48 mini golf terms defined, including hole in one, gimme, bank shot, dogleg and stroke limit, each explained in a single line.
Half of mini golf terminology is borrowed straight from golf, and the other half belongs to the windmills, ramps and tunnels that no golf course would allow. The words related to mini golf therefore split neatly into scoring words and obstacle words, and the words associated with mini golf that beginners actually need are the scoring ones. The mini golf glossary at the end of the page lists both halves.
Must-Know Mini Golf Terms, Phrases and Slang:
- Ace
- Backboard
- Bank shot
- Break
- Course
- Dogleg
- Double bogey
- Hazard
- Hole-in-one
- Layup
- Mulligan
- Obstacle
- Par
- Putter
- Round
- Stroke
- Tee off
- Themed hole
- Through the windmill
- Trick shot
- Turn
- Under par
- Water hazard
- Wedge
- Bogey
- Green
- Rough
- Sand trap
- Scorecard
- Tee
Mini Golf Glossary: Every Term A to Z
| Term | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Ace | A hole in one. The ball goes in from the tee with a single stroke. |
| Backboard | A wall or surface positioned so a ball can be played off it toward the hole on purpose. |
| Bank shot | A shot aimed deliberately at a side wall so the rebound sends the ball around an obstacle. |
| Birdie | A score of one stroke under par on a hole. |
| Bogey | A score of one stroke over par on a hole. Two over is a double bogey. |
| Break | The curve a rolling ball takes on a sloping surface. Reading the break is most of putting. |
| Bumper | The raised rail around the edge of a hole that keeps the ball on the playing surface. |
| Course | The whole playing area, a set of holes each with its own layout and obstacles. |
| Crazy golf | The British name for mini golf, used for courses built around obstacles rather than pure putting. |
| Cup | The hole itself, the target the ball has to drop into. |
| Dogleg | A hole that bends sharply partway along, so the hole cannot be attacked in a straight line. |
| Double bogey | A score of two strokes over par on a hole. |
| Drop | Putting the ball back into play after it leaves the course, normally at a marked spot and with a penalty stroke. |
| Eagle | A score of two strokes under par on a hole. On a par 3 that means an ace. |
| Gimme | A putt so short that the other players agree to count it as made without playing it. A courtesy of casual rounds only. |
| Green | The smooth carpeted surface the ball rolls on around the hole. |
| Hazard | Any feature built to punish a poor shot, from water and sand to moving parts. |
| Hole in one | Sinking the ball with the first stroke of the hole. The same thing as an ace. |
| Layup | A deliberately safe shot that stops short of trouble and leaves an easy next putt. |
| Lie | Where the ball has come to rest and what that position allows you to do next. |
| Line | The path you choose for the ball to take to the hole, including any bounces off the walls. |
| Loop | A curved section of the course that sends the ball around a bend or a full circle before it comes out. |
| Mulligan | An informal replay of a bad shot. It has no place in a scored round. |
| Obstacle | Anything built into a hole to make it harder, such as a ramp, a tunnel or a windmill. |
| Par | The number of strokes a hole is expected to take. Most mini golf holes are par 2 or par 3. |
| Penalty stroke | A stroke added to the score when the ball leaves the course or has to be moved. |
| Pin | The flagstick marking the hole, where a course uses one. |
| Putt | A stroke that rolls the ball along the surface rather than lifting it. In mini golf every stroke is a putt. |
| Putt-putt | A common American name for the game, taken from a chain of courses and now used generically. |
| Putter | The flat-faced club used for the whole round, built for control over short distances. |
| Ramp | A sloped section that lifts the ball to a higher level or launches it across a gap. |
| Rough | A coarser surface beside the smooth green that slows and deflects the ball. |
| Round | One complete run through the course, usually eighteen holes. |
| Sand trap | A sand-filled area borrowed from golf. On mini golf courses it is usually decorative. |
| Scorecard | The card each group carries to record strokes per hole and total them at the end. |
| Stroke | One forward swing made with the intent to hit the ball. Every one counts. |
| Stroke limit | The cap many courses put on how many strokes count on a single hole, most often six. |
| Tee | The marked spot at the start of each hole where the ball is placed for the first stroke. |
| Tee off | To play the first stroke of a hole from the tee. |
| Themed hole | A hole built around a subject, with decoration and obstacles to match. The reason mini golf courses look the way they do. |
| Through the windmill | The shot that has to be timed through the turning blades of a windmill. The single most recognizable mini golf obstacle. |
| Trick shot | A creative shot that solves a hole in an unexpected way, usually off several walls. |
| Tunnel | An enclosed pipe or passage the ball must be putted through, often with more than one exit. |
| Turn | A player's go. Players putt in order and complete their turn before the next player starts. |
| Under par | A score below the expected number of strokes, on a hole or over the whole round. |
| Water hazard | A pond or stream built into a hole. A ball that lands in it costs a penalty stroke. |
| Wedge | A lofted golf club for lifting the ball out of trouble. It is a golf term, not a mini golf one, since the putter does all the work here. |
| Windmill | The rotating obstacle whose blades block the entrance to the hole between turns. |
#1 Ace
In mini golf, an “Ace” is another term for a hole-in-one, where the player manages to get the ball into the hole with just a single stroke. It’s a display of skill, precision, and sometimes a bit of luck.
