where was the first miniature golf course built

Full Answer

What is the history of miniature golf?

Then, around 1916, a man named James Barber developed a miniature golf course in North Carolina called "Thistle Dhu.". The course was putting-only and featured gardens, fountains and geometric walkways.

When was the first golf course built?

In 1922, Englishmen, Thomas McCulloch Fairborn who was living in Tlahualilo, Mexico built a miniature golf course with a surface made from crushed cottonseed hulls mixed with oil, dyed green, and rolled on top of a sand foundation.

Where did Garnet Carter build his miniature golf course?

Garnet Carter built his miniature golf course on Lookout Mountain in Tennessee to draw traffic to the hotel he owned. His wife, Frieda Carter did most of the designing of the course's obstacles which had a fairyland theme.

Are mini golf courses inspired by real golf?

Today’s mini-golf courses are inspired by the artificial greens used in the early 20thcentury. A good quality artificial grass is an essential aspect of golf as it changes the experience of the game drastically. Our Modern Day Mini Golf Courses Mini Golf Creationshas used the principles of real golf to design its miniature golf courses.

What is the oldest mini golf course in the world?

Whispering Pines Miniature Golf Course holds the world record for oldest golf course that is still in use (since 1930). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Where was miniature golf invented?

As mentioned, the true origins of what we today know as miniature golf have been hotly debated by historians for years. Experts say evidence of mini golf can actually be traced back to China between the years of 937 and 975 A.D. Meanwhile, Dutch historians swear the sport originated in Denmark around 1297.

Who invented the first miniature golf course?

Nobody knows who the inventor of mini golf is, but James Well Barber is documented as having created one the first mini-golf course in his backyard! Another course rumored to have been the first belonged to the ladies putting club of St. Andrew's in Scotland which sits next to the home of the British Open.

When was mini golf first played?

The first iteration of the game we now know as mini golf was documented in the June 8th, 1912 edition of The Illustrated London News. An article in this newspaper introduced the Golfstacle as a concept of a smaller, miniature-sized golf course.

Which country invented golf?

ScotlandSt. Andrews, Scotland. It was here at the St. Andrews Golf Links that the R&A was formed and where the 18-hole round was established.

What is the oldest mini golf course in the USA?

Parkside's Whispering Pines Miniature GolfNew York: Parkside's Whispering Pines Miniature Golf in SeaBreeze (Rochester), New York, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the oldest miniature golf course in the USA, opened in 1930.

What is mini golf called in the UK?

WMF MembersNationGoverning bodyGreat BritainBritish Mini Golf AssociationHungaryMagyar Minigolf Országos SzakszövetségIndiaMinigolf Federation of IndiaIndonesiaPersatuan Mini Golf Indonesia46 more rows

Why was mini golf created?

There are conflicting accounts as to what prompted Garnet Carter, who already owned a real golf course, to open a miniature one in the late 1920s. His wife, Frieda, believed it was meant to distract “golf widows” — much as the Ladies Putting Club, built in 1867, did at the renowned St. Andrews links in Scotland.

When did Putt Putt come out?

October 30, 1992Putt-Putt (series)Putt-PuttPublisher(s)Humongous Entertainment Atari Infogrames Night Dive StudiosCreator(s)Shelley DayPlatform(s)DOS, Microsoft Windows, 3DO, Macintosh, iOS, Android, Nintendo SwitchFirst releasePutt-Putt Joins the Parade October 30, 19924 more rows

What is the difference between crazy golf and mini golf?

In crazy golf, these are found on the playing surface, and players have to putt their ball through or over them. In adventure golf, the features are often next to the holes, with players instead having to negotiate humps, bumps and big slopes. Minigolf is the umbrella term for the sport as a whole.

Is mini golf a sport?

Mini golf is a globally recognized, competitive sport, played professionally by many enthusiastic golfers. Its official governing body, the World Mini Golf Sport Federation (WMF) has over 40,000 registered players, representing over three dozen countries.

What countries have mini golf?

The sport of miniature golf is governed internationally by the World Minigolf Sport Federation (WMF), headquartered in Göteborg, Sweden....WMF Members.NationGoverning bodySwitzerlandSwiss MinigolfTaipeiMinigolf Sport AssociationThailandMinigolf Association Thailand47 more rows

Why was mini golf created?

There are conflicting accounts as to what prompted Garnet Carter, who already owned a real golf course, to open a miniature one in the late 1920s. His wife, Frieda, believed it was meant to distract “golf widows” — much as the Ladies Putting Club, built in 1867, did at the renowned St. Andrews links in Scotland.

Where did the term Putt Putt come from?

The History of the Name 'Putt-Putt' Its name was actually trademarked and popularized as a form of mini-golf.

When did Putt Putt come out?

October 30, 1992Putt-Putt (series)Putt-PuttPublisher(s)Humongous Entertainment Atari Infogrames Night Dive StudiosCreator(s)Shelley DayPlatform(s)DOS, Microsoft Windows, 3DO, Macintosh, iOS, Android, Nintendo SwitchFirst releasePutt-Putt Joins the Parade October 30, 19924 more rows

Who built the first miniature golf course in New York City?

