Top 8 Interesting Facts about Mini Golf
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.
Here’s more about the fun sport of mini golf:
- Miniature golf is one game with many names. Mini golf, crazy golf, putt-putt, goofy golf, shorties, midget golf and mini putt are just a few examples of its numerous nicknames.
- The oldest known mini golf course in the world, the Ladies’ Putting Club of St. Andrews, is in Scotland. It sits right next to the legendary St. Andrews Golf Course, a regular site of the British Open.
- There were no custom created themes or fancy, automated barriers in the initial years of mini golf. Instead, early courses featured pipes, barrels, rain gutters and old tires as fun obstacles to challenge a golfer’s skill.
- The first recognizable miniature golf course in the U.S. opened in 1916 at Pinehurst, California. Called Thistle Dhu, and pronounced as ‘this’ll do’, the name was a play on words, indicating that this will do in place of a full-sized golf course!
- Miniature golf gained such immense popularity in the US, that by the late 1920s, there were around 150 mini golf courses in New York City alone. Many of these were on the rooftops of the city’s iconic, high-rise buildings. Most of them closed after the Great Depression.
- WMF recognizes four types of mini golf tournaments, Miniature Golf, Felt Golf, Concrete Golf and Mini Golf Open Standards (MOS).
- The idea of glow-in-the-dark miniature golf courses began in Scandinavian countries such as Finland. Since these northern countries experience months of short days and long nights the glow-ball and glow-courses allow them to enjoy the game all year round and outdoors.
- The sport has even earned a special day dedicated to its name. Worldwide, people celebrate September 21st as Miniature Golf Day. It’s the perfect opportunity to plan a mini golf outing with family and friends!
