Rollergirls kick off themed nights at Obstacle Art

By Kristen Peterson (contact)

Friday, April 14, 2006 | 7:21 a.m.

If you think playing nine holes of art is whacky, try playing nine holes of art in the company of Las Vegas roller derby players while DJ John Doe spins tunes.

On Saturday night, the Sin City Rollergirls will be at Obstacle Art, the art-themed golf course on Commerce Street, collecting admission and supplying golfers with balls and clubs.

It's the first of what's likely to be a regular themed golf night that Obstacle Art organizers hope will draw more visitors to the downtown course.

"On First Friday, it's plenty busy enough, but there's still a lot of people who don't know about it," said Cindy Funkhouser, who organized Saturday's event. "We'd like to have people coming on a daily basis."

The nine-hole course features the work of local artists, who created themed holes, including a tattoo-inspired hole, a religious/philosophical hole and a Lenin-as-a-golfer hole (complete with golf-themed propaganda).

There is no pressure. The ninth-hole par is infinity and the golf hole made by architect Stephen Jackson is par 42.

"Some people have done it in 3," said Funkhouser, referring to Jackson's hole. "Most people get it in 11 or 15."

The course is a nonprofit endeavor and run by volunteers. Funkhouser said that at least five of the roller derby team members will be at Obstacle Art volunteering.

Obstacle Art also serves as something of a gift shop for First Friday, the monthly festival in the art district. It sells artwork and art objects by downtown artists, who receive 100 percent of the sales.

"We are selling as much art as we are taking entry fees," Funkhouser said.

Obstacle Art is located at 1551 S. Commerce St., just north of Wyoming. Hours are 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. This Saturday's event will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is $3 (whether you play golf or not). For more information, go to www.obstacleartcourse.org.

EXHIBIT: Anyone who missed "Vegas VIP," an exhibit last spring at POST Modern of vintage Vegas postcards and historic photographs, can catch the show in the Bridge Gallery in Las Vegas City Hall.

The exhibit of giant postcards of yore - featuring hotels now imploded, the Hoover Dam, atomic testing and other Las Vegas events and destinations - opens today on the second floor of the building. It continues through June 30. Admission is free. Call 229-4674.

BOOK SIGNING: On Wednesday there will be a reception and book signing for "The Battle for Las Vegas: The Law vs. the Mob" (Huntington Press) at the Nevada State Museum and Historical Society.

The book was written by Dennis N. Griffin, author of "Policing Las Vegas," a book about the history of Clark County law enforcement dating to 1905. "The Battle for Las Vegas" focuses on efforts by federal and local law enforcements to get the casinos out of the hands of mobsters and to shut down Tony Spilotro's criminal activities.

The book signing will be followed by a 6:30 p.m. panel discussion by the author and journalists who covered some of the stories.

The museum is located at 700 Twin Lakes Drive, next to Lorenzi Park. The books are available in the museum's store. For more information, call 486-5205.