#2 Backboard
A “Backboard” in mini golf refers to a surface on the course designed to rebound the ball towards the hole. Players often aim at the backboard to use the bounce to their advantage.
#3 Bank Shot
A “Bank Shot” is a strategic shot where the ball is deliberately hit against the side walls of a mini golf course to change its direction toward the hole. It’s used to navigate around obstacles or angle the shot.
#4 Break
In mini golf, “Break” pertains to the curve a ball makes on a sloping green due to gravity. Players must judge the break carefully to make successful putts.
#5 Course
A “Course” in mini golf is the entire playing area consisting of a series of holes, complete with various themes, obstacles, and challenges. Each hole offers a unique mini golf experience.
#6 Dogleg
A “Dogleg” is a term borrowed from traditional golf, referring to a hole that bends at a sharp angle, resembling a dog’s hind leg. It forces players to think strategically about how to navigate the turn.
#7 Double Bogey
In mini golf, as in regular golf, a double bogey refers to a score of two strokes over par on a particular hole. For example, if a hole is considered a par 3 and a player takes 5 strokes to complete it, they have scored a double bogey.
#8 Hazard
A hazard in mini golf is any obstacle or feature on a mini golf course designed to make the hole more challenging. Common hazards include water features, sand traps, rocks, uneven surfaces, and mechanical obstacles that move or block the ball’s path.
#9 Hole-in-one
When the player hits the ball from the tee into the cup in a single stroke. Celebrated as a rare feat, it’s the pinnacle of success in mini golf, showcasing precision and luck.
#10 Layup
In mini golf, a layup is a strategic shot where the player intentionally aims for a safe area on the course, typically to avoid a hazard or to position the ball favorably for the next shot. This is done instead of attempting a more direct or risky shot towards the hole.
#11 Mulligan
A second chance to play a stroke if the first attempt goes awry; not always allowed and typically used in casual play. It’s a do-over that can relieve the pressure of a bad shot.
#12 Obstacle
Part of a mini-golf course design, these are various items or constructs that increase difficulty, such as windmills, ramps, or tunnels. They require strategic play to navigate successfully.
#13 Par
The number of strokes a skilled player should require to complete a hole or course. It sets the standard for scoring and helps players gauge their performance.
#14 Putter
A special golf club with a flat face used in mini-golf for rolling the ball into the hole. Its design is tailored for short-distance precision rather than power.
#15 Round
A complete game consisting of playing through the entire course, usually 18 holes. The player’s performance over a round determines their total score.
#16 Stroke
A forward movement of the club made with the intention of striking the ball. Every stroke counts toward a player’s score, so precision and control are key.
#17 Tee Off
The act of starting a hole in mini golf by hitting the ball from the designated tee-off area, marking the beginning of a player’s attempt to complete the hole. It’s the mini golf equivalent of the first serve in tennis.
#18 Themed Hole
A hole on a mini golf course designed around a specific theme or concept, often featuring unique decorations and obstacles. Themed holes add a fun and engaging element to the game by transforming a simple hole into a miniature adventure.
