How Much Does a Round of Mini Golf Cost?
The Age of Participants, the Number of Holes Played, and Even the Quality of the Course comes into play when determining the cost of a round of Mini Golf. Let's dive in.
It's no secret that a round of Mini Golf is among the most inexpensive of all entertainment options. In 2023, a round of Mini Golf averages between $8.50-$10 per 18 holes.
That cost does not include the favorable discount offered to a replay of the course. Replays tend to average $2-3 dollars less per 18 holes. Also, that price does not include courses that are 9, 27 or 36 holes in length.
What Goes into the Cost
Below are a variety of ways that pricing gets affected. Bowling Alleys, Driving Ranges and Pool Halls all feel the same market forces.
Number of Holes Played
The more you play, the more you pay. That's pretty much true in all walks of life, but doubly so in leisure gaming. Some mini golf courses charge by the round, some have a flat fee for all day play. Take note of the advertised rates.
Number of Players
Once again, the more who play, the more who pay. A course wouldn't stay in business long if they didn't charge all of the people playing.
Age of the Participants
The typical breakdown of pricing is usually one rate for Adults and one rate for Children & Seniors. The fine print comes when 14-17 year olds qualify as Adults.
Think of it like a restaurant, if your kid shouldn't be eating off the kid's menu anymore, then they're going to pay the Adult Mini Golf price.
Also, some courses may set different rules for Toddlers. And, they may offer additional discounts for Military/Service Professionals.
Course Quality
New and/or popular courses tend to be more aggressively priced. For the former, it's about recouping startup costs. For the latter, they've run a good business and it shows.
Location
Location matters in Mini Golf as much as it does in Real Estate. There is absolutely no way that the average course in, say, South Dakota can charge the same as a course in Myrtle Beach, the "Mini Golf Capital of the World".
Factors such as the cost of living, combined with popularity and quality, really work together to determine the cost of an average round of mini golf.
Is Mini Golf cheaper than Traditional Golf?
Yes, a round of Mini Golf is typically 3-10x cheaper than a round of traditional Golf. Course management and upkeep in traditional golf requires a lot more operating capital. Then there are physical resources like maintainng a strong water supply, industrial grade sprinkler systems, high quality grass seed and more. Even the marketing costs of a Mini Golf course are miniscule by comparison.
Is Mini Golf a cheap first date?
Yes, Mini Golf is a decent angle to play if you're looking for a cheap, yet fun, first date. Plus, a lot of courses offer snacks and food for sale as part of the overall experience. All of that is typically found at the shack when you walk in.
Some courses have their own clubhouse, where an actual restaurant or bar serves meals and drinks for the 21+ crowd. That may make your first date a little more expensive, but it could also make it a bit more fun.
Time to Value Ratio
Since a round of Mini Golf generally takes about 45 minutes to play on average, you may find yourself wondering if the money is worth it. Based on the average minimum wage of each state of $10-15/hr, you're going to trade your time at roughly a 1:1 ratio when playing a round at a maximum. In the end, it's all up to what you value most.
Examples of Prices at Popular Courses
Monster Mini Golf
We have researched a diverse set of Monster Mini Golf locations to find out how much a round at Monster Mini Golf costs and below is what we've found.
The average price of a round at Monster Mini Golf is $11.59 for adults and $9.99 for kids. This is higher than the national average for all mini golf courses, which makes sense as Monster Mini Golf is a premium course.
- $11.95 adults / $9.95 kids at Monster Mini Golf Coral Springs, Florida
- $12.00 adults / $10.00 kids at Monster Mini Golf Denver, Colorado
- $13.00 adults / $12.00 kids at Monster Mini Golf Fairfield, New Jersey
- $9.00 adults / $8.00 kids at Monster Mini Golf Lafayette, Indiana
- $12.00 adults / $10.00 kids at Monster Mini Golf San Antonio, Texas
Great Wolf Lodge
The Great Wolf Lodge offers 9 hole mini golf courses. This is probably due to the vast array of entertainment options that each lodge offers. Be warned, they are very expensive, averaging out to $7.66 per nine holes, or, $15.32 per eighteen.
- $7.99 per game (9 holes) at Great Wolf Lodge - Howl at the Moon in Boston/Fitchburg (Northeast)
- $7.00 per game (9 holes) at Great Wolf Lodge - Howl in One in Colorado Springs (West)
- $7.99 per game (9 holes) at Great Wolf Lodge - Howl in One in LaGrange, Georgia (South)
Adventure Landing
A round of mini golf at Adventure Landing costs $9.50 per adult and $7.16 per kid on average.
- $9.00 adults / $6.00 kids at Adventure Golf (Buffalo)
- $9.99 adults / $7.99 kids at Adventure Golf (Dallas)
- $9.50 adults / $7.50 kids at Adventure Golf (St. Augustine)
Castle Park
According to ACoupleOfPutts.com, a fun troop of Mini Golf Enthusiasts, a round at Castle Park in Sherman Oaks, California costs $6.50 for adults and $5.50 for children. Bonus - children under 4 are free. Also, senior citizens, ages 64+, cost $5.50 per round to play.
Fun fact: Castle Park offers Mini Golf lessons. Straight from their site, "We even offer Mini Golf lessons for first-timers to ensure no one has to feel like a novice out on the green!"
Check out the Sherman Oaks Castle Park Mini Golf course.
Disney World
Fantasia Gardens and Fairways Miniature Golf has a price of $14 per Adult, $12 per Child (Ages 3–9) (tax not included).
What's Next
Get to a course and have a good time is what we say. And, if you've never played before, learn how first by reviewing our advice on how to play mini golf.