Don't get mini-golf confused with small-time fun. For some golfers, there's no bigger thrill than using precision putting skills for angled trick shots, or getting a hole-in-one by bopping a ball through the gaping. From waterfall-lined links to glow-in-the-dark courses, these are some of the Lower Mainland's greatest pint-sized playthroughs. [Photo credit: iStock/jstankiewiczwitk]
One of the more artistic putt-putt places on the list is Richmond's West Coast Mini Putt. The course features a black light-lit back nine, where you can whap your glow-in-the-dark ball towards neon-bordered holes, surrounded by cartoony murals. Keep your score down to pro levels to gain a sport on the "Hole of Fame" wall.
Need a little break from riding roller coasters at Playland? Try hitting the outdoor Pacific Adventure Golf course for some grounded, but no less awesome all-ages entertainment. The best part? The 18-hole event is included in your Playland entry for free. Head back to the Wave Swinger or Pirate Ship after crushing it on the course.
A quick trip up the Sea to Sky Highway brings you to the centre of Squamish and the city's buzzed-about Adventure Golf course. Situated within an RV park, the tourist stop's obstacle-loaded course will have you navigating your ball through tree stumps and wheel wells, and past a pair of miniature waterfalls. There's nothing hollow about the WhistlePunk experience.
Hi-Knoll offers plenty of options for you and your golf-loving gang. The Surrey mini-golf spot features a challenging, hill-climbing course, but if you're looking to work on your long game, you can also buy a bucket of balls, pull out a 1-wood, and blast away at the driving range. If you're looking for a few tips on how to fix your game, instructors are on hand to help you maximize your swing or fine-tune your putts.
If there's one place on this list that truly knows how to keep their putting greens green, it's Art Knapp. The Surrey-based nursery isn't just a good stop for a fresh cut bouquet of roses, but a place to practice your putts. The 18-hole course winds around the store's selection of perennials, herbs and trees, making for a picturesque mini-golf experience. Take a plant home with you as a memento from your day.
Making use of the natural beauty of Bear Creek Park, this Surrey spot's greenways careen around towering cedars, spruces and fir trees, and offer plenty of tricky obstacles for you trick-shot specialists out there. Getting a hole-in-one on the 18th hole wins you a gift certificate for a free round. Even if you don't sink it with one putt, your family will want to take a victory lap on Eddy the Engine, the park train.
With not one, but three full courses to play, Abbotsford's Castle Fun Park is a massive must for mini-golf junkies. Their outdoor course offers breathtaking views of the Cascade Mountain Range. There are classic obstacles like a spinning windmill, but you can also sink putts by shipwrecks and crustaceans on the Coral Sea course, or tee off by T-Rexes on the Jurassic Jungle course. Beyond that, Castle Fun Park packs in the fun with bumper cars, arcade action, batting cages and more.