How to play mini golf: rules and scoring
Mini golf has no single rulebook for casual play. Each course sets its own house rules, and they're usually printed on the back of the scorecard. Still, almost every course works the same way, and these are the rules most of them use.
The basics
- Start on the tee. Put your ball anywhere on the tee mat or inside the marked starting area.
- Count every stroke. Each time you hit the ball, it counts, including misses where the club touches the ball.
- Play until it drops, up to the limit. Most courses stop a hole after six strokes. You write down 6 and move on, which keeps the line behind you moving.
- Lowest total wins. Add up all holes at the end. Fewest strokes wins.
Ball out of bounds or stuck
If the ball jumps the rail or lands in water, put it back on the course close to where it left, about one putter length from the edge, and add a penalty stroke. A ball stuck against a wall or an obstacle can usually be moved one putter head away without penalty. If a hole has a drop zone or a second tee, use it when the ball lands somewhere unplayable.
Scoring
One player keeps the card. After each hole, write every player's strokes in their column. A hole in one counts as 1, and some courses give a free game for an ace on the last hole. At the end, add each column. On adventure courses with par listed per hole, you can also track how many strokes over or under par each player is.
Order of play
On the first hole, the order doesn't matter. After that, the player with the best score on the previous hole goes first. Within a hole, the player whose ball is farthest from the cup usually putts next.
Unwritten rules
- Wait until the group ahead has left the hole before you tee off.
- If your group is slow and the next group is waiting, let them play through.
- Only one player on the green at a time, and stand still while someone putts.
- Don't climb on rocks, props or rails, and keep the putter low.
Competitive mini golf
There is a competitive side too, with tournaments and ranked players. Tournament rules are stricter about penalties and stroke limits than anything you'll see at a beach course, but for a family round, the scorecard rules are all you need.
Want to try it out? Find a course near you on the map.