*For an updated guide on mini golf in Minnesota, check out our new Minnesota Mini Golf Putting Guide posted in July 2021.*
Around the world, the game is written and verbalized in English in numerous ways. Mini Golf. Miniature Golf. Adventure Golf. Crazy Golf. Tom Thumb. Mini-Golf. Putt-Putt. Mini-Putt. Extreme Golf. Shorties. Goofy Golf. Putter Golf. We love the game in all forms. We seek to play every course especially those situated in our home state of Minnesota.
The indoor and outdoor season varies from year to year. Usually, you can play outdoors between later April and into October but sometimes it snows (or blizzards) in April and October is darn right chilly. This initial top 5 list compiles courses we highly recommend.
Following our favorite putting places, you can find information and review of active courses, and an archive we’re building to compile all of the defunct mini golf courses ever located in Minnesota in the 100+ year of the game.
Big Stone Mini Golf and Sculpture Garden (Mound) – Outdoors
Not only a location of our first date but one of the most unique courses in the country. Top 10 course we’ve played so far and worth your 30-minute car ride from Minneapolis.
Big Thrill Factory (Oakdale) & Big Thrill Factory (Minnetonka) – Outdoors
Colorful and inspired new entrant to the outdoor Minnesota mini golf scene. Both are hole-in-one caliber courses. Head east or west of the cities. You’ll find a stellar option each way.
Can Can Wonderland (St. Paul) – Indoors
One-of-a-kind whimsical indoor mini golf, bar, and arcade. Worth heading into this former canning factory to putt and play all year round.
Lilli Putt (Coon Rapids) – Outdoors
Mr. Tee’s childhood putting spot upgraded their turf to bring this challenging set of 18 holes back to life.
Walker Art Center (Minneapolis) – 2018 course – Outdoors
After initial incarnations in 2004 and 2008, the Walker Art Center has annually hosted playable artist-designed miniature golf each year since 2013. These limited runs turn the game on its head and always provide loads of fun. And look for all the holes designed by yours truly.
Our initial idea for A Couple of Putts was to provide a handy resource for finding information on the variety of scattered mini golf locations. We initially struggled to find reliable details for miniature golf courses. Over time we’ve dug through a ton of resources, including some archival pieces we’ll share soon. Hiding in plain sight and off country roads, we want to make sure people know all of the options for putting fun. We want to play every and any course. This exhaustive guide and history of mini golf in Minnesota is only a beginning to a larger guide to this accessible international game.
We’ve included details of our review system below as a reference to how we rank each course we play. Additionally, we included whether the courses are located in the Twin Cities Metro (30 minutes from Minneapolis or St. Paul) or Outstate Minnesota as well as if the mini golf course is situated indoors or outdoors.
OTHER MINNESOTA COURSES (BY RATING)
Grand Slam (Burnsville) – Indoors / Twin Cities Metro
Lark Toys (Kellogg) – Outdoors / Outstate
Rock Of Ages (Bloomington/Mall of America) – Indoors / Twin Cities Metro
Adventure Falls (Taylors Falls) – Outdoors / Outstate
Betty Danger’s Country Club (Minneapolis) – Outdoors / Twin Cities Metro
Captain’s Course at Cascade Bay (Eagan) – Outdoors / Twin Cities Metro
Centennial Lakes Putting Course (Edina) – Outdoors / Twin Cities Metro
Country Inn Mini Golf (Two Harbors) – Outdoors / Outstate
