Anyone can put a cup at the end of a strip of carpet. Designing a hole that people laugh about, replay and argue over is a different skill. Whether you are laying out a garden course, building a school fete attraction or sketching your dream crazy golf hole for fun, these principles will help you create holes that are fair, varied and genuinely entertaining.
Start with one idea per hole
The best mini golf holes can be described in a single sentence. "You have to bank off the lighthouse." "The ramp jumps a moat." "Three tunnels, only one leads to the cup." When a hole tries to do everything, it becomes confusing and slow. Pick one central idea, build around it, and use the rest of the hole to set it up.
Good sources of ideas include physical tricks (bank, ramp, drop, loop), choices (two routes with different risks), and theme (a castle, a volcano, a shark). The strongest holes combine a physical trick with a theme, such as a castle drawbridge that forces a bank shot.
Setting par
Par tells players what a good score looks like. On most mini golf holes it sits between 2 and 4. A simple way to set it: count the strokes a competent player needs to reach the cup area, then add one for the final putt. Then play-test. If most careful players are scoring well under your par, lower it; if nearly everyone needs more, raise it or simplify the hole.
| Hole type | Typical par | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Short straight hole with a mild feature | 2 | Good opener; aces possible |
| Single bank or single ramp | 2 to 3 | Rewards reading the angle |
| Dogleg or two-level green | 3 | Most of a course sits here |
| Long hole with multiple features | 3 to 4 | Use sparingly for pace |
| Luck-heavy "chaos" hole | 3 | Keep a stroke limit nearby |
Balance skill and luck
Great mini golf lives in the space between skill and chance. If a hole is pure skill, beginners get discouraged. If it is pure luck, good players feel cheated. Aim for holes where a well-judged putt usually works, while a random element can occasionally reward or punish.
A practical approach is the "safe and risky" design: offer a longer safe route that almost guarantees a three, and a narrow shortcut, such as a tunnel or a tight gap, that can deliver an ace but may cost extra strokes. Players love choices, and watching someone gamble on the shortcut is great entertainment.
Use angles, slopes and levels
Straight holes get boring quickly. Vary shape across the course with doglegs to the left and right, S-bends, and holes where the cup sits behind a wall that must be banked around. Slopes are powerful because they bend putts in ways players must read. A gentle tilt around the cup creates a "funnel" that feels friendly, while a tilt away from the cup creates a tough test of speed.
Levels add drama. A small step down from one platform to another, or a ramp up to an elevated green, changes the feel of a hole instantly. Keep drops modest; if a ball can bounce off the course easily, add a backstop wall or raise the borders.
Pacing the whole course
Think of a course like a playlist. Open with one or two easy, confidence-building holes. Put the most complicated features in the middle, when players are warmed up. Alternate hard and easy so frustration never builds for too long. Save a memorable, photogenic hole for the end, ideally one with a fun finish such as a ball-return chute or a bonus-prize cup.
Also consider flow for groups. The end of each hole should lead naturally to the next tee. Avoid holes where the queue for one blocks the fairway of another, and leave space for people to wait comfortably.
Play-test like a designer
- Putt each hole at least ten times with different speeds and lines.
- Watch a beginner play it; note where they hesitate or get stuck.
- Check that a ball cannot get trapped in a spot with no fair way out.
- Time a full round with a group to find bottlenecks.
- Write the local rule for each tricky spot on the scorecard.
- Adjust par once, after testing, then leave it alone.
Most great holes go through a few versions. Move a board a few centimetres, change a ramp height or relocate the cup until the hole produces a satisfying mix of twos, threes and the occasional disaster.
Accessibility and safety
A good course is one more people can enjoy. Keep paths between holes wide and level where possible, avoid features that require kneeling or reaching into awkward places, and choose borders high enough to keep balls in without being trip hazards. On a home course, a couple of shorter "accessible tee" spots let younger or less mobile players join in fully.
Ready to put this into practice? The backyard course guide covers construction, and the DIY obstacles list gives you fifteen features to design around.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a mini golf hole be?
Home holes work well anywhere from about two to eight metres. Commercial holes vary a lot; what matters is that each one offers a clear challenge without dragging on.
How many holes does a good course need?
Nine is plenty for a home or event course. Eighteen is the classic commercial format, but a strong nine beats a weak eighteen.
What makes a hole feel unfair?
Balls that get trapped with no reasonable way out, hidden slopes that can't be read, and obstacles that move or slide when hit. Test for these and fix them.
Should every hole have an obstacle?
Not necessarily. A few clean holes with interesting slopes or angles give players a break and make the obstacle holes feel more special.
Play safe: swing low near people, pets and windows, and follow any posted course rules.
