Mini Golf

Playing The Miniature Golf

Among the many forms of golfing, miniature golf or mini golf has started to become a popular past time among busy professionals and family alike who are either popular fanatics of the game or prefer to take on a regular gaming activity in the comfort of their own homes.

History

Perhaps, miniature golf was created due to the increasing demands of golf courses that do not occupy a significant land area but still able to provide all the amenities expected of the more conventional golf courses.

This midget type of golfing became surprisingly popular before World War 1 in 1910 and the early 1920's. It was originally termed as "Garden Golf" due to the usual scenery characteristic of a golf landscape.

Contributors

Thomas McCulloch Fairbairn was the first to completely initiate change in the way mini golf courses were designed and played. He takes on a new role in introducing anatomical changes to the then current details of midget golf courses.

He was to contribute to the dramatic advancement of mini golf landscape by replacing the usual objects typical of conventional golf courses, to artificial greens and physical hazards.

A mixture of color dyes, cottonseed hulls, tree landscaping, and the creation of artificial bunkers, curves and rolls and water hazards (miniature lakes) have successfully replicated the more traditional golf sport into a geographically manageable level.

Ensuing Years

The late 1930's further revolutionized the production of golf courses when Joe Taylor and Bob Taylor added new features to the then mini golf architecture.

They put up more obstacles that serves to make mini golfing a more fun game to play. Wells, castles and windmills were installed along with other physical deterrents.

With their increasing efforts to create a more ideal midget golf course, a number of industries catering to the production of these merchandises created the first National Association of putting Course Operators, Manufacturers and Suppliers in 1961 in association with Arnold Palmer and Don Clayton.

Al Lomma together with Ralph Lomma, his brother, of Lomma Enterprises, Inc. in 1955 introduced a more robust feature and broke away from the more conventional straight putting.

Current Developments

Mini golf tournaments are now being aired on television especially pn ESPN suggesting the game's thriving economic status.

More and more people are beginning to appreicate the value of mini golf courses and statistics show that more than 45% among the players of this popular game are families or groups of friends.

With this renewed and thriving interest in mini golf games, the US ProMiniGolf Association, the officially recognized affiliate organizations in the World Minigolf Sports Federation was instituted to take over initiatives related to the game.