What Is Par in Mini Golf?
Par is the expected number of strokes a skilled player needs to complete a hole. If a hole is rated par 2, a proficient player should be able to get the ball in the cup in exactly 2 strokes. Par 3 means 3 strokes is the standard.
Par gives you a benchmark. Without it, "I scored 30 today" is meaningless — but "I finished 4 under par" tells you exactly how well you played relative to the course's difficulty.
Most 18-hole mini golf courses have a total par between 44 and 54. A total par of 48 (averaging 2.67 per hole) is very common.
How to calculate your mini golf score against par
Use the course’s published par and your recorded strokes to calculate a signed difference.
1. Copy the posted par
Write each hole’s published par in the paper card’s par row. If the course does not give a par, leave it blank and compare stroke totals for that course instead of inventing an official target.
2. Record strokes separately
On three example holes with pars 2, 3 and 2, a player scores 3, 2 and 2. Write those stroke counts in the player row, without subtracting par yet.
3. Subtract par hole by hole
The differences are 3 − 2 = +1, 2 − 3 = −1, and 2 − 2 = 0. These mean a bogey, a birdie and par.
4. Check the round total
The player’s total is 7 and the par total is 7, so the round is level par: 7 − 7 = 0. Add the differences as a cross-check: +1 − 1 + 0 = 0. The app records raw strokes; calculate the par comparison on paper.
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How Is Par Set for Each Hole?
In regular golf, par is calculated based on hole distance. Mini golf uses a simplified system because holes are short by design:
•
Par 2 — A relatively straightforward hole where a decent player can reasonably make it in two strokes: one to position the ball near the cup, one to sink it.
•
Par 3 — A more complex hole with obstacles, sharp bends, or elevation changes that make a one-putt approach unrealistic for most players.
•
Par 4 — Rare but sometimes found on very long or extremely challenging holes, usually 60+ feet with multiple obstacles.
•
Par 1 — Essentially a hole-in-one hole; very short and straight, designed as a special challenge.
Course designers set par based on the intended difficulty, not a strict measurement. Two courses with identical-length holes might assign different par values depending on obstacle placement and course philosophy. In practice, hole type predicts par better than length does:
Hole type
Typical length
Usual par
Why
Straight lane, no obstacle
15–25 ft
2
One putt to length, one to sink
Single dogleg or bank shot
20–30 ft
2
The wall does the work if you read the angle
Ramp or elevation change
25–35 ft
3
Pace control costs most players a stroke
Windmill, gate or moving obstacle
20–35 ft
3
Timing failures send the ball back to you
Tunnel or blind shot
25–40 ft
3
You cannot see where it ends up until it stops
Loop-the-loop or multi-tier
30–50 ft
3–4
Needs one setup stroke before the feature is even attemptable
Ace hole (short, straight, gimmick)
8–15 ft
1–2
Designed to be holed in one
Guidance, not a standard — mini golf has no governing body setting par for recreational courses.
Par Table: What to Call Your Score
Strokes
Par 2 hole
Par 3 hole
1
−1 · Birdie / ace
−2 · Eagle / ace
2
0 · Par
−1 · Birdie
3
+1 · Bogey
0 · Par
4
+2 · Double bogey
+1 · Bogey
5
+3 · Triple bogey
+2 · Double bogey
Score against par = strokes minus posted par. An ace always means one stroke, regardless of par.
Scoring Terms Relative to Par
Golfers — mini and otherwise — use a set of terms to describe scores relative to par:
•
Hole in one (ace): 1 stroke on a hole, regardless of par. The best possible score.
•
Eagle: 2 under par on a single hole (rare but celebrated).
•
Birdie: 1 under par — e.g., 2 strokes on a par-3 hole.
•
Par: Matching the expected number of strokes exactly.
•
Bogey: 1 over par — e.g., 3 strokes on a par-2 hole.
•
Double bogey: 2 over par.
•
Max / pickup: Reaching the stroke limit (6 or 7) without holing out.
