How mini golf scoring works
Mini golf is stroke play, so every stroke on every hole counts and the player with the lowest total after the last hole wins.
Counting strokes
Every time a player hits the ball is a stroke, and the hole is finished when the ball drops into the cup. Most courses add a one-stroke penalty when the ball leaves the playing area, with the next shot played from where it went out. A ball resting against a wall or an obstacle can usually be moved a putter head away, free at some courses and for a stroke at others.
Par
Par is the number of strokes a good player should need on a hole. Most mini golf holes are par 2 or par 3, with the odd par 4 on a long or tricky hole, and the scorecard prints the par for every hole and the course total. Par is a yardstick for how a round is going: the winner is decided by total strokes, not by par.
The stroke limit
To keep groups moving, most courses limit a hole to 6 or 7 strokes. The wording hides a real difference. "Pick up after 6 and write 6" caps the hole at 6, while "pick up after 6 and write 7" adds a penalty stroke for not finishing. The second is how competitive minigolf counts it, and many courses print it as a 7-stroke maximum. Some family courses stop at 5.
Holes in one
A hole in one is a 1 on the scorecard, whatever the par. Many courses give a free game for a hole in one on the last hole, and some tournaments use the number of holes in one to break a tie.
Ties
A tie for the lowest total is settled in one of three common ways: a sudden-death playoff, where the tied players play on one hole at a time until one takes fewer strokes than the others on a hole; the most holes in one; or a shared win. Tournaments use a playoff, sometimes after counting holes in one, so every match has a single winner.
Mulligans and gimmes
A mulligan, or do-over, lets a player replay a shot without counting it. It has no place in tournament play but is common in family rounds, usually one or two per player. A gimme, where a ball within a putter's length of the cup counts as holed with one more stroke, is another casual rule; either way the strokes are added the same.
What Score All does with these rules
One row per hole
When everyone has putted out, tap each player's strokes for the hole, and the par if it differs from the card. The sheet adds up the totals, lists the players lowest first and shows each one against par: +3, E for even, or −1. Penalty strokes, such as a ball knocked off the course, count as strokes.
Par for every hole
Par is what a hole should take, usually 2 or 3 in mini golf. Set the usual par for the course, or copy the par row from the scorecard and every hole fills itself in. Change the par on any hole as you go and over and under par follow.
The stroke limit
Most courses make you pick up after 6 or 7 strokes so the group behind is not left waiting. Choose the limit (5, 6, 7, 8, 10 or none) and whether a capped hole is written as the limit or one more, the way minigolf sport rules and many courses count it. The stroke buttons stop at the highest score a hole can carry.
Holes in one, ties and do-overs
A hole in one is called out in the play-by-play and counted beside each player's total. If the lowest total is tied after the last hole, pick a sudden-death playoff, most holes in one, or a shared win. Family rounds can give everyone a few do-overs, and the standings show how many each player has left.
Teams, kids and big groups
Two players head to head (brackets work too), up to eight each for themselves, or two teams of two playing best ball, both balls added, or one ball per team. Tap any earlier hole to fix it and every total after it updates, and share the scores on a live link or a TV.
Mini golf scoring FAQ
What is par in mini golf?
The number of strokes a hole should take. Most holes are par 2 or 3, so 18 holes add up to somewhere between 36 and 54.
What is the maximum score on a mini golf hole?
It depends on the course. Most cap a hole at 6 or 7: you pick up after 6 strokes and write either 6 or 7. A few use 5 or 10, and some have no limit at all.
How do you break a tie in mini golf?
Play sudden-death holes until one player takes fewer strokes than the others on a hole, count holes in one, or share the win. Score All lets you choose before the round.
Is there a free mini golf scorecard app?
Yes. Score All keeps a mini golf scorecard for free in the browser on any phone: one row per hole, par and over or under par for every player, and a live link so the whole group can follow along. Nothing to download.
Does the lowest score win in mini golf?
Yes. Every stroke counts, so the player with the fewest strokes after the last hole wins. The standings list the lowest total first.
Can it keep score for a birthday party?
Yes. Up to eight players each for themselves, a lower stroke limit so nobody spends forever on one hole, and do-overs if you allow them. Every hole in one is called out by name.