PHOTO BY SEAN COLLIER

As I continued to hurl beanbags off of low-hanging spaceships, I came to the conclusion that I’m not particularly good at cornhole. Fortunately, if you’re playing Cornhole Golf, it hardly matters.

An invention of Joe Vivirito and found at Mars-Bethel Golf in Adams Township, Cornhole Golf is a remix of miniature golf — without all the pesky putting. Across 18 holes, you’ll toss cornhole bags at a distant target, hoping to sink (land?) your throw from a more valuable launching point than your competitors.

Vivirito didn’t just design the course; he invented the game and is hoping to license it to mini-golf courses in other cities. It’s his clever scoring system, which uses golf terminology on this decidedly non-golf game, that makes Cornhole Golf accessible — even for those of us (like myself) without much of a throwing arm.

If you nail your throw from the farthest distance, that counts as a hole-in-one; from the next, two strokes; from the last, three. If you miss all three, give yourself four strokes — but if you manage to land on the board (but not in the hole) on any of those attempts, you’ll gather points that can bring down your total at the end of the game.

Need any of that clarified? Not to worry — staff walks every new player through the game for no extra charge. You’ll get a primer beforehand; 10 minutes later, you’ll be trying to arc your beanbag around rotating satellite dishes and avoid pesky rock formations.

The extraterrestrial theme is a big part of the appeal. Leaning into the Martian name of the nearby town, Cornhole Golf is dotted with smiling green aliens and winding purple tentacles (one of which actually rips a target board in half). It’s all the fun and frivolity of classic mini-golf obstacles but on a clear theme.

The game, though, is its own draw. While miniature golf is obviously for all ages, this reinvention of the game provides a distinct and invigorating challenge. It also may be more accessible for younger guests, as throwing a thing at a thing is a bit more manageable than lining up a perfect putt. (Admittedly, some guests may have a tougher time, at least with the hole-in-one distance; many of the targets are an impressive distance from the “tee.”)

Cornhole Golf is a lovely night out (capped, inevitably, by a trip to the ice cream stand at the clubhouse). It can also be extended with a round through Mars-Bethel’s traditional mini-golf course or the equally innovative Soccer Golf, which trades putters for feet (and adds a lot of distance).

Moreover, though, the place is a reminder of why miniature golf has endured as a dozen other recreational diversions have come and gone. (Axe throwing, we hardly knew ye.) There’s something ineffable about heading to a putt-putt course on a late summer evening, taking advantage of a slow sunset to stroll placidly around well-worn greens. It’s a game where every good putt — or, in this case, spot-on toss — is a cause for celebration, while every dud is easy to laugh off.

It’s a beautiful experience anywhere — and at Mars-Bethel Golf, it’s even better. Even if you do keep chucking your beanbag into pesky UFOs.