Stuff You Should Know

Selects: How Miniature Golf Works

December 27, 2025

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  • The world's first miniature golf course was built in 1867 at the Ladies' Putting Club of St. Andrews, Scotland, primarily to restrict women's full golf swings. 
  • The term "miniature golf" was first coined in 1897 by a newspaper reporting on competitions at Thistledew, the first American miniature golf course built in Pinehurst, North Carolina. 
  • The modern, whimsical style of miniature golf (like Tom Thumb Golf) exploded in popularity in 1926, but the simpler, skill-focused 'Putt-Putt' style was later introduced in 1954 by Don Clayton to move away from the 'human-sized pinball machine' concept. 

Segments

Podcast Intro and Ads
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(00:00:00)
  • Key Takeaway: The episode is a ‘Selects’ featuring a classic discussion on miniature golf.
  • Summary: The episode begins with advertisements for AT&T and Audible, followed by the host introducing this ‘Selects’ episode. The hosts mention reminiscing about childhood memories involving putt-putt and slush puppies. The episode is identified as the August 2020 episode on Miniature Golf.
Hosts’ Miniature Golf Memories
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(00:04:22)
  • Key Takeaway: Both hosts share fond, nostalgic memories of playing various forms of miniature golf, including basic putt-putt and courses featuring elaborate obstacles.
  • Summary: Chuck grew up playing putt-putt with fond memories of colored golf balls and stagnant water traps, often associated with birthday parties. Josh also played putt-putt extensively, including at Stone Mountain Park, and enjoys both the skill-based courses and the themed ones with windmills and volcanoes. They briefly digress into a shared love for go-karts found at these entertainment venues.
Origin of Miniature Golf
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(00:07:52)
  • Key Takeaway: The earliest known miniature golf course originated in Scotland in 1867 for women members of the Ladies’ Putting Club.
  • Summary: The first miniature golf course is traced to the Ladies’ Putting Club of St. Andrews, built in 1867 because women were restricted from taking a full golf swing past their shoulder. This course, nicknamed ‘The Himalayas,’ is essentially a scaled-down, genuine golf course. The segment also differentiates miniature golf from shorter formats like par three, pitch and putt, and executive courses.
Mini Golf Spreads to America
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(00:18:09)
  • Key Takeaway: The first American miniature golf course, Thistledew, was built in Pinehurst, North Carolina, by James Barber, who coined the term ‘miniature golf.’
  • Summary: The concept traveled to the U.S. via James Barber, who built Thistledew in Pinehurst, North Carolina, around 1912. Competitions there led to the coining of the term ‘miniature golf,’ replacing earlier names like ‘Lilliputian golf.’ The year 1926 marked a major boom, including the opening of rooftop courses in New York City.
Tom Thumb Golf Emerges
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(00:22:30)
  • Key Takeaway: Garnett and Frida Carter created ‘Tom Thumb Golf’ in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, introducing stationary obstacles and fairy tale statuary.
  • Summary: The Carters developed a resort amenity called Tom Thumb Golf, using construction materials as hazards and incorporating fairy tale themes related to Rock City. Thomas McCullough Fairburn later provided a cheap, franchisable green material made from crushed cotton seed hulls, allowing Tom Thumb Golf to spread rapidly. By August 1930, there were an estimated 25,000 mini-golf courses in the U.S., surviving the Depression due to low cost.
The Rise of Putt-Putt
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(00:35:30)
  • Key Takeaway: Don Clayton founded ‘Putt-Putt’ in 1954, intentionally stripping away the whimsical obstacles of Tom Thumb Golf to focus on skill and challenge.
  • Summary: After the initial craze faded, Don Clayton, seeking a less goofy alternative, opened the first Putt-Putt course in Fayetteville, North Carolina, in 1954, recovering his investment in 29 days. Putt-Putt courses feature challenging, non-moving obstacles, with all holes designed as par twos, making a perfect game (score of 18) extremely rare. The Lomas brothers later popularized mechanized obstacles, leading to the modern ‘goofy golf’ style.
Modern Miniature Golf Landscape
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(00:46:04)
  • Key Takeaway: Modern miniature golf includes professional circuits, with Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, recognized as the world capital due to its high density of courses.
  • Summary: The sport has professionalized with organizations like the U.S. Pro Mini Golf Association and the World Mini Golf Sports Federation setting standards. Myrtle Beach is considered the world capital, featuring over 50 courses in a 30-mile stretch, including themed ones like Molten Mountain with a functioning volcano. Notable courses include the death-themed Algerum Acres in a funeral home basement and the highly difficult Golf Gardens on Catalina Island.