How To Play Mini Golf? A Beginner’s Guide

Mini golf is a fun and challenging game that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Whether you are a first-time player or a seasoned pro, these tips will help you improve your game and have more fun on the course. Follow these guidelines to learn how to play mini golf like a champion!

How to play mini golf?

1. Buy the right equipment: You may already have a putter and ball that you can use, but it is best if you invest in some mini golf supplies of your own such as a flag mini golf set or maybe even glow-in-the-dark golf balls. It’s also useful to pack along a pencil and scorecard so that you can keep track of your stats. Bring along bug spray or sunscreen for sunny days at the course too.
2. Be on time: If possible, don’t be more than 15 minutes late for tee time because other people will be waiting for you, and it is bad etiquette to keep them waiting longer than necessary. Once everyone on your foursome has arrived, allow the first player to tee off first. However, you should allow the others on your foursome to tee off first on any holes where they are about to have a better score than you.
3. Let others play through: If there is a long line of golfers on the course behind your group, it’s okay if the people at the back of the line are waiting for 20 minutes or so for everyone in front of them to finish up their round of golf. This way, they won’t have to stand around too long and can enjoy their game as well.
4. Keep an eye on children: Although it’s good not be overprotective and let kids explore and play freely without hovering over them all day, you should still make sure your children are always safe while you are playing the game. You never know when they might end up wandering off or unwittingly get into trouble on the course.
5. Maintain good sportsmanship: Always thank your fellow players for their kindness and be sure to say “good game” even if you lost terribly! After all, this is supposed to be fun so don’t take it too seriously if someone beats you fair and square. Besides, there will always be another chance to beat them next time around. Follow these rules of etiquette and enjoy yourself!

Tips for playing mini golf

1. Show confidence when putting: When you are trying to sink a putt, do not stand around and stare at it in disbelief after it misses the hole. Even though you may encounter some bad breaks or unforeseen mishaps while playing mini golf, keep your cool and remain optimistic that you can turn things around! If necessary, ask someone nearby to show you where the ball is going and how much power and speed is needed to get the ball into the cup.
2. Call “Mulligan”: A mulligan in golf is when a player gets a do-over because he or she didn’t play well on any of their previous attempts. Although this isn’t allowed under normal circumstances (and also somewhat frowned upon), you can call a mulligan on the golf course if you are really having trouble getting your ball into the hole. For example, if you sink one putt but then miss another within five seconds of the first missed shot, that counts as your mulligan.
3. Take practice swings: Before taking a swing at any mini golf hole, whether putting or teeing off, take some practice swings to see which type of club would work best for that specific situation. If it is windy outside, adjust your aim accordingly so that you don’t have to deal with too much air resistance. There are even special types of clubs for extreme weather conditions!
4. Don’t rush yourself: Rushing may not be the cause of all your mini golf game problems, but it certainly won’t help you if you are trying to sink a difficult putt or get the ball into that tiny hole in one shot. If your swing feels rushed, then there is no way for you to hit the ball properly and score well on the course. It’s always better to take things slowly when playing mini golf since rushing can only make things more difficult.
5. Stay positive: Even though this isn’t a professional tournament or anything, try not to let yourself get down at any point during the game. Mini golf is supposed to be fun so don’t beat yourself up too much if you make some mistakes along the way! Besides, all great players have had their fair share of misses along the way and it’s how you respond to those bad breaks that determines your overall skill level on the course.

