This U.S. Beach Destination Just Opened a Mini-golf Trail With More Than 30 Courses

Myrtle Beach has long been a favorite destination for golfers, with more than 80 courses within a few-mile radius. And now it’s also becoming known as the ultimate hub for putt-putt golf with the launch of its Mini-Golf Trail, featuring 30 places to play along the 60-mile Grand Strand of the South Carolina coast.

“This trail not only highlights the unique charm and imaginative design of our miniature golf courses but also reinforces our status as the Mini-Golf Capital of the World,” Visit Myrtle Beach president and CEO Karen Riordan said in a release shared with Travel + Leisure.

After all, these aren’t just your average miniature golf courses. An English professor turned “father of modern miniature golf,” as Sports Illustrated once dubbed him, James “Poddy” Bryan designed about 20 courses in the Myrtle Beach area, including his final one, Mt. Atlanticus Miniature Golf, still open today. With 75-foot-tall golf huts to climb up for views, and a minotaur mascot, the site offers two 18-hole courses, plus a legendary 19th hole.

Also on the trail, the sleek Popstroke, co-owned by none other than Tiger Woods; the Broadway Grand Prix, where go-karts and an arcade complement the putting; and Ripley’s Crazy Golf, an indoor glow-in-the-dark neon funland with holes that require hitting the ball through a 360-loop.

Of course, there are also some popular themes among the putt-putt set. Pirate lovers can shiver their timbers at Black Pearl Mini Golf, Captain Hook’s Adventure Golf, or Shipwreck Island Adventure Golf, while those looking to dial back time can tee off at dinosaur-themed Jurassic Golf and Professor Hacker’s Dinosaur Adventure Golf. Those looking for a tropical getaway can go to Aloha Mini Golf, Hawaiian Rumble, and Gilligan’s Island Funland, all celebrating the Hawaiian spirit, or go deep into the jungle at Jungle Lagoon or Cancun Lagoon Golf.

To further gamify the experience, Visit Myrtle Beach also allows putters to check in to each location on the Myrtle Beach Mini Golf digital pass, where points can be earned and redeemed for prizes, ranging from stickers and hats to water bottles and T-shirts.

With more mini golf courses than anywhere in the world, the new trail tees up a way for golfers of all ages to go for a hole-in-one, especially this summer, as Myrtle Beach has also been trending as a top destination for Americans, including scoring the No. 2 spot on Tripadvisor’s summer travel list.