Look, I love real golf. But sometimes it’s more fun when you can bounce your shot off a windmill, launch it into a fake saloon, and no one gives you side-eye for it.
Mini golf is that beautiful middle ground between childhood chaos and adult competitiveness. It’s nostalgic, low-stakes, and honestly a perfect date night or hangout spot, even if you’re 26 like me and still trying to convince yourself it counts as practice.
Here are my favorite mini golf courses in Central Ohio, ranked not by difficulty or prestige, but by how much fun you’ll have yelling “BANK SHOT!” like it matters.
6. 🏰 Magic Mountain Fun Center
📍 5890 Scarborough Blvd, Columbus, OH 43232
💰 $9.50 for adults, $7.50 for kids (ages 4–11)
If you’ve ever driven east on I-70 and spotted a literal castle rising from the horizon like a plastic medieval mirage, congrats… You’ve discovered Magic Mountain’s mini golf course. And yes, it’s just as wild as it looks from the highway.
This place leans hard into the whimsical side of mini golf, with elaborate obstacles, sky-high towers, and holes so tricky they’ll make you question whether a hole-in-one is even theoretically possible (I’m not saying it’s rigged… but I’m not not saying that).
It’s chaotic in the best way. Like stepping into the backyard of a theme park-loving mad scientist. If you’re looking for a mini golf course with big personality and even bigger putt-putt drama, this one’s hard to beat.
5. 🌳 Granville Golfland
📍 1221 W River Rd, Granville, OH 43023
💰 $7.50 for adults, $6.50 for kids
This one is totally different, in the best way possible. Granville Golfland feels more like a walk in the park with a putter. Instead of fake turf and concrete paths, it’s set on a natural landscape with real grass and trees all around.
The holes curve through the actual terrain, and it somehow feels more peaceful and more chaotic at the same time. It’s like Mother Nature herself designed a mini golf course, and then decided to make it tricky just for fun.
4. ⛳ Westerville Golf Center – Frontier Miniature Golf
📍 450 W Schrock Rd, Westerville, OH 43081
💰 $9 for adults, $7 for kids (ages 4–11)
If you’ve ever wanted to putt your way through a tiny Western town, this is your moment. Westerville Golf Center’s Frontier Miniature Golf has two full 18-hole courses, so it rarely feels crowded, even on a Saturday afternoon. You’ll navigate a frontier village complete with a hotel, railroad station, and a working water mill.
It’s charming, a little chaotic, and has just the right amount of “should I try to ricochet this off the railroad station?” energy.
3. 🌀 Putt-N-Play Fun Center
📍 4021 Thistlewood Dr, Grove City, OH 43123
💰 $8 for 18 holes
This one is sneakily clever. Putt-N-Play looks like your standard course at first glance, but it has little twists that make it way more fun. Some holes have multiple targets, and if you manage to sink your ball in the “bonus” cup, you get a stroke taken off your score. But if you get it in the “penalty” cup, you have to add an extra stroke to your score. Pretty awesome, if you ask me!
It’s also got fun water features and a casual, family-friendly vibe that’s hard not to love. Bonus points for the on-site go-karts and batting cages if you’re looking to fully lean into your inner 12-year-old.
2. 🛠️ Olentangy Mini Golf
📍 63 Olentangy Crossings W, Delaware, Ohio 43015
💰 $9 for adults, $7 for kids
Old school vibes, big time fun. Olentangy Mini Golf has two 18-hole courses that feel like a throwback in the best way. Think frontier-town buildings, ramps, tunnels, and those glorious, intentionally bumpy greens that either help or ruin your shot depending on your aim (and luck).
This place is well-designed and loaded with personality. There’s a hardware store you shoot under, a house your ball might bounce off, and plenty of reasons to say “okay wait, I’m going again.”
1. 🏌️♂️ Little Bear Golf Club – The Putting Course
📍 1950 Little Bear Loop, Lewis Center, OH 43035
💰 $12 for adults, $8 for kids
This one’s for the real golf lovers. Little Bear’s putting course doesn’t have pirate ships or talking dinosaurs, but it doesn’t need them. This 18-hole course is designed like a real golf green with undulating slopes, gorgeous landscaping, and even cup holders for your drinks. Fancy.
It’s low-key one of the most challenging courses I’ve played (in a good way). If you’ve ever wanted to bring your actual putter to mini golf and not get roasted for it, this is the place. It’s well-maintained, peaceful, and a hidden gem in the best sense. It is probably the first time I’ve ever accurately described a mini golf course as “gorgeous.”
Final Thoughts
Mini golf isn’t just for kids’ birthday parties and first dates at the mall. It’s a legitimately fun way to spend an afternoon, especially when you find courses that go all out with creative layouts, hidden bonuses, or just some good ol’ fashioned putt-putt weirdness.
So go ahead… Dust off your short game, channel your inner child, and try not to fall into a koi pond. You’ve got some courses to conquer.
Find more awesome things to do outdoors here!