
What is miniature golf?
Miniature golf. Miniature golf, also known as minigolf, mini-putt, crazy golf, or putt-putt, is an offshoot of the sport of golf focusing solely on the putting aspect of its parent game, the aim of the game is to score the lowest number of points.
How many people play golf each year?
This includes 24.8 million people who played on a golf course and another 12.1 million who participated exclusively in off-course golf activities at places like driving ranges, indoor golf simulators or golf entertainment venues like Topgolf and Drive Shack. The industry has had seven straight years with more than 2 million beginners.
How many players are there in the world of minigolf?
World Minigolfsport Federation represents some 40,000 registered competition players from 37 countries. The national minigolf federation of Germany has 11,000 members with a competing license, and the Swedish federation has 8,000 registered competition players.
Is mini golf an Olympic sport?
Europe, North America, Japan. Olympic. No. World Games. 1989 (invitational) Miniature golf, also known as minigolf, mini-putt, goofy golf, crazy golf, or putt-putt, is an offshoot of the sport of golf focusing solely on the putting aspect of its parent game. The aim of the game is to score the lowest number of points.
Do people still play mini golf?
More than 130 million people play mini golf each year; annual revenue across the industry exceeds $1 billion.
How many mini golf courses are in the United States?
There are only about 5,000 mini-golf courses still in America. But there is a real art to the elaborate design of many of them. Here are six of the most eye-catching around the the country: Par-King Skill Golf: Lincolnshire, Illinois.
What countries is mini golf popular in?
These countries include the United States, Japan, China, India and Taiwan. A national minigolf federation exists also in Moldova, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand, but none of these countries has ever participated in international competitions, and probably are not arranging many domestic competitions either.
What city has the most miniature golf courses?
Myrtle Beach, S.C.Myrtle Beach, S.C., which claims to have more miniature golf courses than any other city, is home to Hawaiian Rumble. The course hosts the annual Masters of Miniature Golf.
What is the mini golf capital of the world?
Myrtle Beach areaThe Myrtle Beach area, called the "seaside golf capital of the world" because it harbors over 100 golf courses, also claims to be the "miniature golf capital of the world," owing to its 50 miniature golf courses.
What is the number 1 mini golf course in America?
1. Par-King Skill Golf. Par-King is considered the “World's Most Unusual Golf Course” as well as mini golf's Taj Mahal.
Is mini golf an American thing?
The first recorded game of mini golf was in Scotland. The first American mini golf course opened in Pinehurst, North Carolina in 1961. Glow-in-the-dark mini golf was invented in Scandinavia because of their long nights and short days.
When did miniature golf become popular?
Mini Golf in the 1950s and 1960s In addition to curves, banks, rolls, and pipes, even more challenging golf courses included wishing wells, castles, windmills, and other obstacles. Around 1961 miniature golf became an organized and widely recognized sport.
What is the hardest mini golf course?
Fantasia FairwaysFantasia Fairways was voted the longest and most challenging mini golf course in the world by Golf Digest. Par is 72 for the fairways course. Confirmed by Walt Disney World, the record for the fairways course is 50 (22 under par) and was shot by Bubba Watson.
What is the hardest mini golf course in the world?
Fantasia FairwaysFantasia Fairways was voted the longest and most challenging mini golf course in the world by Golf Digest. Par is 72 for the fairways course. Confirmed by Walt Disney World, the record for the fairways course is 50 (22 under par) and was shot by Bubba Watson.
What industry is mini golf?
A Fun Family Entertainment Business More than 130 million people play miniature golf every year with an excess of $1 billion annually in industry revenues. From children to senior citizens, miniature golf appeals to players of all ages. What's more, it's a fun business to operate.
Is Putt Putt a brand?
The company started in 1954—with its heyday in the '60s and '70s—and grew to more than 300 locations and emerged as a household name. As the only branded miniature golf firm in the world, Putt-Putt secured copyrights on everything from the obstacles to the type of green carpet used on its courses.
How many strokes in one round of minigolf?
The world record on one round of minigolf is 18 strokes on 18 holes. More than a thousand players have officially achieved this score on eternite. On other playing systems a perfect round of 18 holes-in-one is extremely rare, and has never been scored in an official national or international tournament.
Why can't you use Beton in rain?
The other commonly used surface materials, beton and eternite, cannot be used in rainy weather, because the rainwater pools on them, stopping the ball from rolling.) The Swedish Minigolf Federation (Svenska Bangolfförbundet) was founded in 1937, being the oldest minigolf sport organization in the world.