In 1926, Drake Delanoy and John Ledbetter built New York City’s first outdoor miniature golf course on top of a skyscraper. Delanoy and Ledbetter copied Thomas Fairborn's process of using crushed cottonseed hulls and infringed upon Fairborn's patent.

Who built the miniature golf course in Tennessee?

There were also patented processes that related to the game. Garnet Carter built his miniature golf course on Lookout Mountain in Tennessee to draw traffic to the hotel he owned. His wife, Frieda Carter did most of the designing of the course's obstacles which had a fairyland theme.

What is miniature golf?

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, miniature golf is a novelty version of golf played with a putter and golf ball on a miniature course and featuring obstacles such as alleys, bridges, and tunnels.

Who made Tom Thumb miniature golf?

Carter founded the Fairyland Manufacturing Corporation, which by 1930 manufactured and sold over 3000 of his Tom Thumb miniature golf course franchises.

Who invented the game of Tom Thumb Golf?

Garnet Carter was the first person to patent a game of miniature golf which he called "Tom Thumb Golf" in 1927. However, there were a few earlier unpatented versions of miniature golf type games. For example, in 1916, James Barber of Pinehurst, North Carolina had a miniature golf course on his estate called the Thistle Du.

Who was the first person to patent a game of miniature golf?

Garnet Carter was the first person to patent a game of miniature golf. Mary Bellis,was an experimental artist, film director and producer, and freelance writer.

Who used cottonseed hulls on his golf course?

Eventually, a financial arrangement was arrived at between Delanoy and Ledbetter and Fairborn that let the cottonseed hull process be used over 150 roof top miniature courses in New York City. Garnet Carter also had to pay a royalty to Fairborn since he used the cottonseed hull surface on his miniature golf course.

When did miniature golf start?

In 1938 Joseph and Robert Taylor from Binghamton, New York, started building and operating their own miniature golf courses. These courses differed from the ones in the late 20s and early 30s; they were no longer just rolls, banks, and curves, with an occasional pipe thrown in. Their courses not only had landscaping, but also obstacles, including windmills, castles, and wishing wells .

Where was the first miniature golf course in Canada?

The first miniature golf course in Canada was at the Maples Inn in Pointe-Claire, Quebec. The "Mapes" was constructed as a summer home in the 1890s but was renovated into a club in 1902, opened to the public in 1914, and had a miniature golf course in 1930. The popular nightspot burned in 1985.

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.

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 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.

Where was the first mini golf course?

Just four years later in 1916, Pinehur st, North Carolina introduced the Thistle Dhu as the first official standardized mini golf course. The Pinehurst mini golf course is also credited as being the first official mini golf course in America.

When was mini golf invented?

The first iteration of the game we now know as mini golf was documented in the June 8 th, 1912 edition of The Illustrated London News. An article in this newspaper introduced the Golfstacle as a concept of a smaller, miniature-sized golf course. The green was made from carpet and other artificial materials and incorporated geometrically shaped ...

What is mini golf?

Mini golf is an American pastime with a lot of history. While some refer to the sport as putt-putt, crazy golf, mini putt, and other names, the basics of mini golf remain the same. As a biproduct of the original full-size golf sport, mini golf is relatively easy to play while being a lot of fun. Throughout its years of existence, golf itself has gone through several evolutions and changes to make it the game we play today. The same can be said for miniature golf. Harris Miniature Golf Courses is actually one of the pioneers of the US miniature golf business. The company revolutionized the ways in which miniature golf was introduced into the American atmosphere on a mass scale by reimagining the game’s possibilities.

When did miniature golf evolve?

The Evolution of Mini Golf. As the years went on, miniature golf continued to evolve and flourish. In 1922 , the golf aficionado Thomas McCullough Fairborn developed a new artificial green made out of a mix of cottonseed hulls, sand, oil, and dye. This changed the miniature golf game and made it accessible almost anywhere.

When did mini golf start to close?

As with most other industries, mini golf businesses started closing left and right. Before the end of the decade, most mini golf courses had to either close or were demolished.

When did miniature golf become a sport?

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.

Is Harris Miniature Golf a pioneer?

The same can be said for miniature golf. Harris Miniature Golf Courses is actually one of the pioneers of the US miniature golf business. The company revolutionized the ways in which miniature golf was introduced ...

Who built the first mini golf course?

However, Garnet Carter of Tennessee generally gets the credit for the first public mini-golf course, which he called Tom Thumb Golf. He built the course on Lookout Mountain in Tennessee to draw customers to his hotel. His wife, Frieda Carter, did much of the design of the course, which had a fairyland theme.

Where did mini golf originate?

