Miniature golf(also known asminigolf,putt-putt,crazy golf,and byseveral other names) is an offshoot of the sport ofgolffocusing solely on theputtingaspect of its parent game. The aim of the game is to score the lowest number of points. It is played on courses consisting of a series of holes (usually a multiple of 9) similar to those of its parent, but the courses are characterized by their short length (usually within 10 metres from tee to cup).
 | |
| Highestgoverning body | World Minigolf Sport Federation |
|---|---|
| Characteristics | |
| Contact | No |
| Mixed-sex | No, except mixed multiples |
| Type | Club sport |
| Equipment | putter, ball, artificial course |
| Presence | |
| Olympic | No |
| World Games | 1989(invitational) |
The game uses artificial putting surfaces (such as carpet,artificial turf,or concrete), a geometric layout often requiring non-traditional putting lines such as bank shots, and artificial obstacles such as tunnels, tubes, ramps, moving obstacles like windmills, and walls made of concrete, metal, or fiberglass. When miniature golf retains many of these characteristics but without the use of any props or obstacles, it is purely a mini version of its parent game.
Nomenclature
editWhile theWorld Minigolf Sport Federation(WMF)[1]prefers to use the nameminigolf,the game has several other names which vary between countries, includingmini-golf,midget golf,goofy golf,shorties,extreme golf,crazy golf,adventure golf,mini-putt,andputter golf.The namePutt-Puttis thetrademarkof an American company[2]that builds and franchises miniature golf courses in addition to other family-oriented entertainment. The termputt-puttis sometimes used colloquially to refer to the game itself. The termminigolfwas formerly a registered trademark of a Swedish company[who?]that built its own patented type of minigolf courses.[citation needed]
History
editGeometrically shaped minigolf courses made of artificial materials (carpet) began to emerge during the early 20th century. The earliest documented mention of such a course is in the June 8, 1912, edition ofThe Illustrated London News,which introduces a minigolf course called the Gofstacle.[3]
The first standardized minigolf courses to enter commercial mass-production were the Thistle Dhu ( "This'll Do" ) course in 1916 inPinehurst,North Carolina,[4][5]and the 1927 Tom Thumb patent ofGarnet CarterfromLookout Mountain, Tennessee.Thomas McCullough Fairbairn,a golf fanatic, revolutionized the game in 1922 with his formulation of a suitable artificial green—a mixture of cottonseed hulls, sand, oil, and dye. With this discovery, miniature golf became accessible everywhere; by the late 1920s there were over 150 rooftop courses inNew York Cityalone and tens of thousands across the United States.[6]This American minigolf boom of early 20th century came to an end during theGreat Depressionin the late 1930s. Nearly all minigolf courses in the United States were closed and demolished before the end of the 1930s.[7]A rare surviving example from this period is theParkside Whispering Pines Miniature Golf Courselocated nearRochester, New York,and listed on theNational Register of Historic Placesin 2002.[8]
The first miniature golf course inCanadawas at the Maples Inn inPointe-Claire,Quebec.The "Mapes" was constructed as a summer home in the 1890s but was renovated into a club in 1902, opened to the public in 1914, and had a miniature golf course in 1930. The popular nightspot burned in 1985.[9]
European origins
edit
One of the first documented minigolf courses in mainlandEuropewas built in 1926 by a man surnamed Schröder inHamburg, Germany.Schröder had been inspired by his visit to the United States, where he had seen minigolf courses spreading across the country.[10]
In 1930 Edwin O. Norrman and Eskil Norman returned to Sweden from the United States, where they had stayed for several years and witnessed the golden days of the American minigolf boom. In 1931 they founded the company "Norman och Norrmans Miniatyrgolf" and began manufacturing standardized minigolf courses for the Swedish market. During the following years they spread this new leisure activity across Sweden, by installing minigolf courses in public parks and other suitable locations.[10]
Swedish minigolf courses typically had a rectangular wooden frame surrounding the playing area made of tennis field sand;[11]in contrast, American manufacturers used newly developed and patented felt as the surface of their minigolf courses. Felt did not become popular as a surface material in Sweden until in the mid-1960s—but since then it has become practically the only surface material used in Scandinavia and the United Kingdom, due to its favorable playing qualities in wet weather. Minigolf courses with a felt surface can be played in rainy weather, because water soaks through the felt into the ground. The other commonly used surface materials,concreteandfibre-cement,cannot be used in rainy weather, because the rainwater pools on them, stopping the ball from rolling.
