Magic Carpet is open Spring through Fall, and with weather permitting, winter too. "I enjoy watching people have fun." Her dad Bill was also a people person and very family oriented.īy trade he was a welder and trained a wartime generation of female welders made famous by the cultural icon Rosie the Riveter. This year the family business has been the seen of many family reunions as well, many with 20-30 people playing together. "They look forward to the tradition when they're in Lake Tahoe." "We're now seeing third and fourth generations here," she said. Karen enjoys the generations of families she's seen go through Magic Carpet. Her grandson Nicholas who is a senior in high school wants to make "real" golf a career and currently works at a course. You have to be awfully good to get a hold in one on each hole Karen said, adding that she hasn't seen that done before on her course. When asked what her best score has been at Magic Carpet, she said a 27 on the 18 hole course. She still plays the Magic Carpet course a couple of times a week as well as hitting the "real" golf courses. "It's not a bad place to be," said Karen. The team camped out at the golf course over the 4th of July weekend. Son Tony is a high school baseball coach and brings the team to South Lake Tahoe to play during the summer. The family truly does enjoy family time, no matter how many are in town. They also hire local teens to help out in the summer since the course is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. At any time you'll be sure to find one of them working the front counter at Magic Carpet. Karen and Gino have four children, Tony, Nicki, Karey and Gina. Though none of them live in South Lake Tahoe year round, they all come to town for the summer along with their own children to help run the family business.
Their children, all now adults, have grown up at Magic Carpet.
Karen and her husband Gino Franceschi live most of the year above the Magic Carpet Golf on the corner of Lodi and 50, then head off the hill from time to time to their other home in Forestville, CA. Cal Trans bought the Russian River course in 1994 due to a freeway planned for the property. In 1974 they added a Reno location for daughter Jeanne, who, you guessed it, still runs the place.ĭaughter Karen operated the Russian River property until 1992 when she switched locations with Peggy and moved to South Lake Tahoe. Daughter Peggy was given this course to run. In 1970, Bill and Mary bought property at Carnelian Bay and build the first Lake Tahoe area Magic Carpet Golf. In 1948 he built a popular course along the Russian River where he raised his family, one that daughter Karen has very fond memories of. Family members ran all of those except for the ones in Konoti and Bakersfield. He had built 13 miniature golf courses with uncles and brothers in the California cities of Alameda, Lake Berryessa, Bakersfield (an indoor course), Pinole and Konocti Harbor, then in Key West, Biloxi and Galveston. Cheap rates and limited crowds.Bill was no stranger to the business. The one thing that impresses me the most about this. Magic Carpet Golf opened this mini putt putt in the mid 1970's and it has been the location for many of our family birthday parties over the years. Two courses, lots of moving obstacles, water traps and just fun targets. This is the mini putt putt golf course you use to see. there was a baby boy running around naked in the front.
But when we first got there it was a little awkward. It’s honestly a really fun place, I love mini golfing especially when the weather is nice. Tons of creativity going on and three different courses and a little arcade.