Most trace the origins of mini-golf in Europe to German Frederick Schroder, who constructed a course on his estate in 1926 after seeing courses on a trip to the United States. The Swedish developed an appreciation of the game, forming the first sporting association for mini-golf back in 1937.

Where is mini golf played?

The international governing body for the sport – the World Minigolf Sport Federation – has its home in Goteborg, Sweden. So playing mini-golf now connects players to a long and rich history of a fun sport that remains popular both in the United States and Europe.

Who designed the Tom Thumb course?

His wife, Frieda Carter, did much of the design of the course, which had a fairyland theme. By 1930, Carter had created the Fariyland Manufacturing Company and licensed 3,000 of his Tom Thumb courses all over the country.

Is mini golf hard to master?

Many people play golf, a long and tough-to-master game that can lead to as much frustration as joy. Many, many more people play mini-golf, a fun game that is not tough to master, provides far more fun than frustration and features cool things like windmills and treehouses along the course. The game has reached such high popularity in ...

Where did mini golf originate?

The origins of mini golf can be traced back to Scotland, The Ladies Putting Club of St. Andrews, built in 1827 for women golfers.

What is the history of mini golf?

The history of mini golf; inspired by the sport of golf, is a game enjoyed by people of all ages. It uses artificial structures such as carpet and concrete, and obstacles such as tunnels, ramps, windmills, concrete and metal walls.

What is a mini golf course?

Standardised mini golf courses became popular with the Thistle Dhu (which means This’ll Do) golf club in North Carolina and Tom Thumb golf club by Garnet Carter in Tennessee. Thistle Dhu courses comprised of concrete and pressed sand with fountains and gardens. The use of artificial green, which was a mixture of cottonseed hulls, sand, oil and dye made the construction of courses cheaper and more accessible. Soon after, golf courses on rooftops of buildings in New York started springing up.

What made golf courses cheaper?

The use of artificial green, which was a mixture of cottonseed hulls, sand, oil and dye made the construction of courses cheaper and more accessible. Soon after, golf courses on rooftops of buildings in New York started springing up.

How did the Great Depression affect golf?

The Great Depression changed the history of the golf course as it became expensive, and people turned to mini golf courses. The mini golf courses also started using cheaper alternatives such as obstacles like tires, barrels and old drain pipes.

Where did miniature golf start?

Somewhat surprisingly, Manhattan is among the places that miniature golf took off in its early years (1920s). Courses were built on rooftops and were designed for the post-theater crowd who stopped off for drinks before calling it a night. It was not unusual to see people in tuxedoes and gowns after coming from the opera or a formal dinner.

Who opened Tom Thumb Golf Course in Hollywood?

Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford must have played the game while in New York. They returned to Los Angeles and opened a Tom Thumb golf course in Hollywood. Unfortunately, their business plan back-fired.

How did the Depression affect miniature golf?

The Depression affected people’s ability to pay for leisure activities , but miniature golf was a game that could be fashioned in backyards using pipes, wood, and other substances to create obstacles.

When did miniature golf start?

Although earlier examples of what was called "garden" or "lawn" golf appeared in the United Kingdom, it wasn't until 1919 when James Wells Barber completed construction of a course on his Pinehurst estate in Moore County that the game most Americans would recognize today as miniature golf came into being.

What is the first state to play miniature golf?

North Carolina is not only " First in Flight ," but also first in the flight of fancy that is miniature golf. The tiny courses now covering not only the United States but the world were born in the state. Although earlier examples of what was called "garden" or "lawn" golf appeared in the United Kingdom, it wasn't until 1919 when James Wells Barber completed construction of a course on his Pinehurst estate in Moore County that the game most Americans would recognize today as miniature golf came into being.

How many holes were there in thistle dhu?

Mr. Barber had not intended on creating a new pastime. He and his designer considered his garden to hold a golf course -- albeit a small one. The eighteen-hole Thistle Dhu course was built for experienced golfers. It was certainly not for children.

What were the artificial structures in miniature golf?

Besides natural impediments, artificial structures such as mounds of concrete (a favorite material of miniatures to come) were positioned to obstruct the progress of the ball. The tiny greens were rimmed with bricks, and rules for penalty shots, should your ball exit the green, applied.

How many feet is the longest hole in golf?

The longest hole was only seventy-one feet; the shortest, a mere twelve. Rather than the traditional grass, the putting surfaces were made of compacted and architecturally drained sand. Each of the holes could supposedly be made in a single shot.

Who designed the golf course in the garden of his estate?

There, he contracted with another enthusiastic golfer and amateur architect, Edward H. Wiswell, to design a miniature course in the garden of his estate for the entertainment of guests. This Wiswell did and upon looking at the completed garden, either Barber or Wiswell (the record here is in dispute), uttered, "This'll do.".

Is Thistle Dhu a private course?

Thistle Dhu remained a private course throughout its existence. Write-ups and photographs in magazines and newspapers made it known to the public -- a public that was soon to go wild for a new game called miniature golf.

Overview

History

Nomenclature

Course types

Competitions

See also

External links