The Swedish Minigolf Federation (Svenska Bangolfförbundet)[12]was founded in 1937, making it the oldest minigolf sport organization in the world. National Swedish championships in minigolf have been played yearly since 1939.[13]In other countries minigolf sport federations were not founded until the late 1950s, due to the post-war economical depression.
In 1954, the minigolf course inAscona,Switzerland, opened. It is the oldest course in the world which follows the norms of Paul Bongni.
Competitive games
editThe earliest documented minigolf competitions were played in the United States. The first National Tom Thumb Open minigolf tournament was arranged in 1930, with a total cash purse $10,000 (the top prize being $2,000). Qualification play-offs were played in all of the 48 states, and the final competition onLookout Mountain,Chattanooga, Tennessee, attracted over 200 players representing thirty states.[14]After the Depression ten years later, minigolf died out as a competition sport in America, and has begun to recover only during the most recent decades. The American minigolf sport boom of the 1930s inspired many European countries, and the sport of minigolf lived on in Europe even after the American game fell into Depression.
Post-depression U.S.
edit
In 1938 Joseph and Robert Taylor fromBinghamton,New York,started building and operating their own miniature golf courses. These courses differed from the ones in the late 20s and early 30s; they were no longer just rolls, banks, and curves, with an occasional pipe thrown in. Their courses not only hadlandscaping,but also obstacles, includingwindmills,castles,andwishing wells.
Impressed by the quality of the courses, many customers asked if the Taylors would build a course for them. By the early 1940s, Joe and Bob formed Taylor Brothers, and were in the business of building miniature golf courses and supplying obstacles to the industry. During both theKoreanandVietnam Wars,many a G.I. played on a Taylor Brothersprefabricatedcourse that the U.S.Militaryhad contracted to be built and shipped overseas. In the 1950s, Don Clayton invented the Putt-Putt brand with a focus on treating minigolf seriously, emphasizing skill and player improvement. Most of the Putt Putt routes were 2-par holes involving ramps or angled blocks that could be mastered in one go through practice.[15][16]
By the late 1950s, almost all supply catalogs carried Taylor Brother's obstacles. In 1961, Bob Taylor, Don Clayton of Putt-Putt, and Frank Abramoff ofArnold PalmerMiniature Golf organised the first miniature golf association known as NAPCOMS (or the "National Association of Putting Course Operators, Manufacturers, and Suppliers" ). Their first meeting was held inNew York City.Though thisorganizationonly lasted a few years it was the first attempt to bring miniature golf operators together to promote miniature golf.
In 1955, Lomma Golf, Inc., founded by Al Lomma and his brotherRalph Lomma,led the revival of wacky, animated trick hazards. These hazards required both accurately aimed shots and split-second timing to avoid spinning windmill blades,revolvingstatuary,and other careening obstacles.[citation needed]
The book,Tilting At Windmills: How I Tried To Stop Worrying And Love Sport,by Andy Miller tells the story of the formerly sports-hating author attempting to change by competing in miniature golf, including events inDenmarkandLatvia.
In theUnited States,National Miniature Golf Day is held yearly on the second Saturday of May. The event had itsinauguralcelebrationon May 12, 2007, and was officially recognized and published in 2008's edition ofChase's Calendar of Events.
Other countries
editBy the 1950s the American Putt-Putt company was exporting their minigolf courses to South Africa, Australia, Japan, Korea, India, Iran, Italy, Pakistan, Argentina, Brazil, and the Eastern Bloc.[17]
Governing body
editThe sport of miniature golf is governed internationally by the World Minigolf Sport Federation (WMF), headquartered in Göteborg, Sweden. The WMF is a member ofGlobal Association of International Sports Federations,[18]and within it, of the Alliance of Independent Recognized Members of Sport (AIMS).[19]WMF is also member of the Association for International Sport for All (TAFISA).[20]
It organizes World Championships for youth and elite players, and Continental Championships in Europe, Asia and the United States, held in alternate years.
