For the Boston University students who spent their Saturday evening practicing their short game at the George Sherman Union, the night was about more than just golf.
About 400 students attended Putt-Putt and Pizza, which transformed half of the GSU Ballroom into a nine-hole miniature golf course complete with a windmill, castle and train.
The other side featured a dance floor illuminated by a disco ball that enticed some students to dance, while others sat on the floor eating pizza with their friends or waited in line to hit some golf balls.
The free event, sponsored by the Students Activities Office, sought to unite incoming students as well as welcome back returning students, said Mindy Stroh, SAO senior coordinator of programs.
“We want to have events that get the first-years introduced to each other,” said Stroh, who has helped organize all of SAO’s fall welcome events.
College of Arts and Sciences freshman Jessica Henderson, who also went to Splash and Friday’s Drive-In Movie, said she would attend other events similar to Putt-Putt and Pizza because they have helped her meet other freshmen outside her dorm.
“I’ve enjoyed myself,” she said after playing the nine-hole course.
Ray Boston of Ray Boston Productions provided the mini-golf course and prizes as part of his “Ray Gives it Away” act.
The event culminated with a raffle of more than $1,000 in prizes including CD and DVD players, TVs, stereos, stuffed animals, alarm clocks, swimsuit calendars and collections of laundry supplies complete with $10 worth of quarters.
In order to get raffle tickets and increase their chances at winning, students had to dance and perform other wacky tasks to songs such as “I’m a Little Teapot,” “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “Surfin’ USA” – all of which Boston played on his acoustic guitar.
During “Surfin’ USA,” some male students lied on the floor and pretended to be surfboards while girls stood on their backs and pretended to ride the waves.
At the end of the night, after hours of dancing and goofing off, many students happily walked away with prizes.
Acting Student Union President Jon Marker said the event was a success because it helped make freshmen feel welcome during the first week of school.
“It’s a good way for freshmen to come out and see that they can still have fun at university events,” Marker said.
Other upcoming SAO-sponsored events at the GSU include Frank Santos, an “R-rated” hypnotist, at 11 p.m. on Friday and the Student Activities Expo at 4 p.m. on Sept. 22.