How short are pitch and putt holes? That's up to the facility, of course, and any facility can call itself a pitch and putt so long as it has short holes on its course. All of those fall under the catch-all term of "short courses." Alternate spellings are pitch-and-putt, pitch 'n' putt, pitch-n-putt.Īnd the use of "pitch and putt" doesn't require that you add "golf course" onto the end of the phrase: If you say, "Let's go to the pitch and putt," your fellow golfers will all understand you are talking about a very short golf course. Some other names that might be applied to a pitch and putt golf course - but that aren't necessarily the same thing - are approach course, par-3 course and executive course. A pitch and putt doesn't have to be that short, but when a golf course calls itself a pitch and putt, expect that most, and typically all, of its holes are that short. Depending on the surface, speed can vary widely from course to course-so what worked for you at Pirate's Cove may not work at Lost Sock Mountain.A pitch and putt golf course is a course with only short holes - holes that typically are all so short as to require literally only pitch shots and putts. Cut off your putt as soon as the ball starts moving. If there's not a practice green available, then just pay close attention on your first few holes. From here, your eyeline is crucial-direct your eyes right over that imaginary line.īefore you start, try some test shots to get a feel for how fast the ball travels. Keep the ball lined up with the inside edge of your forward foot (that will be the left foot if you're right-handed, or the right foot if you're left-handed). When you step up to the tee, your feet should be aligned with that mental line you've just envisioned. Draw a mental line from your ball to that spot. So choose a very specific spot, whether it's a scuff on the ground or a nick in the bricks. Remember, as we said at the beginning, many mini-golf holes are designed to take you at least two strokes. This will boost your accuracy-but Lebo says you're not always aiming for a hole-in-one.
One of the best tips for learning how to win at mini golf is to pick a very precise aiming spot. Take a look at the border, too if you want to bounce the ball off an edge, you'll want to avoid any uneven spots or gaps when you aim. This will help you note any obstacles, uneven surfaces, or other hazards. To figure out how to play mini golf, one of the easiest things you can do is walk from the tee to the cup. Are there any water traps? Slopes? "Balls generally will tend to break toward bodies of water and towards any dropoffs in the elevation of the land," Lebo says. Lebo always does.īefore the first hole, take a walk around and get a feel for the lay of the land. How do you know you're using the correct putter? When you get into position, the top of the putter should hit you at about belt level, with your hands positioned near the middle of the grip. For example, you'd be less inclined to try-and fail-to shoot the ball under the T-rex's legs and through Windmill in a single shot. Knowing this difference before you get started will help you strategize your approach to each hole.
Miniature golf courses incorporate wildly creative design features and lots of obstacles, so players are often trying to make the hole in a baseline of two shots.Putt-Putt courses are designed for low-scoring games with a lot of holes-in-one.First things, first: are you at Putt-Putt or a miniature golf course? There's a big strategic difference between the two styles, one that has an impact on how you approach the game. Our mini golf tips start before you even hit the greens. Know the difference between Putt-Putt and mini golf. During peak times, he travels to two, often three tournaments a weekend, so he's picked up a fair supply of putt-putt tips along the way.ġ.
He has four national championships to his name, plus a coveted green jacket from the mini-golf Master's. When you're learning how to play mini golf, Lebo should be your go-to guy.
But there's more to the game than meets the eye, which is why we turned to mini-golf pro Brad Lebo-yes, there is such a thing-to learn some mini-golf tips.
A game generally reserved for double dates and family outings, you might not think there's a lot of finesse involved in mini golf.