most of the mementos are donated by community members.
If you go
● What: Triple Play
● Where: 1570 W. Duval Mine Road.
● When: Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m Sunday.
● Costs: Golf is $6.50, $6 for kids under 12 and seniors. Batting cages are $1 per token; each token is worth 17 pitches. Buy five tokens and get the sixth one free.
● More information: call 625-PUTT (7888).
