Mini Golf

Mini Golf (Putt-Putt or Crazy Golf) is the compact golf-themed putting game. Hit a ball into a hole using as few strokes as possible. Walls, bumpers and narrow gaps make each hole a small puzzle. The format took off in 1920s America, when Garnet Carter’s Tom Thumb Golf on Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, helped start a nationwide craze; by 1930 there were thousands of courses across the US.

How to play

• Press on (or right next to) the ball, then DRAG in the OPPOSITE direction of where you want the ball to go. It works with a mouse or a finger.
• The further the pointer is from the ball, the harder the putt. A dashed aim line shows the direction and turns from yellow to red as you approach full power.
• Release to putt. The ball rolls, bounces off walls and slows down until it stops.
• The cup: the ball only drops if it’s rolling slowly enough. A putt that is too firm rolls straight over the hole.
• Walls and bumpers (brown): bounce the ball back, taking away a little of its speed.
• 9 holes total (par 2 to par 5, par 32 for the course). Track strokes vs par; your best course total is saved in your browser.

Beginner strategy

• Aim with low power first. Weak straight putts more valuable than wild bounces.
• Walls are predictable. Plan ricochet shots. Sometimes bank shots are shorter than direct.
• Use the full drag only when you need it. A maxed-out putt bounces around the course and is hard to control.
• Arrive slowly at the cup. Overshooting is common, and a fast ball skips over the hole. Aim to have it running out of speed as it reaches the cup.
• Read par. Par 2 = direct shot. Par 3 = expects one ricochet. Par 4 = multiple obstacles.

Intermediate strategy

• Bank shot math. The ball comes off a wall at roughly the angle it went in, a little slower. Mental geometry helps.
• Stack rounds. Beat par on multiple holes for cumulative score.
• Round bumpers. Holes 6 and 9 have circular obstacles. Glancing blows deflect the ball sharply, so give them a wide berth.
• Thread the gaps. Some holes block the direct line with walls that leave only a narrow opening. A gentle, accurate putt through the gap beats a hard one.
• Bogey = +1, Birdie = -1, Eagle = -2. Track relative to par.

Mini Golf history

• 1920s — Carter’s Tennessee: Tom Thumb Golf, one of the first and most famous commercial miniature golf courses.
• 1930 — boom: thousands of courses across the US. National obsession.
• 1954 — Putt-Putt: the Putt-Putt chain is founded in North Carolina, known for skill-based courses without windmills and other gimmicks.
• 1980s-90s — themed courses: windmills, clowns, jungle themes.
• Modern era: mini golf remains a family entertainment staple worldwide. Themed/augmented reality variants emerging.

Common mistakes

• Power-shotting. Strong putts ricochet wildly.
• Aiming at the hole directly when walls are in the way. Bank shots beat direct shots.
• Hitting the cup too hard. A fast ball rolls over the hole instead of dropping.
• Forgetting par. Track relative to par for cumulative scoring.

FAQ

• Q: What’s par? A: Par is the expected stroke count for a hole. Par 2 = direct shot expected.
• Q: What’s a bogey/birdie? A: Bogey = 1 over par. Birdie = 1 under par. Eagle = 2 under par.
• Q: Why do walls absorb some energy? A: Real walls aren’t perfectly elastic. Here the ball keeps about 80% of its speed into the wall on each bounce.
• Q: Can I beat par on every hole? A: With practice and good aim, you can match or beat it on most holes.

For other arcade-style games, try Bowling, Pinball, Breakout, or Pong.