Ignore the giant fiberglass dinosaur and pay no attention to the erupting volcano. Winning a fun round of mini-golf takes serious concentration. But don’t worry—with these seven sensational tips, you’ll be a mini Michelle Wie in no time.
Set your stance. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and bend your knees slightly. Form a triangle with your forearms and lock your wrists, lightly gripping the club in whatever way feels most comfortable. The head of your putter should be centered between your legs with the ball resting about an inch in front of it. Use your hips to bring the club back. The longer the shot, the farther back the club needs to come.
Get teed up. You know those little holes on the tee mat? Don’t use them. Instead, rest the ball on the flat surface beside one of those indentations. That way, when you tap the ball, it will have a greater chance of rolling where you want it to, like away from that sand trap.
Don’t aim for the hole. You heard us. On longer holes, there’s way too much green between you and that cup. So don’t go for the impossible hole in one. You’ll score better if you hit toward a target—a knick in the carpet or a fallen leaf—that’s about halfway to the hole. So while your man is fishing his ball out of the lagoon, you’ll be lined up for a sweet second shot.
Find the groove. Just like the high-traffic areas of your living room carpet, mini-golf greens wear with time. Aim for areas that look well used, especially on holes with more than one approach. Those grooves may help carry your ball better toward the cup.
Beat the loop-de-loop. It looks harmless, but you’ll need a powerful shot to ride out this classic obstacle. Bring your club way back and give it a good smack. Or, better yet, sneak it past the loop altogether if there is room for the ball on either side.
Play the angles. Rocks. Blocks. Bricks. Don’t avoid these obstacles—use them to your advantage. Think back to your high school geometry days and mentally diagram how your shots should ricochet. If you hit the ball with the right amount of speed, you’ll ping the ball off that rock and flirt with a hole in one.
Let the kids go first. You can learn a lot about a hole from the way other people play it. Did your little one smack it too hard through the sidewinder? Time to soften your shot. Hubby jammed up in the windmill? Putt when the windmill blades are at a different position. The best part? They’ll think you’re just being nice.
especially if it means beating my boyfriend!!!!!
Decadent (yet smart!) desserts
