33 mini golf quiz questions with answers on putt-putt history, windmills, scoring terms and course design. Reveal each answer, or read the full key at the end.
Every question comes with three options and keeps the correct one behind a button, so a family can play the set without spoilers. The answer key under the scoring table gathers the mini golf trivia questions and answers in order, which makes the page an easy round for a party. The mini golf quiz questions stay close to the course itself, so the questions about mini golf work just as well for kids as for a putting league.
Round 1 of 3: Warm-up
These 10 questions are the ones most fans get right.
1. “Putt-Putt,” the name many Americans use for any mini golf course, started out as what?
- A) The sound a windmill makes
- B) The brand name of a mini golf chain
- C) A nickname for a short putter
2. Which club does a player use for every stroke in mini golf?
- A) A wedge
- B) A driver
- C) A putter
3. How many holes does a standard mini golf course have?
- A) 18
- B) 9
- C) 24
4. What does “par” mean on a mini golf hole?
- A) The expected number of strokes
- B) The maximum number of strokes allowed
- C) The length of the hole
5. What is it called when you sink the ball with your first stroke?
- A) A mulligan
- B) A hole in one
- C) A gimme
6. What is the term for finishing a hole one stroke under par?
- A) Bogey
- B) Eagle
- C) Birdie
7. What is the term for finishing a hole one stroke over par?
- A) Bogey
- B) Birdie
- C) Par
8. Which classic mini golf obstacle has turning blades that block the ball’s path?
- A) The loop
- B) The windmill
- C) The ramp
9. How is a round of mini golf normally scored?
- A) By counting the holes you win
- B) By adding up all your strokes, lowest total wins
- C) By timing each hole
10. At many mini golf courses, what happens to your ball on the 18th hole?
- A) You get a second ball
- B) It is returned by a referee
- C) The course keeps it
Round 2 of 3: Getting tougher
Records, history and the finer points of the rules.
11. What do people in Britain often call mini golf?
- A) Crazy golf
- B) Club golf
- C) Pocket golf
12. What are heavily themed mini golf courses with caves, waterfalls and pirate ships usually called?
- A) Cross golf
- B) Adventure golf
- C) Links golf
13. What kind of lighting makes indoor glow golf courses glow?
- A) Strobe light
- B) Black light
- C) Laser light
14. What is it called when you bounce the ball off a wall or border to reach the hole?
- A) A bank shot
- B) A chip shot
- C) A drive
15. In which country did the Ladies’ Putting Club of St Andrews open its putting course in 1867?
- A) Scotland
- B) England
- C) The United States
16. The first nationwide mini golf craze in the United States peaked around which year?
- A) 1930
- B) 1910
- C) 1955
17. What is the term for finishing a hole three strokes under par?
- A) Eagle
- B) Albatross
- C) Condor
18. Which golf format uses short holes but lets players hit irons, not just a putter?
- A) Pitch and putt
- B) Adventure golf
- C) Disc golf
19. Which South Carolina beach town is often called the mini golf capital of the world?
- A) Hilton Head
- B) Myrtle Beach
- C) Charleston
20. What is the lowest possible score on an 18-hole mini golf course?
- A) 0
- B) 36
- C) 18
21. In a casual round, what is a “mulligan”?
- A) A do-over shot that does not count
- B) A ball that hops over the hole
- C) A penalty for hitting out of bounds
22. In a casual round, what is a “gimme”?
- A) A free ball at the start
- B) A short putt your playing partners let you skip
- C) An extra hole after the 18th
23. Under traditional golf etiquette, who plays first on the next hole?
- A) The youngest player
- B) The player with the highest score so far
- C) The player with the lowest score on the last hole
Round 3 of 3: Hard mode
The last 10, for people who really know their mini golf.
24. Which course, built in Pinehurst, North Carolina in 1916, is regarded as the first miniature golf course in the United States?
- A) Tom Thumb Golf
- B) Putt-Putt
- C) Thistle Dhu
25. The name of the early Pinehurst course Thistle Dhu is a pun on what phrase?
- A) This is true
- B) This'll do
- C) This is dew
26. Garnet Carter built the first Tom Thumb Golf course, which set off the 1930 craze, on which mountain?
- A) Pikes Peak, Colorado
- B) Stone Mountain, Georgia
- C) Lookout Mountain, Tennessee
27. Garnet Carter, inventor of Tom Thumb Golf, also opened which attraction later promoted on painted barn roofs?
- A) Ruby Falls
- B) Dollywood
- C) Rock City
28. In which state did Don Clayton open the first Putt-Putt course in 1954?
- A) North Carolina
- B) Florida
- C) Ohio
29. The Ladies’ Putting Club course at St Andrews, still in use today, is nicknamed what?
- A) The Alps
- B) The Rockies
- C) The Himalayas
30. During the 1930 boom, which city became known for its rooftop mini golf courses?
- A) New York
- B) Chicago
- C) Los Angeles
31. Puttshack, the tech-driven mini golf chain, was started by co-founders of which company?
- A) Dave & Buster's
- B) Chuck E. Cheese
- C) Topgolf
32. In American golf slang, what is an albatross often called?
- A) A triple birdie
- B) A golden eagle
- C) A double eagle
33. In The Simpsons episode “Dead Putting Society,” whom does Bart face in a mini golf tournament?
- A) Nelson Muntz
- B) Todd Flanders
- C) Milhouse Van Houten
Results
| # of Correct Answers | Percentage Range | Label | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0- | 0-49% | Putter PupilArmchair Athlete | You've got some learning to do, but don't worry, there's always the next game! |
| - | 50-64% | Hole HunterRookie Runner | Not bad! Keep practicing, and you'll be a sports trivia champ in no time. |
| - | 65-79% | Par ProfessionalMidfield Maestro | Impressive! You're getting closer to the top, keep up the good work. |
| - | 80-94% | Birdie BeginnerAll-Star Striker | Wow, you really know your sports trivia! You're a force to be reckoned with. |
| -33 | 95-100% | Mini Golf MasterLegendary Champion | Unbelievable! You're a true sports trivia master. Your knowledge knows no bounds! |
Mini Golf Quiz Answers: The Full Answer Key
Every question in this mini golf quiz with its correct answer, in the order the questions appear above. Check your score against the table, or use the list as a set of mini golf trivia questions and answers for a quiz night of your own.
| # | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Putt-Putt," the name many Americans use for any mini golf course, started out as what? | B) The brand name of a mini golf chain |
| 2 | Which club does a player use for every stroke in mini golf? | C) A putter |
| 3 | How many holes does a standard mini golf course have? | A) 18 |
| 4 | What does "par" mean on a mini golf hole? | A) The expected number of strokes |
| 5 | What is it called when you sink the ball with your first stroke? | B) A hole in one |
| 6 | What is the term for finishing a hole one stroke under par? | C) Birdie |
| 7 | What is the term for finishing a hole one stroke over par? | A) Bogey |
| 8 | Which classic mini golf obstacle has turning blades that block the ball's path? | B) The windmill |
| 9 | How is a round of mini golf normally scored? | B) By adding up all your strokes, lowest total wins |
| 10 | At many mini golf courses, what happens to your ball on the 18th hole? | C) The course keeps it |
| 11 | What do people in Britain often call mini golf? | A) Crazy golf |
| 12 | What are heavily themed mini golf courses with caves, waterfalls and pirate ships usually called? | B) Adventure golf |
| 13 | What kind of lighting makes indoor glow golf courses glow? | B) Black light |
| 14 | What is it called when you bounce the ball off a wall or border to reach the hole? | A) A bank shot |
| 15 | In which country did the Ladies' Putting Club of St Andrews open its putting course in 1867? | A) Scotland |
| 16 | The first nationwide mini golf craze in the United States peaked around which year? | A) 1930 |
| 17 | What is the term for finishing a hole three strokes under par? | B) Albatross |
| 18 | Which golf format uses short holes but lets players hit irons, not just a putter? | A) Pitch and putt |
| 19 | Which South Carolina beach town is often called the mini golf capital of the world? | B) Myrtle Beach |
| 20 | What is the lowest possible score on an 18-hole mini golf course? | C) 18 |
| 21 | In a casual round, what is a "mulligan"? | A) A do-over shot that does not count |
| 22 | In a casual round, what is a "gimme"? | B) A short putt your playing partners let you skip |
| 23 | Under traditional golf etiquette, who plays first on the next hole? | C) The player with the lowest score on the last hole |
| 24 | Which course, built in Pinehurst, North Carolina in 1916, is regarded as the first miniature golf course in the United States? | C) Thistle Dhu |
| 25 | The name of the early Pinehurst course Thistle Dhu is a pun on what phrase? | B) This'll do |
| 26 | Garnet Carter built the first Tom Thumb Golf course, which set off the 1930 craze, on which mountain? | C) Lookout Mountain, Tennessee |
| 27 | Garnet Carter, inventor of Tom Thumb Golf, also opened which attraction later promoted on painted barn roofs? | C) Rock City |
| 28 | In which state did Don Clayton open the first Putt-Putt course in 1954? | A) North Carolina |
| 29 | The Ladies' Putting Club course at St Andrews, still in use today, is nicknamed what? | C) The Himalayas |
| 30 | During the 1930 boom, which city became known for its rooftop mini golf courses? | A) New York |
| 31 | Puttshack, the tech-driven mini golf chain, was started by co-founders of which company? | C) Topgolf |
| 32 | In American golf slang, what is an albatross often called? | C) A double eagle |
| 33 | In The Simpsons episode "Dead Putting Society," whom does Bart face in a mini golf tournament? | B) Todd Flanders |
FAQ
How many questions are in this mini golf quiz?
There are 33 questions. Each one gives three options, and the correct answer is hidden behind the reveal button under the question.
Where are the mini golf trivia questions and answers listed together?
The answer key under the scoring table repeats all 33 questions with their correct answers in order, so you can score a full round at once.
Is this mini golf quiz suitable for kids?
Round 1 is. It covers the putter, par and the classic obstacles, so children can play along. Rounds 2 and 3 move into history and golf terms and suit teens and adults.
Can I use these questions at a party or a pub quiz?
Yes. Read out the question with its three options, let everyone write down a letter, then work through the answer key and count the correct answers.
Are these mini golf trivia questions hard?
They get harder round by round. Round 1 is easy for anyone who has played, round 2 adds golf terms and a little history, and round 3 goes into the origins of the game, where most people start guessing.
What is a good score on this mini golf quiz?
Above half is a good result. The scoring table turns your total into a rank, from Putter Pupil at the bottom to Mini Golf Master at the top.
What is the difference between mini golf and regular golf?
Mini golf is played entirely with a putter on short lanes with obstacles, while regular golf uses a full set of clubs over long holes. Both count strokes the same way.
How many holes does a mini golf course have?
Eighteen is the standard, the same as a full size golf course. Some smaller commercial courses use nine.
What do birdie, bogey and eagle mean?
A birdie is one stroke under par, an eagle two under, a bogey one over and a double bogey two over. The same terms are used in mini golf as in golf.
Which body governs competitive mini golf?
The World Minigolf Sport Federation, the WMF, which organizes world championships and sets the standards for competition lanes.
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