Mini golf always finds its way into the conversation when talking about first date ideas. It makes sense why. Mini golf is fun, most people already know how to play, and it’s a whole heck of a lot easier than ‘real’ golf.
While all of this sounds great, we want to address the more important question. Is mini golf a good first date or not?
Here are the reasons mini golf would be a great first date.
Here’s the bottom line upfront. For the most part (with some caveats that we will address), mini golf is a good option for a first date.
Here are a few reasons why, and then we’ll look at those caveats as to why it might not be the right pick.
And just in case you’re curious about seeing options other than mini golf, make sure you check out our long list of great first date ideas. It is filled with other great ideas you might love.
Mini golf is fun and easy to play.
Simplicity is the key to a great first date. With mini golf, even if you’ve never played before, you or your date can quickly pick up how it works and be half-way decent at it. All you have to do is get the ball in the hole by using the stick (putter). Dates that are too complex make it hard to focus on connecting and conversation because you’re too worried about doing the activity.
It’s active without being exercise.
Being active on a first date is nice. When you’re sitting still (like with dinner or drinks), there’s not a lot of places for that nervous energy to go. What’s great about mini golf as a first date is that it’s active enough to feel good, but not too active that you feel like you’re exercising or are out of breath.
A round takes about 30-45 minutes (depending on the time).
The length of time it takes for two people to play a round of mini golf is about 30-45 minutes. If it’s busy, that might move up to 45 minutes to an hour. This is the perfect length for you to have time to connect and have some fun together. If the date goes well, you can always grab a snack or something nearby to extend things or call it a night after the round.
Some reasons mini golf might not be the best pick for your date night.
To make sure you choose a first date idea that you’re completely comfortable with, we want to give you the most complete picture possible. In light of that, here are a few reasons that mini golf might be a miss when it comes to a first date night.
The weather has to cooperate.
Most mini golf places are outdoors. If it’s raining, super windy, or really hot, it’s not going to be the best of times. That said, if it’s nice out, the weather can become a positive.
If its busy, it may dampen the fun.
Especially in smaller towns where there’s not much to do or in high-traffic tourist areas, mini golf courses can get extremely busy. Sometimes, you’ll see groups of like 5-10 people playing together as one single group, even though the rules generally say it’s 4 or 5 max. When this happens, expect things to take a while (over an hour).
On one hand this could make for more time to talk, but on the other hand, it could get annoying if you’re constantly just standing there waiting on other people.
There may be limits to how much uninterrupted conversation time you have.
Speaking of more time to talk, there are some people that say mini golf might be a little too active and involved for a first date. They think that because you’re always walking, hitting the ball, etc. that you won’t have a lot of time for uninterrupted conversation.
Depending on the course, the layout, and the speed of play, this could be true. That said, the conversation on first dates is typically lighter, so this may not be that big of a deal. Additionally, if you do extend the date afterward, this can be an opportunity to talk more after some lighter conversation fun playing mini golf.
All in all, we think it’s certainly an idea worth considering for a first date.
All things considered, we’d say that mini golf should work pretty well for a first date. We would recommend checking out the complete list of first date ideas we shared earlier just to make sure there isn’t something that feels a bit more perfect for you. But if you have your heart set on mini golf, we give it our stamp of approval.