What is the name of the game of mini golf?
The name Putt-Putt is the trademark of an American company that builds and franchises miniature golf courses in addition to other family-oriented entertainment, and the term "putt-putt" is sometimes used colloquially to refer to the game itself. The term "minigolf" was formerly a registered trademark of a Swedish company that built its own patented type of minigolf courses.
When was minigolf invented?
One of the first documented minigolf courses in mainland Europe was built in 1926 by Fr. Schröder in Hamburg, Germany. Mr. Schröder had been inspired by his visit to the United States, where he had seen minigolf courses spreading across the country.
What is the putting surface used in a sandbox?
The game uses artificial putting surfaces (such as carpet, artificial turf, or concrete), a geometric layout often requiring non-traditional putting lines such as bank shots, and artificial obstacles such as tunnels, tubes, ramps, moving obstacles such as windmills, and walls of concrete, metal, or fiberglass.
What is the sport of mini golf?
Europe, North America, Japan. Olympic. No. World Games. 1989 (invitational) Miniature golf, also known as minigolf, mini-putt, goofy golf, crazy golf, or putt-putt, is an offshoot of the sport of golf focusing solely on the putting aspect of its parent game. The aim of the game is to score the lowest number of points.
Which countries have minigolf?
These countries include the United States, Japan, China, India and Taiwan. A national minigolf federation exists also in Moldova, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand, but none of these countries has ever participated in international competitions, and probably are not arranging many domestic competitions either.
What is the aim of minigolf?
Minigolf is a sport enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities and the aim of the game is to hit a ball from a tee-off point into a hole in as few shots as possible. Minigolf courses include a variety of interesting and tricky obstacles for players to Putt through, over, under and around!
How many shots do you need to score in minigolf?
Players aim to score as close to 18 shots per round, with the record on the Miniaturegolf being a perfect score of 18 strokes. Minigolf is played not only as a leisure activity by millions of people each year, but also as a serious top-level sport by thousands of people all over the world.
How many lanes are there in a minigolf course?
Minigolf Open Standard (MOS). A tournament Minigolf course must have 18 lanes. Players use Putters designed for the needs of Minigolfers as well as special Minigolf balls made of rubber and designed with competition players in mind, allowing them to nd the best hole-in-one shot.
How many different minigolf balls are there?
There are hundreds of different Minigolf balls available and they vary in bounce, hardness, weight and surface properties. In training players will look to find best ball for each lane to achieve the highest possible ace percentage with optimal strokes.
What Our Owners Say?
"The people at Harris were efficient, effective and flexible. I was on site every day during construction and the guys were always asking me for my input. They would take what I suggested and make it happen. They were on time and on budget, which was an absolute delight! Best of all, I’ve made a ton of money in the miniature golf business."
Revenue Calculator
Use the interactive revenue calculator below to estimate how much money you can make operating a mini golf course.
What Our Owners Say?
"The people at Harris were efficient, effective and flexible. I was on site every day during construction and the guys were always asking me for my input. They would take what I suggested and make it happen. They were on time and on budget, which was an absolute delight! Best of all, I’ve made a ton of money in the miniature golf business."
The Harris Guarantee
At Harris, we always provide our clients with the full extent of our talents. We believe in the little things that will make all the difference between a job well done and a job remarkably done. The courses we build not only meet, but surpass customers’ expectations. We complete our projects on budget and on time.
Jump-Start Your Existing Business
Turn your restaurant, driving range, amusement park, ice cream stand, or other businesses into a money generating machine with a miniature golf course by Harris. Countless of our clients announced that generated earnings by their new miniature golf courses far exceed any other sales.
More Is Better: The Case for 36 Holes
With two 18-hole mini golf courses, it is the key to boost returning business and profitability for your facility. Not only do two golf courses produce more challenges and choices for golf lovers, they provide the space to welcome bigger crowds on weekends and summer evenings.
How long does it take for a mini golf course to pay for itself?
Many courses pay for themselves within 1-3 years. Mini golf profits are widely recognised as being more lucrative than other similar attractions, such as go-cart racing, paintball games, and rock climbing.
Do mini golf courses go out of style?
And, secondly, mini golf courses never go out of style—they are always popular.
What percentage of golfers are women?
0 %. of on-course golfers are women. Females represent a disproportionately higher percentage of juniors (34%), beginners (36%) and off-course participants (45%) than they do in the overall golf population. Latent Demand.
