I’ve been on my fair share of putt-putt dates. And when I’m occasionally talked into playing on a charity golf tournament foursome, my “best ball” never comes from the driver.

So when I heard Tiger Woods was part of a new putting-range golf concept called Popstroke, I was excited to try it out last weekend with my 18-year-old son. The course features artificial turf made to mimic fairways, bunkers and rough — exactly as you’d see on a normal course.

Turns out, it was the perfect activity for each of us.

Upon arrival we paid for an all-day pass to play as many rounds of putt-putt as possible and were offered our choice of two 18-hole putting courses. While we originally opted for the “easier” course, we ended up playing the “harder” course simply because there were fewer people in line. It was the first time I’d been putting with my son in maybe a decade, but as we lined up our first putt, the competitive spirit within both of us quickly began to surface.

I took an early lead, and at one point, I was up by three strokes (and nearly made a hole in one on Hole 13). However, my luck turned shortly after my son made his hole in one on Hole 16. Unable to close out a strong game, I began to fold under the intense pressure of putt-putt and finished two strokes behind my boy (though we didn’t keep an official scorecard).

After I licked my wounds, we decided to take a break and enjoyed a meal at the lower-level restaurant. Our tuna tartare appetizer was excellent, as were our entrée orders of blackened mahi tacos and blackened shrimp tacos. On-the-course beverage delivery is also an option using the Popstroke app, but at the time we were too focused on our game to request any liquid refreshment.

After dinner and conversation, we had several additional game options available, including ping pong, foosball and cornhole. We settled on Ping-Pong — only because I’m incapable of beating him at foosball or cornhole — and, like a good kid, he agreed to give me a fighting chance. However, I didn’t realize the two Ping-Pong tables were located in an open area immediately behind the center bar, allowing anyone to watch the game being played. As we walked up to the table, I purposefully pushed away thoughts of potential Ping-Pong embarrassment and decided to just have fun with my son.

We smiled and laughed throughout our two games of 21; my son beat me 21–17 in the first match, and I was ahead 19–12 before losing 24–26 in the second match. Apparently, the thought of losing to your mom in front of perfect strangers is enough to battle back and claim Popstroke glory.

And while the evening reminded me of our previous putt-putt excursions from years ago, as well as our Ping-Pong battles in my parent’s living room, the truth is, that night at Popstroke, I enjoyed my son’s friendship.

Win or lose, that’s something a putt-putt date with my boy can always deliver.

— Carrie Cox, account executive