The origin of miniature golf is not entirely clear
Opinions vary, and many theories seem more like a fun fiction than fact-based history, but what we do know for certain is that we can find traces of miniature golf in different corners of the world - China (Song Dynasty, 10th century), Netherlands (13th century), France (15th century) etc.
The turn of the 19th and 20th centuries in Scotland is often dated as a significant milestone in the origins of miniature golf. Classic golf was one of the popular pastimes of the cream of society there, but the social norms of the time did not allow women to play it with full swing. However, the interest of women was so great that in 1867, next to the golf course in the city of St. Andrews built a scaled-down course and founded the Ladies' Putting Club . This course ( The Himalayas ) still exists today and if you visit Scotland, be sure to make a stop there. However, it is only a scaled-down version of golf , so it has little in common with miniature golf as we know it today.
The birth of modern miniature golf
The modern form of minigolf began to take shape only in the 20th century. In 1916, James Barber had the first "mini-golf" course "Thistle Dhu" built in the USA, which was strikingly similar to current courses in terms of its parameters. This activity enjoyed great popularity and spread further across the United States.
Mini golf revolution in Europe
Minigolf arrived in Europe from the USA in the late 1920s. Thanks to immigrants from the USA, the first courses began to appear in Sweden and Germany. However, we could call the Swiss architect Paul Bongni the forefather of minigolf, who built a course in 1953 near Locarno consisting of eighteen lanes bordered by guardrails and also established the basic rules. The course was constructed in such a way that with sufficient training and a certain skill it was possible to get the ball into the hole in one stroke, which was a fundamental difference compared to the courses built in the 1930s. Bongni patented his course and named it "minigolf".
Popularity and organization of competitions
Minigolf has gained popularity among the general public due to its accessibility and fun format. In the 1950s, the first official miniature golf associations were founded, which led to the emergence of organized competitions. The World Mini Golf Federation ( WMF ) was founded in 1963 and today organizes world championships and other prestigious tournaments that attract players from all over the world.
Mini golf in Czech Republic
Minigolf appeared in Czechoslovakia in 1968, when the first concrete minigolf course was built near Grand Hotel International Prague. The following year, the first eternite course in our territory was also assembled, specifically in Smetanovy sady in Olomouc. In 1979, the Czechoslovak Championship was officially held on the field in Olomouc for the first time (see photo below) and the first national team was formed, which then took part in the European Championship in Denmark in the same year.
Minigolf Park Maniny (minigolf today)
Today, miniature golf is popular all over the world, both as a recreational activity and as a sporting discipline. Minigolf Park was created as a "passion project", which aims for almost 15 years to spread the love for minigolf in all its forms (from commercial entertainment to serious sport at a professional level). You can read more about our history on our website .
Come and play on our indoor minigolf course in Prague 7 with a beautiful (now colorful autumn) view of the Vltava River and Libeňský most. Book a game.
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