WMF Members
edit| Nation | Governing body |
|---|---|
 Australia |
Australian Mini Golf Association |
 Austria |
Österreichischer Bahnengolf-Verband |
 Belgium |
Union Belge de MiniGolf — Belgische Verbond voor MidgetGolf[21] |
 China |
China Minigolf Sport Federation |
 Croatia |
Croatian Minigolf Federation |
 Cyprus |
City Mini Golf |
 Czech Republic |
Český minigolfový svaz |
 Denmark |
Dansk Minigolf Union[22] |
 Estonia |
Estonian Minigolf Association |
 Finland |
Suomen Ratagolfliitto |
 France |
Fédération Française de Minigolf |
 Germany |
Deutscher Minigolfsport Verband[23] |
 Great Britain |
British Mini Golf Association |
 Hungary |
Magyar Minigolf Országos Szakszövetség |
 India |
Minigolf Federation of India |
 Indonesia |
Persatuan Mini Golf Indonesia |
 Iran |
Iran Minigolf Society |
 Israel |
Israeli Minigolf Association (R.A.) |
 Italy |
Federazione Italiana Golf su Pista |
 Japan |
Japan Mini Golf Association |
 Kosovo |
Federata e Minigolfit e Kosovës |
 Latvia |
Latvian Minigolf Clubs Association |
 Liechtenstein |
Liechtensteiner Minigolf-Sport-Verband |
 Luxembourg |
Fédération Luxembourgeoise de Golf sur Pistes |
 Malaysia |
Malaysian Minigolf Sport Association (MMGSA) |
 Mexico |
Federacion Mexicana de Minigolf |
 Moldova |
National Golf Federation of Moldova |
 Mongolia |
Mongolian Amateur Minigolf Federation |
 Netherlands |
NMB = Nederlandse Minigolf Bond[24] |
 New Zealand |
MiniatureGolf Association |
 Norway |
Norges Minigolf Forbund |
 Philippines |
Affiliation Minigolf of the Philippines |
 Poland |
Minigolf Club Sopot |
 Portugal |
Federacão Portuguesa de Minigolfe |
 Romania |
Club Sportiv Minigolf Riviera |
 Russia |
Russian Golf Association |
 Serbia |
Serbian Minigolf Association |
 Singapore |
Miniature Golf Association (Singapore) |
 Slovakia |
Slovenský zväz dráhového golfu |
 Slovenia |
Mini Golf Zveza Slovenije |
 South Korea |
Korea Newsports Association |
 Sweden |
Svenska Bangolfförbundet |
 Switzerland |
Swiss Minigolf |
 Taipei |
Minigolf Sport Association |
 Thailand |
Minigolf Association Thailand |
 Turkey |
Uluslararasi Minigolf & Tuna Minigolf |
 Ukraine |
Ukrainian Golf Federation |
 UAE |
Emirati Mini Golf |
 USA |
United States ProMiniGolf Association (USPMGA) |
 Vietnam |
Vietnam Minigolf Foundation |
Course types
edit
All competitions approved by World Minigolfsport Federation are played on standardized courses, whose design has been checked to be suitable for competitive play. The WMF currently approves four different course types:
- Beton[25](abbreviated B, sometimes called "Bongni" and named after Paul Bongni of Geneva, Switzerland, "Minigolf" or "Abteilung 1" )
- Eternite[26](abbreviated E (in Sweden EB), sometimes called "Europabana", "Miniaturgolf" or "Abteilung 2" )
- Felt[27](abbreviated F or SFR, sometimes called "Swedish felt runs" ), and
- Minigolf Open Standard[28](abbreviated "MOS" ). The latter non-standardized playing system, MOS, covers all minigolf courses that the three standardized systems (B, E, F) do not cover.
Course features
editThe final holes (often the 18th hole or a bonus19th hole[29]) of many miniature golf courses are designed to capture the ball, effectively preventing the player from playing additional rounds without purchasing another game. This may be accomplished with a "drain" or trap-door hole setup that channels the ball to a lockbox.
