There might have been a time when mini-golf was on the decline, but that time is certainly not now.
Right now, mini-golf is just as popular as it’s ever been. Especially when you consider how many people want to get out of their homes and have a fun night.
There are also a few other reasons as to why mini-golf has been so popular. Let’s talk about them.
Is Mini-Golf Dead?
This has been a very popular question when it comes to mini-golf, so let’s first address this.
No, mini-golf is certainly not dead and it has even been recently growing in popularity.
According to Harris Mini Golf, they state that every year, over 130 million people of all ages play mini-golf. For the course owners, that’s well over $1 billion in revenue.
I don’t know about you, but 130 million people playing this particular sport/activity doesn’t sound like it’s dying to me. In fact, I would call it the complete opposite: thriving. That goes for both mini-golf and putt-putt.
When Did Mini Golf Become Popular?
There have certainly been some ups and downs when it comes to mini-golf. However, according to Wikipedia, mini-golf started becoming quite popular back in the late 1920s.
During that time, Wikipedia also stated that there were well over 150 rooftop courses in New York City alone. To further emphasize the popularity of mini-golf, there were also well over tens of thousands of mini-golf courses throughout the United States.
Why Is Mini Golf Still So Popular?
Given the fact you now know how popular mini-golf has been, let’s take a look into a few reasons why it has been so popular. Starting with the favorite reason first.
1) Mini Golf Is Perfect For Dates
I can personally speak from experience when it comes to this topic, but if you’ve never gone on a mini-golf date night, then I highly recommend it. Whether it be a first, second, or tenth date, it’s a great way to have a lot of fun with that special someone.
I recommend this activity so much that I even wrote an entire article about this topic. I’ll link it down below if you’d like some more tips when it comes to adding more fun, excitement, and even romance for your mini-golf date.
Highly Related Reading: Mini-Golf Dates: What You Need To Know.
I’m certainly not alone when it comes to this fun activity too. I know plenty of people who have also used mini-golf as a great reason to go on a date with someone. Next time you play mini-golf, keep a lookout for how many couples are playing together.
2) Mini Golf Is Perfect For Any Age
Even if you don’t use mini-golf as the perfect date with that special someone, you’re still free to invite absolutely anyone that you like.
That’s the great thing about mini-golf, and a big difference compared to regular golf, is that anyone at any age can play (regardless of their experience).
When it comes to mini-golf:
- Kids can play.
- You can play with a group of friends.
- You can play with your parents or grandparents.
- You can even choose to play solo if you like (but isn’t recommended).
Once again, this isn’t going to be the same for many other sports that are available for you to play. And in case you were wondering, you can call mini-golf a sport.
For example, you’re most likely not going to bring a child or someone who is new to golf on a golf course. You’d probably hold everyone up, so you would need to practice a lot beforehand.
You can practice if you want to win more mini-golf games, but it’s certainly not required.
3) Mini Golf Is A Fun And Exciting Activity
Here is another big reason why mini-golf has been so popular, and it’s for the amount of fun that you can have with this activity.
I recommended previously that you shouldn’t play alone unless, of course, you need to sharpen your mini-golf skills. It’s also better with a group because it adds to the fun, excitement, and memories that come along with mini-golf.
My girlfriend still has the scorecard from when we first played mini-golf together:
- She won.
- I’ll never hear the end of it.
- And these are the types of memories that you want to create.
When you consider just how inexpensive mini-golf is (read about the costs here), you certainly get a lot of value for the fun, excitement, and memories that you get from it.
In my opinion, that’s yet another huge reason why mini-golf is so popular. Let’s take a look at the last reason why mini-golf has grown in popularity.
4) More Mini Golf Courses Are Starting To Open Up
You’ve heard the simple phrase before: supply and demand. When it comes to mini-golf, more people are wanting to play so we’ve also seen a big increase in the number of mini-golf courses that have been built over the years.
TopGolf is a perfect example of this, and they offer a wide variety of entertainment when it comes to mini-golf fun and excitement. They are also in the process of expanding in the United States as well as other countries.
Aside from mini-golf, they also offer their own version of a driving range, pool tables, shuffleboards, and don’t forget about getting food and drinks served to you while you play.
According to Wikipedia again, TopGolf was acquired by Callaway in 2021. To be precise, it cost $2.6 billion in stock. So much for mini-golf (and golf entertainment in general) being dead 😉
Mini Golf Popularity: Closing Thoughts
So those are some of the biggest details when it comes to mini-golf and how it’s been growing in the previous years.
If you were to ask me, I would say that this is only the beginning when it comes to the popularity of mini-golf. Now more than ever, people want to get out and enjoy themselves (I’m the same).
So be sure to keep on the lookout for more mini-golf courses opening up near you, and be sure to support the ones that you like. Don’t forget about going on a friendly mini-golf date, you just never know how many memories that you can make from it.