Be courteous when playing mini golf

1. Sign up for tee time: This is more of a courtesy thing than anything else, but it is actually considered rude if you do not make an effort to put your name down on the waiting list at a public golf course or other sort of mini golf place. If there are twenty people in front of you who have already signed up for tee time, don’t expect to go out and play right away since some people may end up canceling their reservations later in the day.
2. Take turns with others: Even though many courses allow simultaneous play from different parts of the tee, it is still courteous to allow other players to go ahead of you when playing mini golf. If everyone in your group wants to play at the same time, then there is no problem since that course was specifically designed for that kind of setup.
3. Always pay your fee: Even if the price tag seems a little high for how “mini” this mini golf course is supposed to be, always make sure you have enough money with you when going out on the links. This isn’t only a case of etiquette, but a necessity since most courses require payment before anyone can even step foot onto the grassy area. There are some exceptions though so check ahead before assuming anything!
4. Know when to putt and when to tee off: This might be a bit obvious, but some people get extremely excited about the game and completely forget basic rules of etiquette. Putts are for when you are getting close to the hole or if you are trying to sink in an especially difficult shot. Teeing off is for when your ball is still rather far away from the area with all the holes in it unless you want to risk hitting someone else’s putt by accident.
5. How to play mini golf? Put down your phone or camera! If there was ever a time that needed to be added onto this list then this has got to be it! There is nothing more annoying than seeing somebody take out their phone while they’re supposed to be playing mini golf since taking pictures simply isn’t allowed on the course. At some public golf courses, they provide a designated area where those who want to take pictures can do so without harming any of the other players on the court.

What are the most common mistakes people make when playing mini golf?

One of the most common mistakes players make when playing mini golf is not having a good understanding of the game. Many people underestimate the complexity of mini golf and think that it is just as easy as regular golf or other recreational activities such as bowling or putt-putt. However, there are many nuances to mini golf where even subtle movements and precision can make a big difference in a round’s outcome. Not studying up on the game and its strategies can lead to avoidable mistakes that cost players strokes.

Another common mistake is not checking for hazards before taking a shot. In mini golf courses, there are often obstacles like sand traps, water features, miniature windmills, and other obstacles that could impact the trajectory of the ball when hit with a club. Although it may take time to examine each hole before taking a shot, it’s important to be aware of any potential hazards so that you can plan your shots accordingly.

Poor stance alignment is another common error found among inexperienced players. Poor stances can cause players to not have full control over their shots and result in wild putts. A basic rule of stance alignment is to try to keep feet shoulder width apart while also making sure they stay parallel with one another throughout the swing motion. Keeping arms close together during the backswing and keeping them straight through impact will help ensure proper stance alignment as well.

Finally, something that even experienced players sometimes overlook is using their body weight properly when taking shots in mini golf. Simply relying on arm strength alone will almost always produce weaker shots with less accuracy than utilizing body weight correctly in conjunction with arms muscles. By learning how to transfer weight from foot to foot while staying balanced throughout the swing motion, players will be able to generate more power behind their swings while maintaining accuracy at the same time.

Mini golf can be an incredibly fun activity enjoyed by people of all ages both recreationally or competitively; however, it requires skillful execution in order for players to achieve success on each course they play on. Therefore, understanding these common mistakes should help players improve their game drastically when playing mini golf in order to maximize enjoyment while still achieving great scores!