Eagle Lake Youth Golf Center (Plymouth) – Outdoors / Twin Cities Metro
Eko Backen (Scandia) – Outdoors / Twin Cities Metro
Glow-in-One Golf (Blaine) – Indoors / Twin Cities Metro
Grand Slam (Coon Rapids) – Indoors / Twin Cities Metro
Highway 8 / Green Lagoon Golf (Chisago City) – Outdoors / Near Twin Cities Metro
K & A Mini Golf (Cambridge) – Outdoors / Metro-ish – Opened Summer 2019
Moose Mountain (Bloomington/Mall of America) – Indoors / Twin Cities Metro
North Shore 9 at Adventure Zone (Duluth) – Indoors / Outstate
Putt N Pets (Grand Marais) – Outdoors / Outstate
Putt’er There / Como Park Mini Golf (St. Paul) – Outdoors / Twin Cities Metro
Saints North (Maplewood) – Outdoors / Twin Cities Metro
Tilt Mini Golf (Burnsville) – Indoors / Twin Cities Metro
Victoria Burrow (Victoria) – Indoors / Twin Cities Metro
Victory Links (Blaine) – Outdoors / Twin Cities Metro – Added 1/19
Cosmic Golf (Eden Prairie) – Indoors / Twin Cities Metro
Goodrich Golf Dome (Maplewood) – Outdoors / Twin Cities Metro
Malt-T-Melt aka Adventure Gardens (Richfield) – Outdoors / Twin Cities Metro
Wildwood RV-Park and Campground (Shafer) – Outdoors / Outstate
Not Reviewed or Played Yet
Birdies Mini Golf & Water Wars (Longview) – Outdoors / Outstate
Bison Creek Mini Golf (Buffalo) – Outdoors / Outstate
Captain J’s Mini Golf (Superior, WI) – Outdoors / Outstate
Casey’s Amusement Park (Alexandria) – Outdoors / Outstate
Forest Hills Resort (Detroit Lakes) – Outdoors / Outstate
Gator Greens Mini Golf (Whalan) – Outdoors / Outstate
Kendahl Miniature Golf (Cloquet) – Outdoors / Outstate
Minneapolis Southwest KOA (Jordan) – Outdoors / Outstate
Northland Kart Kountry (Brainerd) – Outdoors / Outstate
Pier 77 (Tower) – Outdoors / Outstate
Pirate’s Cove (Brainerd) – Outdoors / Outstate
Skyline Raceway(Rochester) – Outdoors / Outstate
Spirit Mountain Mini Golf (Duluth) – Outdoors / Outstate
Striker’s Sports Bar (Superior, WI) – Outdoors / Outstate – Free course
Traditions at Cayuna Falls (Deerwood) – Outdoors / Outstate
Water’s Edge Mini Golf (Owatonna) – Outdoors / Outstate
Whistling Wolf (Cross Lake) – Outdoors / Outstate
Wildwedge Golf & RV Park (Pequot Lakes) – Outdoors / Outstate
Wow Zone (Mankato) – Indoors / Outstate
Permanently Closed (RIP)
Amusement City (St. Paul), Beaver Mountain Water Slide (Burnsville), Big Backyard (St. Paul), Big Bear Mini Putt at Golfzone (Chaska), Birdie’s Sports Park (Eden Prairie), Burnsville Mini Golf (Burnsville), Challenge Park at Valley Fair (Shakopee), Country View (Maplewood), Fairway Golf (St. Paul), Family Funway (Burnsville), Family Golf Center (St. Paul), Far Par Golf (Duluth) – Selling in 2018, Fore Seasons Miniature Golf (Long Lake), Fun City (Elk River), Galaxie Golf (Apple Valley), Game Time Sports Park (Ramsey), Gasoline Alley (Blaine), George’s (Mendota Heights) Golf Mountain (Bloomington/Mall of America), Goony Golf (Spring Lake Park), Grand Rounds (Minneapolis), Grand Slam (Eagan), Great Northern Golf Range (Ham Lake), Hegi’s Enterprise (Loretto), Island Lake Golf & Training Center (Shoreview), Lava Links (Roseville), Lillihei (Hastings), Lilli Putt (Minnetonka), Maple Hills Golf Center (Maplewood), Pitt Stop Putt-N-Go (Monticello), Putters Paradise (Blaine), Putter’s Paradise (Rochester), Putting Green (New Ulm), Putt-Putt (Bloomington), Second Season Golf Center (Lakeville), Sports Spree Fun Park (Fridley), Troon Golf Center Mini Golf (Savage), Triple Play (Prior Lake)
If you have any archival photos, information, or stories about these permanently closed courses, write us at acoupleofputts@gmail.com or leave a comment.