In mini golf, most casual players score between 1 and 3 over par per hole on average. If you're consistently shooting par or under, you're playing very well.
Total Course Par and What It Means
The total course par is the sum of all hole pars. On a standard 18-hole course with a mix of par-2 and par-3 holes, you might see:
•
Total par 36 (all par 2s) — a very accessible, beginner-friendly course.
•
Total par 45 (mix of par 2 and par 3) — a typical recreational course.
•
Total par 54 (all par 3s) — a more challenging layout.
Your total score minus the total par gives your score for the round relative to par. A final score of 52 on a par-45 course is 7 over par (+7). A score of 41 on the same course is 4 under par (−4).
This is what makes par useful across courses. Two rounds, same player:
Round
Course par
Your total
Vs par
Saturday, boardwalk course
45
52
+7
Sunday, adventure course
54
58
+4
58 is closer to its course par, but recreational par is not a standardized difficulty rating.
Sunday's 58 looks worse than Saturday's 52 and is in fact three strokes better relative to the course. Raw totals only compare like for like; par adds context, but courses do not share a standardized difficulty rating.
Does Par Matter in Casual Play?
In casual family mini golf, the winner is simply whoever has the lowest total stroke count — par is optional context. Many recreational courses print par values on the scorecard, but most groups don't calculate relative scores unless they want to.
However, knowing par adds a layer of meaning to your round. Getting a birdie feels special even at a family course. And if you play multiple courses, comparing your "+5 over par" across different courses is more meaningful than comparing raw totals (because the courses likely have different total pars).
Track Strokes in the App, Compare Par on Paper
The scorecard app records strokes and running totals. It does not currently accept hole pars or calculate over-par and under-par results. Copy posted pars onto the printable scorecard and subtract them from your stroke totals when you want that comparison.
Par in Mini Golf FAQ
What is par on a mini golf hole?
Almost always 2 or 3. Par 2 is a straightforward hole a decent player should reach and sink in two strokes; par 3 has obstacles, a bend, or elevation that makes a two-stroke hole unrealistic. Par 1 and par 4 exist but are rare.
What is the par for an 18-hole mini golf course?
Typically between 44 and 54, with 48 being the most common total. An all-par-2 course totals 36 and an all-par-3 course totals 54, so most real courses land somewhere between those two extremes.
Is a good mini golf score under par?
Yes, and it is rarer than people expect. Most casual players finish between 1 and 3 strokes over par per hole. Finishing a full 18-hole round at or under the course par puts you well ahead of the average group.
What is a birdie in mini golf?
One stroke under the hole's par — a 2 on a par 3, or a 1 on a par 2. A hole in one on a par 3 is an eagle, two under par, and is the best realistic score on a mini golf hole.
Do you need par to decide who wins?
No. The winner is whoever has the fewest total strokes; par is not part of that calculation. Par matters when you want to compare a round on one course against a round on another, because raw totals from different courses are not comparable.
How scoring actually decides the winner →
Where do I find the par for each hole?
Courses post it on the sign at each tee, and most printed scorecards list it in a row across the top. If the course does not publish par at all — plenty of smaller crazy golf courses do not — leave the par row blank and use raw strokes. A house target is optional, but it is not an official course par.
Print a card with a par row →
For the mechanics of recording strokes and penalties against those par values, see how to keep score in mini golf, or the rules guide for stroke limits and penalties. Looking for a course to play? Browse mini golf by city.
Keep Every Stroke and Every Win
Track raw strokes for up to eight players and save your group’s win tally. Use the printable card’s par row for a manual comparison.
Open the Scorecard App →
Want to Start Beating Par?
Understanding par is step one. Actually shooting it comes down to a repeatable stroke — which is a practice problem, not a knowledge problem.
An indoor putting mat →
Ten minutes of practice on a flat mat fixes the single biggest amateur mistake — inconsistent stroke length.
A putting alignment trainer →
Most missed putts are aim, not power. An alignment mirror shows you where you're actually pointed.
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