Of all the etiquette rules for mini golf, this one seems to be broken most often

1. Thou shalt not take photos: Many courses specifically ask that you refrain from taking photos while playing since it distracts you and others around you from having a good time (see above). Of course, there are special occasions and tournaments where photo shoots with your group is part of the deal, but these exceptions will always be noted at public areas such as indoor or outdoor mini golf establishments.
2. Don’t move people’s putts: It doesn’t matter if you’ve already teed off and your ball is back at the start of the court. Putting somebody else’s putt down with your own because you think it might be in your way isn’t only annoying, but disrespectful as well. If you want to clear out a certain area, then simply ask around and see if anyone needs their ball moved to another spot on the course.
3. Don’t hog the hole: There has been many cases where somebody spends more time trying to sink their golf ball into that one special hole than playing the game itself! It seems like such a shame too since other players around them (or sometimes even directly behind them) are waiting patiently for their turn. The best thing to do would be to try and finish up your game as quickly as possible so others can have their chance to win too.
4. Don’t pick up anything except your ball: Unless it is really, important (such as finding a lost kid or something similar), then there isn’t any reason to go bending down and touching random objects that are on the course. Those things have been placed in specific areas for a reason so don’t go messing around with them! If you need to use an item to help yourself sink the ball into the hole, then ask someone who works at the place if it’s okay first before touching anything since there are some courses were picking up stuff off the grass is frowned upon or not allowed at all.
5. Bring cash! Many mini golf places require payment before you enter the actual playing area since it is a public court where anybody can show up. Make sure to always have cash on hand if they won’t let you play without it!
6. Obey the rules! Sure there are basic etiquette rules that everyone should follow all the time, but if your course requires players to abide by certain special rules then don’t forget about them! One example would be how some courses ask for people to call out when they’ve sunk their ball, so others know not to putt at that exact moment. These kinds of things will be noted in the beginning so try and pay attention or else you might accidentally break an important rule despite having no idea about it beforehand.
7. Keep it quiet! Also, no matter what special rules there are, don’t forget the main reason why golf is called “mini” in the first place! It can be pretty distracting when you find yourself surrounded by people talking excessively loudly or yelling every single time, they hit their ball. Again, most mini golf establishments will either designate a certain place to take pictures (if that’s allowed) or simply urge customers to remain as quiet as possible so everybody can enjoy themselves at once.
8. Don’t bring food into the court: Even if you’re just grabbing some dinner before playing a round of mini golf with friends and family, going outside for a bit while eating isn’t an option. While you might not be bringing in any drinks, chances are that food will smell even stronger than usual which can put off players near you. It’s usually good practice to just get your game done first before eating or find a nearby bench outside where you can take a break from playing.
9. Don’t hog the bridge! While it is understandable if somebody wants to stop and watch others try and sink their own balls into those little holes, those bridges have been built for a reason! Try not to stand there too long as other people will want a chance coming up so they don’t have to wait around forever either. The same goes for the person ahead of you since they may want their turn on the bridge as well so go ahead and move it.
10. How to play mini golf? Keep your scores! Not only will most courses require you to register before playing, but they’ll also want you to write down how many strokes it took for each person so they can keep track of all the scores easily. This is important if there are four or more people in your group since somebody might forget (or accidentally lose) their scorecard afterwards which means they can’t turn it in afterwards when they’re done! It’s usually good practice to try and remember how many times you went before sinking that final ball, unless you were playing with somebody who was keeping track on their own.
11. Clean up after yourself! Even though this may seem like a no-brainer, you’d be surprised at some of the amount of people that will completely ignore the trashcans placed around a golf course. A lot of these areas may have been cleaned up beforehand but there’s nothing wrong with picking up one or two pieces that might look out of place before throwing it away in its designated spot. In fact, this is something they do outside of mini golf courses which means you’ll be doing everybody a favor since most people won’t even think about going out of their way to pick it up themselves!
12. Ask before taking pictures! Now if you really must take a souvenir shot, make sure to ask somebody who works there first if it’s okay. If you’re allowed, then try not to crowd everybody up since other people might be waiting for their turn to play. There’s nothing worse than somebody stopping in the middle of a busy area just so they can take a picture before moving on!
13. No touching! While it may be tempting to reach through the holes with your ball when trying to sink it, beware that this is definitely a no-no according to protocol. Allowing anybody from reaching into the hole means there would be a chance that somebody could get hurt which is why most courses will have small nets or bars blocking them from going inside. This also helps keep dirt away from all those holes as well!
14. Go easy on the glow sticks! It’s not too uncommon at some mini golf courses for glowing sticks to be handed out after you’ve finished playing. These usually aren’t too bad until people break them and then just leave them where they were which can put other players at risk of stepping on it! It’s good practice to either pick up the broken pieces before throwing it away or just tell somebody who works there so they can do it themselves afterwards.
15. How to play mini golf? Don’t move the hole! While this isn’t always something that might happen, there are some courses that have big rocks or statues placed next to the holes themselves which means anything could potentially be moved around due to vibrations from moving balls. If anybody hits one of these objects hard enough, chances are it’ll fall over so please try not to touch these areas while your ball is still in play. It’ll save you time later because nobody wants to have to chase their ball all over the place if somebody accidentally knocks it away!
16. Don’t jump! While many courses will prohibit jumping over holes entirely, this is something that shouldn’t be done unless necessary since other people might be hitting their balls at the same time as well. If you must do so, make sure to watch out for flying objects since these could potentially hit somebody else which would put them at risk of being seriously injured. Nobody wants somebody getting knocked out just because somebody can’t control themselves!
17. Mind your head! These are usually pretty obvious but even though mini golf may seem like a safe sport there’s always a chance that somebody might get bonked in the head by somebody else’s ball. The course may be relatively short, but nobody likes getting hit in the face with a projectile, which is why it’s always good to make sure everybody knows where you are!
18. No running! Even though this really isn’t an issue, mini golf courses also don’t allow people from running around since there might be other people playing and there’s nothing worse than somebody potentially bumping into somebody else unexpectedly which could cause them to get upset. It wouldn’t hurt for anybody to walk carefully at a normal speed instead of almost sprinting either which can help other people have a more enjoyable experience as well!
19. Pay attention! While it’s easy to get distracted while playing, it’s important to make sure to keep track of your ball so you know where it went. If somebody is looking for their ball but can’t find it anywhere, chances are it might be somewhere in the hole which means somebody else could potentially lose a point if they’re not careful!
20. Don’t chew gum! Although this isn’t an issue with many people anymore, there are still some courses that might expect you not to chew gum while playing mini golf since it could interfere with the airflow when trying to hit balls hard enough to get them around bends. If somebody offers any free promotional packs of gum, ask before taking one because nobody wants their expensive equipment getting ruined by somebody’s bubble gum!