#19 Through the Windmill
A shot in mini golf where the ball must be putted through a rotating windmill, one of the most iconic and whimsical obstacles found on many courses. Timing is crucial to avoid the spinning blades and successfully make it through.
#20 Trick Shot
An unconventional or creative shot designed to navigate around, over, or through obstacles in mini golf in a way that’s not straightforward. Trick shots often involve a mix of skill, flair, and sometimes a bit of luck.
#21 Turn
In mini golf, a turn refers to a player’s chance to take a shot during their round. It is important for maintaining the order of play and ensuring that each player waits their turn before shooting.
#22 Under Par
A term that describes a score less than the designated par for the course or hole. Being under par means a player is performing better than the expected standard, often leading to a lower overall score and a better chance to win.
#23 Water Hazard
An area in mini golf integrated with water elements like ponds or streams, designed to penalize players if their ball lands within it. Navigating around water hazards requires precision and can significantly affect a player’s score.
#24 Wedge
Although more common in regular golf, a wedge is a club with a heavy, angled head for chipping the ball out of tricky spots. In mini golf, the term is less relevant as putters are predominantly used.
#25 Bogey
A bogey is a score of one stroke over par on a hole. For instance, if the hole is a par 2 and it takes a player 3 strokes to complete it, that score is called a bogey. It’s indicative of a slight underperformance on that particular hole.
#26 Green
In mini golf, the green refers to the smooth, often carpeted area surrounding the hole. It’s designed for the final putts of a hole, and the quality of the green can influence ball roll and putting accuracy.
#27 Rough
The rough is an area of longer, coarser grass or textured surface that surrounds the green or fairway. In mini golf, it serves to increase difficulty by slowing down and diverting the ball’s path.
#28 Sand Trap
An intentionally challenging area filled with sand, the sand trap is designed to test a player’s ability to accurately pitch the ball out. In mini golf, these features are typically more for aesthetics than play.
#29 Scorecard
The scorecard is where players record their strokes for each hole during a round of mini golf. Keeping an accurate scorecard is essential for tallying up scores to determine the winner at the end of the game.
#30 Tee
In mini golf, the tee is the starting area of each hole where players place their ball to begin play. The tee area is usually marked by a small mat or designated line. From here, players take their first shot aiming towards the hole, navigating through various obstacles and hazards laid out on the course.
FAQ
What is a hole in one called in mini golf?
An ace. It means the ball went from the tee into the cup with a single stroke, which on a par 3 hole also counts as an eagle.
What is the club used in mini golf called?
A putter. It has a flat face and is built for rolling the ball accurately over short distances, and it is the only club used for the whole round.
What is another name for mini golf?
Miniature golf is the full name. In Britain it is usually called crazy golf, in the United States putt-putt, and courses with elaborate themed landscaping often call themselves adventure golf.
What is it called when you take one stroke more than par?
A bogey. Two strokes over par is a double bogey, one under par is a birdie and two under is an eagle. Mini golf borrows all of these from golf.
What is the mini golf obstacle with turning blades called?
A windmill. Playing through it is known as going through the windmill, and it is a timing problem rather than an aiming one, since the blades block the gap on a fixed rhythm.
What is it called when you bounce the ball off a wall toward the hole?
A bank shot. A wall placed specifically so players can rebound the ball toward the cup is called a backboard.
Scoring words (ace, par, birdie, bogey, under par, scorecard), equipment and layout (putter, tee, cup, green, course) and obstacles (windmill, ramp, tunnel, dogleg, water hazard). The mini golf glossary above explains each one.
What are some Mini Golf terms for beginners?
“Ace,” “Putter,” and “Par” are some Mini Golf terms beginners should start with. These terms cover scoring an individual hole, the club used, and the expected number of strokes.
What are some funny Mini Golf terms?
“Through the windmill” and “Dogleg” are some funny Mini Golf terms that add a playful twist to describing the course layout and the quirky challenges players might face.
What is a famous Mini Golf phrase?
“Ace” is a famous Mini Golf phrase, often exclaimed when a player scores a hole-in-one, representing the ultimate success on a mini golf course.
