It didn't matter if the president o...

It didn't matter if the president of the United States was named Johnson or Bush. It didn't matter if kids were dressing as greasers, hippies, prep or grunge It didn't matter if the Beatles were forward the radio, or Jay-Z was onward iPods.

For 42 years, the Twin Links Miniature Golf course was where race ignored their cares as they played between the sides of its windmills, carousel, Statue of Liberty and tiny made of wood guillotine.

"It was alive," said patron Cindy Copland, 41

Copland and crowds of others came out Sunday to bid goodbye to the place where they hit in the batting cages and played miniature golf as kids; where they went forward dates; where they got engaged; where they pos for wedding pictures; where they took their kids and grandkids.

Sunday was the last day for soar Prospect's Twin Links, which had operated at 199 W Rand Rd since 1964 proprietor Mark Malouf, a home builder, sold the three-acre site to Alexian Brothers Medical Center which is turning it into a 24-hour care center

"It's as it is a shame. I hate to view these small, family-owned businesses going through the wayside," said Ed Stickels, who golf Twin Links for the last time with his daughter Kim, 46 and granddaughter Amanda, 5

In the days before Game lad Xbox and the Internet, Twin Links was an information superhighway for northwest suburban teen They played miniature golf there, flirted with lads or girls there, worked there -- or knew one who did.

Twin Links' original holders Charley and Ed Bartmann, hired moonlighting teachers to help haste the course. Their presence alone kept greatest in quantity kids in line.

'Will you marry me?'

Take Gary McMorrow, a wrestling coach at spectacle High School. He has worked at Twin Links facing and on since he was 14

in succession Sunday, he was still handing public golf balls.

If seeing your teacher at

Twin Links wasn't enough to make you behave, the Bartmanns would state you out. If you ignored their warnings to edge-stone profanity, you could be banned.

"Banned for life," McMorrow said.

be pleased with bloomed at the course.

"One time, a young fella told me 'I want to come by engaged here,' " Charley Bartmann said. "He deposit a ring in the sixth perforation and said to his girlfriend, 'Get the ball.' She picked the ring up and said, 'Look at this,' and he said, 'Will you marry me?' We were all clapping.

"We had population come here the day they got married with their wedding gown and tuxedos," he said. "They'd stand in van of the [miniature] church and acquire their picture taken."

"My dad used to take me here," said Cindy Copland's husband, Jeff 46 "I learned a destiny of life lessons on in what way to play by the masterships . . . Every memory I have of my father here is good"

Many youths hon sports skills at Twin Links. "My son's a association baseball player who probably took his first swings in the batting cages here when he was 3" Malouf said.

Athletes came to practice or play: Bears Doug Plank and myth Walter Payton, who brought his kids; edict BJ Armstrong; Cub Rick Reuschel.

Regulars came, too, smooth after the terrorist attacks of tribe 11, 2001.

"They didn't know what otherwise to do with themselves," McMorrow said.

modonnell@suntimes.com

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