There are going to be a lot of similarities and differences when it comes to comparing mini-golf versus regular golf.
Mini-golf is definitely easier when you compare it to real golf, but don’t get it twisted. Mini-golf can certainly come with a wide variety of unsuspected challenges when you play.
Let’s further discuss how mini-golf is similar to golf, as well as some of the challenges that you can expect to face when partaking in either of these activities.
Is Mini Golf Similar To Golf?
For obvious reasons (based on the names), there are going to be some initial similarities between the two activities right off the bat.
Both mini-golf and golf use putters to get the ball in the hole. You’re also usually playing 9 or 18 holes, and you can do that solo or with a group of friends.
I also do want to mention that regular golf and even mini-golf, are both popular activities. You can learn more about that in this article.
From there on out, you’re looking at many big differences when it comes to mini-golf versus real golf. Let’s take a look at those next.
How Is Mini Golf Different From Regular Golf?
There are certainly a lot of differences between mini-golf and regular golf. Here are some of the biggest differences to help you get a better idea of how these two activities operate.
1) Location And Size
If you’ve ever driven by a mini-golf course, you’ll notice that it doesn’t take up a ton of space. When it comes to mini-golf, the owner will probably need only about 1 acre of land (or even much less).
On the other hand, a golf course (depending on the number of holes that it has), might need 50 acres of land or even more.
A big difference here is going to be the location and size of the golf course (or mini-golf course). The size difference is astronomical.
With that in mind, the size is going to directly come with many other factors such as:
- How far you’ll have to hit (or putt) the ball.
- How much you have to walk (many times you use a golf cart with real golf).
- The amount of exercise that you get (regular golf burns many more calories).
- The amount of time it will take to complete (1 hour or less compared to many hours).
Now location and size are something that’s very easy to see when it comes to mini-golf courses, but that’s not always the same with regular golf courses.
This is for the fact that many of them can be private and hidden behind gates or trees. With that in mind, let’s take a look at yet another big difference when it comes to regular golf vs mini-golf.
2) Cost To Play Golf & Mini Golf
Mini-golf is something that anyone can afford. Regular golf on the other hand? Not so much. Aside from the fact that you’ll need to invest in clubs which can be expensive as it is (I’ll talk about that next), there are also the costs to play.
When it comes to mini-golf, you’re looking at anywhere from $5-$20. At least those are the price ranges that I’ve had to pay in order to play mini-golf. The prices will also fluctuate based upon the mini-golf course, ratings, reviews, and so on and so forth.
Further Reading: How Much Does It Cost To Play Mini-Golf?
On the other hand, regular golf will cost you around $30 to play (give or take), and this is just for an average 18-hole course. That’s only the starting point, as it only gets higher and higher.
Not only do many private golf courses come with a pricey membership fee, but you will still have to pay a hefty amount just to play.
Take Pebble Beach for example. At the time of writing this, it costs $575 to play golf at Pebble Beach, and that’s only if you’re already a resort guest (which is going to cost a pretty penny).
So overall, the cost to play mini-golf is going to be a drop in the bucket when you compare it to regular golf and many of its other expenses.
Let’s take a look at one more big difference between the two activities.
3) Golf Clubs, Bags, Balls, And Putter
Here’s another big (and obvious) difference when it comes to mini-golf and regular golf:
- With mini-golf, you just have a putter and a ball (and they are provided for you).
- Regular golf comes with many clubs such as a driver, woods, irons, wedges, and a putter.
Don’t forget about the golf bag that you’ll need to lug around all of the clubs and balls that you have in your bag. You’ll most certainly need to keep quite a few golf balls in your bag, especially if you’re prone to hitting your ball out of bounds.
So for regular golf, you’re going to need a lot more equipment to get the job done. Don’t forget about the extra costs that can come along with golf clubs, equipment, and even proper attire.
With mini-golf, you can dress very casually, even if you have a mini-golf first date experience. On the other hand, many regular golf courses come with strict protocols for their dress code.
Is Mini Golf Harder Than Golf?
Overall, mini-golf isn’t going to be anywhere near as challenging as regular golf can be. With mini-golf, you can give a putter to almost anyone and they can put up a somewhat respectful score. You can also expect there to be a little bit of both luck and skill with mini-golf.
Further Reading: Winning More With Mini-Golf.
On the other hand, the same just doesn’t work with golf. Many people will play for decades of their life and barely get better. This is due to the challenging nature of regular golf.
Regular golf is a game that takes a ton of consistent practice, combined with a great knowledge of the game. Don’t forget about the proper mindset and a whole lot of patience, too.
If you’ve ever watched golf on television, you’ll know that even some of the world’s best golfers can get into serious slumps with their game.
- Sometimes they quickly get their A-game back.
- Sometimes it may take weeks, months, or even many years.
- And unfortunately, sometimes they are never able to get back to playing their best golf.
It’s just the nature of the game, and why I also strongly believe that golf is one of the hardest sports. This is from someone who has played golf and a wide variety of other sports including mini-golf, soccer, basketball, football, and many more.
Golf Vs Mini Golf: Closing Words
Here is a quick recap of everything that I covered in this article for you when it comes to regular golf vs mini-golf:
- Mini-golf is much smaller in size (regular golf has huge courses).
- Regular golf costs much more to not only play and buy into, but also practice.
- You’re going to need more clubs and equipment when it comes to regular golf.
When you go mini-golfing, you’ll be provided with the putter as well as the ball to play with. You can also dress casually when playing mini-golf. Regular golf, on the other hand, tends to have stricter dress code protocols.
I hope that you can now compare some of the biggest differences when it comes to regular golf vs mini-golf.
I want to end by saying that both of these activities can come with a lot of enjoyment. Heck, mini-golf is a lot of fun if you bring a bunch of friends with you. Don’t forget that they don’t need any prior experience.
So regardless of which activity you end up partaking in (or even if it’s both of them), make sure that you have a good amount of fun in the process. You can thank me later 🙂
Related Reading: Comparing Mini-Golf And Putt-Putt.
