Miniature golf

Miniature golf is a specialized offshoot of the sport of golf. It focuses entirely on the putting aspect of the game.

The primary objective is to complete a course with the lowest number of points. Players navigate a series of holes, which are usually played in multiples of nine. Unlike traditional golf, these holes are quite short. They are typically less than 10 metres from the tee to the cup.

The game is known by many names across different countries. These include minigolf, crazy golf, adventure golf, and mini-putt. In the United States, the term Putt-Putt is a trademark of a specific company.

To play the game, players must master complex geometric layouts. The playing surfaces are artificial and made of materials like carpet, artificial turf, or concrete.

These layouts often require non-traditional putting lines. Players frequently use bank shots to bounce the ball off walls. Artificial obstacles add difficulty to the course. These can include tunnels, tubes, and ramps. Some courses feature moving obstacles, such as spinning windmills. Walls are often constructed from metal, concrete, or fiberglass to guide the ball.

There are different styles of miniature golf based on the obstacles used. Some versions are purely miniature versions of traditional golf. These lack any special props or obstacles. Other versions are much more elaborate. In the late 1930s, the Taylor brothers began building courses with heavy landscaping. Their designs included castles, wishing wells, and windmills.

Later, companies like Lomma Golf, Inc. introduced animated trick hazards. These hazards require split-second timing to avoid moving parts like revolving statuary. In contrast, the Putt-Putt brand focused on skill and player improvement. They used 2-par holes with ramps that players could master through practice.

History shows that miniature golf emerged during the early 20th century. Geometrically shaped courses made of carpet began to appear then. The first documented mention was a course called the Gofstacle in 1912.

In 1916, the Thistle Dhu course opened in North Carolina. In 1927, Garnet Carter patented the Tom Thumb course. A major breakthrough occurred in 1922. Thomas McCullough Fairbairn created a suitable artificial green. He mixed cottonseed hulls, sand, oil, and dye. This made the game accessible everywhere. By the late 1920s, New York City had over 150 rooftop courses.

This American boom ended during the Great Depression. Most U.S. courses closed or were demolished by the end of the 1930s. One rare survivor is the Parkside Whispering Pines course in New York.

However, the sport lived on in Europe. In 1926, a man named Schröder built a course in Germany. In 1931, Edwin and Eskil Norman began manufacturing standardized courses in Sweden. Swedish courses originally used wooden frames filled with sand. Later, they adopted felt surfaces.

Felt is excellent for wet weather because water soaks through it. This allows play even when it is raining.

Miniature golf has a strong competitive history. The first National Tom Thumb Open was held in 1930. This tournament had a total cash purse of $10,000. The top prize was $2,000. The finals in Tennessee attracted over 200 players from thirty states.

In Europe, the sport developed rapidly through different specialized forms. These included cobigolf, sterngolf, and filzgolf. Equipment also became more sophisticated. Players eventually had access to over 20,000 different ball models. These balls varied in weight, hardness, and bounce to improve performance.

The sport is now managed by the World Minigolf Sport Federation (WMF). The WMF is headquartered in Göteborg, Sweden.

They organize World Championships for both youth and elite players. These championships are held in alternate years across Europe, Asia, and the United States. The sport connects various cultures through international play. For example, the American Putt-Putt company exported courses to many countries. These included Japan, Brazil, Italy, and South Africa. Today, the game remains a global activity that balances skill with recreation.