How many people will play golf in 2020?
played golf – both on-course and off-course – in 2020. This includes 24.8 million people who played on a golf course and another 12.1 million who participated exclusively in off-course golf activities at places like driving ranges, indoor golf simulators or golf entertainment venues like Topgolf and Drive Shack.
How many yards does a pro golfer drive?
A standard drive for a tour pro is 291 yards, while the average golfer comes in at 235 yards. For most golfers, their favorite golf major to watch on television is the Masters, with the U.S. Open, the British Open, and the PGA Championship following in popularity.
How many people play golf?
Nearly 30 million people play golf, and 77 percent of those people are male. That’s nearly 10 percent of the population of the U.S. which is a pretty large number all things considered.
Is golf a competition?
Most players aren’t professional golfers, they’re individuals enjoying the sport, whether they’re playing with a group of friends, co-workers, or family members. Golf isn’t a competition for most players , it’s a chance to get out and enjoy a game, work on your technique, and enjoy some company.
How many golfers are male?
Since 77% of US golfers are male, this information doesn’t seem surprising. Furthermore, although golf industry demographics clearly reflect a rise in the number of younger participants, senior citizens remain the most common golfers.
How much is the golf industry worth?
It includes some 15,000 facilities and is worth approximately $84.1 billion.
How many golf courses are there in the world?
More specifically, the latest data tells us there are 38,864 golf courses worldwide. However, the sport isn’t popular everywhere, at least not for now. Golf hasn’t reached glory yet in 16% of the countries in the world. In the remaining 84% of them, there’s at least one golf course.
What is Jovana's background?
A literary aficionado and an aspiring erudite, Jovana chose content writing as a way of sharing new ideas and interesting nuances of everyday life with the world. With an academic background in English language and literature, and command of five more languages, doing research and creating engaging content has never been boring. In her free time, she likes to travel and spend countless hours trying to learn Finnish.
How many majors has Golden Bear won?
The Golden Bear has won 18 Major Championships, is among the first people in the Golf Hall of Fame (1974), and the first one to win around $2 million in golf prizes. Before retiring from golf, he went on to write books and start a company that produces gold equipment.
Is golf a specific sport?
We’ve seen how golf works globally, and now we’re taking a closer look at American golf. No, it’s not a specific kind of golf, but the sport seems to be so big in the US that it’s only fair to give this topic more attention.

Overview
Miniature golf, also known as minigolf, mini-putt, goofy golf, crazy golf, or putt-putt, is an offshoot of the sport of golf focusing solely on the putting aspect of its parent game. The aim of the game is to score the lowest number of points. It is played on courses consisting of a series of holes (usually a multiple of 9) similar to its parent, but characterized by their short length (usually within 10 yards fro…
Nomenclature
While the international sports organization World Minigolf Sport Federation (WMF) prefers to use the name "minigolf", the general public in different countries has also many other names for the game: miniature golf, mini-golf, midget golf, goofy golf, shorties, extreme golf, crazy golf, adventure golf, mini-putt, putter golf and so on. The name Putt-Putt is the trademark of an American company that builds and franchises miniature golf courses in addition to other family-oriented e…
History
Geometrically-shaped minigolf courses made of artificial materials (carpet) began to emerge during the early 20th century. The earliest documented mention of such a course is in the 8 June 1912 edition of The Illustrated London News, which introduces a minigolf course called Gofstacle.
The first standardized minigolf courses to enter commercial mass-production …
Course types
All competitions approved by World Minigolfsport Federation are played on standardized courses, whose design has been checked to be suitable for competitive play. The WMF currently approves four different course types:
• Beton (abbreviated B, sometimes called "Bongni" and named after Paul Bongni of Geneva, Switzerland, "Minigolf" or "Abteilung 1")
Competitions
Nearly all European countries have an official national federation for promoting minigolf as a competition sport. The bi-annual European Championships attract competitors from more than twenty European countries. As of 2012, Chris Beattie has been the holder of the European Championship title. Outside Europe only a small number of countries have participated in international minigolf competitions. These countries include the United States, Japan, China, Ind…
See also
• Clock golf
• Défi mini-putt, a 1990s RDS televised minigolf series from Quebec
• European Minigolf Sport Federation
• M.C. Mini Masters, a unique annual amateur miniature golf tournament
External links
• A Couple of Putts - Miniature Golf Course consultation and design duo with a website that reviews mini golf courses around the world, including a number of temporary and artist-designed courses
• World records in minigolf
• WMF - World Minigolfsport Federation (WMF)