Though each and every mini golf course is designed to pack its own unique punch, there are a few familiar holes that seem to haunt many golfers. The seasons are changing and now is the time of year when many families will start flocking to their favorite local mini golf courses and, as such, regular players will be confronted with certain crazy golf course design obstacles that always seem to thwart them. Read on to learn more about the four holes that mini golfers love to hate in each course!
Windmill
The dreaded windmill embodies the risk versus reward nature of mini golf. Of course, it is almost always possible to simply putt around the windmill, though its promise of a quicker path to the hole is often times too alluring for those more headstrong players who like to gamble. Taking a chance through the windmill means risking a wasted putt once your ball thumps harmlessly off the windmill’s blades. Timing is key and patience is a virtue, so get ahead of your competitors by playing the slow game with the windmill.
Pipe Hole
This familiar hole introduces an element of randomness into an otherwise straightforward game. Rather than hitting a ball from point A to point B, the pipe hole forces competitors to choose from several gateways that can have either fantastic or devastating effects on your putt. The right pipe can guide your ball delicately into the hole for an easy hole-in-one, or it can leave your ball somewhere else entirely. Those who have already played on a course with a pipe hole will have a competitive advantage over those who have not so be wary of your fellow golfers!
Impossible Angle
These holes are the mini golf equivalent of a dogleg, which is a crooked golf hole with a straight fairway that veers left or right towards the green, named after the hind leg of a dog. These holes often require the most strokes due to the hole being placed around a bend or behind other walls so that holes in one are nigh impossible. There are no shortcuts or other hidden secrets to make your putting easier, just straightforward geometry. Use the course’s walls and curves to your advantage and, if necessary, get level with the green to gain a better understanding of how your ball will be manipulated.
“Tire” Hole
This obstacle gets its name from a vertical loop on the course that your ball will have to travel all the way through before unpredictably shooting out the other end, much like those familiar Hot Wheels tracks. Not only does it require a fair bit of force just to successfully maneuver the loop, there is still a high degree of uncertainty of where the ball will go afterwards. Just like the windmill, this hole will tempt golfers with its chance at a closer shot at the hole, though you may save yourself a few strokes by avoiding the tire altogether.
Of course, some courses may have all of these devilish features or none of them – it is entirely up to the owner! If you are interested in having a mini golf course of your own built by a talented mini golf designer, browse our website to view photos of recent projects and contact us to get started on making your dream a reality! From putt putt golf course design to construction, we will be at your side to build any size course. We specialize in props, rock, water features, and so much more so we can make your course as creative and challenging as you’d like.