That’s all folks! Know any other good tips that can help people have a more enjoyable time playing mini golf? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll be sure to add them in if I find it interesting enough!

FAQs

What are some things to think about when playing mini golf?

– How to play mini golf? Decide if you want to use the wind or not (you can get this information from someone who works there)

– Find out how much your ball weighs and the cup’s weight. If somebody uses a heavier ball than the cup, they might get a few extra strokes at least!

– Decide if you want to putt or chip before starting the game! It makes a difference in how many strokes it takes to get into the hole.

– Try not to hit other people while playing since that could cause accidents and serious injuries. Don’t run while there are other people around either since this should be common sense by now.

What does wind do?

– The wind affects almost every shot you take in miniature golf because there’s no other way to avoid it unless you plan your swing accordingly! When playing, try not to hit balls directly into any breezes if possible since this will affect the ball’s speed and how well it’ll travel through the air. If somebody intends on using a regular ball instead of playing with one specifically made for the course, they might want to keep this in mind since it can change how long putting will take.

Is my mini golf course good if I lose every time?

– If people are losing on almost every single hole their local mini golf facility, it’s probably because the course is designed poorly with too many holes that are way too easy to get through. When I was a kid, my family went on an outing once to play mini golf and each of us lost at least 10 times which made me feel pretty upset! One time, I even took my ball outside the whole and tossed it into the hole before realizing it wasn’t part of what they had to offer there.

– How to play mini golf? If you’re not winning on your local course, look at the next entry instead to see if it’s possible to improve your odds of beating your friends or family!

How can I be more accurate?

– The best way to accurately hit balls with the cleanest results is by making sure your swing matches up with whatever you want to do. If somebody wants to try putting, they might want to simply show the ball some love before putting it down. No matter what anybody tells you here, there really isn’t any substitute for knowing how proper form works and applying it during play which should work out well if done correctly.

What is a mulligan?

– A mulligan is a golf term that lets somebody redo their swing in case they messed up and want to try again. Nobody will be angry if they ask for an opportunity like this since it’s just part of the game! If somebody asks you to do this, feel free to think about whether it would help improve your chances or not before deciding on whether you’d like to use one even when the course isn’t busy.

Why is mini golf a good family activity?

– Mini golf allows people to have fun with one another while improving hand-eye coordination, concentration, and other important aspects of life! It’s a great idea for families to play this together since it helps keep people interested in something rather than always sitting inside without doing anything. In the end, you might find yourself spending more time with your brothers or sisters which can be a neat thing overall.

>>> See more: Let’s Play Mini Golf For Real! Classic Course (How to play mini golf?)

Conclusions

– How to play mini golf? The best way to enjoy playing mini golf is by taking some time to learn how to do it properly since this will improve your odds of winning matches against other people.

– If somebody wants their ball back after losing it on the course, ask around if anybody found it or not because there’s always something else, they’ll find instead! There isn’t any alternative for replacing lost balls so try not to lose anything!

Read more:

Simple Guide on How to Reshaft a Golf Club

How To Practice Golf At Home

How To Get Good At Golf