Fort Myers Mini-Golf Experiences to Try

Miniature golf is a super fun and interactive activity that truly appeals to a wide range of people. While Fort Myers has some great mini-golf courses, it's certainly not something that's just for this region. Mini-golf is popular across the U.S. and around the world. There's just something playful and fun about going from hole to hole, trying to get a hole-in-one amid wacky themes and whimsical decor. It's really difficult to not have fun at a mini-golf course.

Here in Fort Myers,  we have plenty of great places to get your putt-putt on. One that's just north of Tampa is Pop Stroke, at 5531 Six Mile Commercial Court in Fort Myers, where they've "reinvented the classic pastime of mini-golf into an extraordinary experience." They add, "Imagine a place where the charm of traditional mini-golf meets innovative technology and custom-designed courses, where playful challenges unfold against the backdrop of beautifully designed landscapes."

Another popular spot is Castle Golf at 7400 Gladiolus Drive in Fort Myers. where "there's so much to see and do at Castle Golf - enjoy the warm sun, relax to the sound of waterfalls and immerse yourself in the lush tropical surrounding." They also bill themselves as "Medieval meets tropical paradise."

So, how long has mini-golf been around? It's only been a think for about a century, which may seem like a long time, but honestly, it seems like something the Founding Fathers could have created. The very first mini-golf course was fashioned in 1917, shortly after the game of golf started growing in popularity, according to Smugglers Golf. However, the actual game of mini-golf was started sooner.

As Smugglers Golf describes, the Scots invented putting in the late 1800s. "While it wasn't as detailed as today's miniature golf, the putting game is played on a yard measuring just a few meters and is considered to be possibly the first edition of mini golf ever played," they note, adding that people without much space or backyards "got a little creative" with how to get their putt on. "People built courses on rooftops in the early 1920s and, by 1926, there were hundreds of rooftop golf courses across the United States as the game became more and more popular," they add.

National Geographic adds that the history of mini-golf isn't super clear and that "The origin story of mini golf is up for debate," with some tracking "track the idea to the private homes of elites in both Europe and the United States." Harris Miniature Golf adds that, "The first iteration of the game we now know as mini golf was documented in the June 8th, 1912 edition of 'The Illustrated London News.' An article in this newspaper introduced the Golfstacle as a concept of a smaller, miniature-sized golf course." Today, it's a super fun summer activity that can even inspire art.