Mini Golf Rules: The Complete Guide
Mini golf — also called miniature golf, putt-putt, or crazy golf — is one of the world's most accessible outdoor games. Unlike regular golf, there are no green fees for lessons, no caddies to tip, and no dress codes. But there are rules, and knowing them turns a casual outing into a fair, fun competition for everyone in your group.
This guide covers the standard rules you'll find at most mini golf courses worldwide, plus the informal variations common in family play. Whether you're settling a dispute at the windmill hole or introducing mini golf to someone for the first time, you'll find the answer here.
Keeping score on paper? Try the free Mini Golf Scorecard app instead — it tallies running totals automatically so you can focus on your form.
The Objective
The goal is simple: get your ball into the hole in as few strokes as possible. Each hole is a short course — usually 20 to 60 feet long — with obstacles like ramps, loops, windmills, tunnels, and sharp corners designed to test your aim and patience.
After playing all holes (typically 9 or 18), players add up their total strokes. The player with the lowest score wins. This is the same scoring convention used in regular golf.
The Basic Rules of Mini Golf
1. Stroke Play (How Each Shot Is Counted)
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Every time you swing at and contact the ball, it counts as one stroke — even if you miss.
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Penalty strokes (for out-of-bounds, lost balls, etc.) are added to your hole score.
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The number of strokes for a hole is recorded on the scorecard when the ball drops into the cup.
2. Starting a Hole
Each hole has a designated teeing area (usually a mat or marked rectangle). Your first stroke must start with the ball placed anywhere within this area. In casual play, players tee off in any order; in competitive play, the player who scored lowest on the previous hole tees off first.
3. Out of Bounds
If your ball leaves the course boundary (falls off a ramp, into a water feature, or over the edge), it is considered out of bounds. The standard rule:
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Add one penalty stroke to your score.
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Place the ball where it went out of bounds (or the nearest in-bounds point).
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Continue play from there.
Some courses use a "drop zone" rule instead — placing the ball at a marked spot near where it went out. Check the course's posted rules.
4. Maximum Strokes Per Hole (Stroke Limit)
Most courses set a maximum stroke limit — usually 6 or 7 strokes per hole, sometimes called a "pick-up rule" or "maximum score." If you reach the limit without holing the ball, you record the maximum score and move on.
The WMF (World Minigolf Sport Federation) sets the official hole limit at 7 strokes for competitive play. In casual family games, 6 is most common.
5. Lost Ball
If your ball is lost (e.g., vanished into an obstacle or carried away by a watercourse), place a new ball at the last known point of play, add one penalty stroke, and continue. Most courses provide replacement balls at the booth.
6. Ball in Motion
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You must not touch or stop a ball that is rolling — that counts as a penalty stroke.
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If another player's ball hits yours while in motion, place your ball back to its original position and let the other player replay from where their ball stopped.
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If balls come to rest touching each other, the player who shot last moves their ball a putter-head's length away.
7. Order of Play
Casual rule: Players take turns; the first to finish a hole steps aside while others complete it.
Competitive rule (ready golf): Whoever is farthest from the hole plays next. On the next hole, the player with the lowest score on the previous hole goes first ("honors").
Mini Golf Etiquette
Written rules only go so far. Etiquette keeps the game enjoyable for everyone on the course:
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Let faster groups play through if you fall behind.
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Don't putt while another player is mid-swing — wait for them to finish.
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Keep pace with the group in front. Mini golf shouldn't take more than 60 minutes for 18 holes.
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Retrieve your ball promptly after holing out so the next player can putt.
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Don't climb obstacles or sit on features — they're designed for the ball, not you.
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Record scores at the next tee, not on the green, to keep the line moving.
Common Rule Variations
Mini golf is a game of local rules. Here are variations you'll often see:
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"Gimme" rule: If your ball is within a putter-head of the hole, you can count it as holed without putting — common in friendly games to speed up play.
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Mulligan: A free re-do on a particularly awful shot. Usually limited to one per round in casual play.
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Bonus ball: Some courses offer a free stroke on hole-in-one holes, where a special target rewards aces.
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No max score: Some groups prefer to keep playing until the ball goes in, regardless of stroke count — great for competitive pride, tough on scoring.
Scoring Summary
Here's a quick reference for the most common scoring terms in mini golf:
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Hole in one (ace): 1 stroke — ball goes in on the very first putt.
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Under par: Fewer strokes than the hole's par rating — excellent play.
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Par: The expected number of strokes for the hole, usually 2 or 3.
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Bogey: One stroke over par.
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Double bogey: Two strokes over par.
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Max score: The stroke limit for the hole (usually 6 or 7).
Not sure what par means in mini golf? Read our in-depth par in mini golf guide for a full explanation of par values and how they affect scoring.
Official Competitive Rules
For those interested in competitive mini golf, the World Minigolf Sport Federation (WMF) governs the sport internationally. Key differences from casual play include:
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The playing surfaces must meet specific material and dimension standards.
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Maximum 7 strokes per hole — the ball is then picked up and the maximum score recorded.
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Balls must meet WMF specification (diameter, weight, hardness).
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Cadence of play is strictly timed to keep competition moving.
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Players may not touch the course or obstacles during play.
Casual recreational mini golf courses almost never enforce WMF regulations, but it's useful background if you ever want to compete.
Track Every Stroke Automatically
Stop squinting at scribbled scorecards. The free Mini Golf Scorecard app tallies running totals in real time — for up to 8 players, 9 or 18 holes.
Open the Scorecard App →
Related Guides
→ How to Keep Score in Mini Golf
→ What Is Par in Mini Golf?
→ Mini Golf FAQ