The 19th hole on miniature golf courses is often a hole in which if a hole-in-one is scored, one receives a free game.[29]One popular method of theming the 18th hole in the United States is to use a gated, ramped target area depicting the face of aclown;if the ball lands "in" the clown's nose, a bell may sound and the player would win a discount ticket for another game. Another method for capturing the ball incorporated by various adventure golf courses involves a tube that sucks and propels the ball with pressurized air to a collection area or another area of the course typically on a higher elevation.[citation needed]
Competitions
editThe world record on one round of minigolf is 18 strokes on 18 holes. More than a thousand players have officially achieved this score on eternite. On other playing systems, a perfect round of 18 holes-in-one is extremely rare, and has never been scored in an official national or international tournament. Unofficial 18-rounds on concrete and felt courses have been reported in Sweden.[30]
Nearly all European countries have an official national federation for promoting minigolf as a competition sport. The bi-annual European Championships attract competitors from more than twenty European countries. As of 2012, Chris Beattie has been the holder of the European Championship title.[31]Outside Europe only a small number of countries have participated in international minigolf competitions. These countries include the United States, Japan, China, India and Taiwan. A national minigolf federation exists also in Moldova, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand, but none of these countries has ever participated in international competitions, and probably are not arranging many domestic competitions either.[32]
World Minigolfsport Federation represents some 40,000 registered competition players from 37 countries.[33]The national minigolf federation of Germany has 11,000 members with a competing license,[34]and the Swedish federation has 8,000 registered competition players.[30]Other strong minigolf countries include Austria and Switzerland, each having a few thousand licensed competition players. Also Italy, Czech Republic and Netherlands have traditionally been able to send a strong team to international championships, even if they cannot count their licensed players in thousands.
The sceptre of competitive minigolf rests quite firmly in mainland Europe: no player from other countries (such as UK, the United States, Japan et cetera) has ever reached even the top 50 in World Championships (in men's category).[31]Nearly all national federations outside Europe were founded only quite recently (within the last ten years), and it will take time before the players of these countries learn all secrets of the game. The United States has a longer history of minigolf competitions, but the standardized European competition courses are practically unknown in the United States, and therefore the American players have been unable to learn the secrets of European minigolf. On the traditional American courses the best American players are able to challenge the European top players into a tough and exciting competition.[35]
The British Minigolf Association (BMGA) has an additional problem on their way to greater success in competitive minigolf. While the minigolf federations in mainland Europe receive annual funding from the government, in England the national sports organizationSport Englandhas refused to accept BMGA as its member – which means that BMGA is left without the public funding that other forms of sports enjoy. The rules of Sport England declare that only one variant of each sport can be accepted as member – and minigolf is interpreted as a variant of golf.[33]
The most prize money is paid in the United States, where the winner of a major competition may earn up to $5,000. In mainland Europe the prize money generally quite low, and in many cases honor is the only thing at stake in the competition. International championships usually award no prize money at all.
In the US there are two organizations offering nationaltournaments:theProfessional Putters Associationand theUS Pro Mini-Golf Association(USPMGA). The USPMGA represents the United States in the World Minigolfsport Federation, having been an active member since 1995. USPMGA President Robert Detwiler is also the WMF representative forNorthandSouth America.
The New Israeli Minigolf Association was established in February 2010 in Israel. Setting up, for the first time, league play according to the rules of WMF and USPMGA. Now, a series of lush and inviting minigolf parks in prime locations are being built around Israel.
International
editWorld Minigolfsport Federation (WMF), a member ofAGFIS,[36]organizes World Championships biennially (on odd-numbered years), while the continental championships in Europe and Asia are organized on even-numbered years. Many of these competitions are arranged for three age groups: juniors (under 20 years), adults (no age limit), and seniors (over 45 years).[37]Men and women compete separately in their own categories, except in some team competitions and pair competitions. The difference in the playing skills of men and women is very small at the top level. Sometimes the best player in a major international tournament is female. Typically the winner in women's category would be very close to medals also in men's category.[38]
World and European Championships have so far never been arranged on MOS courses (which are popular in the United States and UK, and were approved by WMF for competition use only a few years ago). International competitions are typically arranged on two courses of 18 holes, of which one course is eternite, and the other course is usually concrete, less commonly felt. In the future, the WMF is expected to use also MOS courses in international championships – which will give American and British players a chance to show their skills on their own traditional course types.
The most prestigious MOS minigolf competitions in the world are the US Masters, US Open, British Open,World Crazy Golf Championshipsand theWorld Adventure Golf Masters.[citation needed]
See also
edit- Clock golf
- Défi mini-putt,a 1990sRDStelevised minigolf series fromQuebec
- European Minigolf Sport Federation
- M.C. Mini Masters,a unique annual amateur miniature golf tournament
- Pitch and putt
- Professional Putters Association
- Sholf
- Variations of golf
- World Crazy Golf Championships
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External links
edit
- WMF– World Minigolfsport Federation (WMF)