How to Start a Miniature Golf Course

While the primary feature of this business is the mini-golf itself, many such businesses include other features such as arcade games, food, and activities like a climbing wall. This allows the business to bill itself as a kid-friendly entertainment center and achieve more year-round business.

Learn how to start your own Miniature Golf Course and whether it is the right fit for you.

Ready to form your LLC? Check out the Top LLC Formation Services.

Start a miniature golf course by following these 10 steps:

  1. Plan your Miniature Golf Course
  2. Form your Miniature Golf Course into a Legal Entity
  3. Register your Miniature Golf Course for Taxes
  4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
  5. Set up Accounting for your Miniature Golf Course
  6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Miniature Golf Course
  7. Get Miniature Golf Course Insurance
  8. Define your Miniature Golf Course Brand
  9. Create your Miniature Golf Course Website
  10. Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your miniature golf course. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Miniature Golf Course Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

  • Your state's business records
  • Federal and state trademark records
  • Social media platforms
  • Web domain availability.

It's very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

Want some help naming your miniature golf course?

Business Name Generator

What are the costs involved in opening a miniature golf course?

The costs of opening a mini-golf business vary, but typically run up $500,000. One professional group estimates that it will cost between $15,000 to $30,000 to put a deposit on the land lease, and a further $100,000 to $140,000 to make all of the necessary improvements to the land itself. Providing the necessary decorations and moving elements of the course itself, as well as interior decorations, furniture, and arcade games, can add an additional $200,000. You will also need to pay between $7,500 and $15,000 for architectural plans and between $2,000 to $4,000 for insurance deposits. Basic equipment (including office computers supplies, computers, ticket machines, etc.) will be between $8,000 and $10,000, with the point of sale system costing up to an additional $7,500. To stock up on golf balls, clubs, and redemption prizes for games may cost up to $15,000, and legal and accounting fees may be as high as $4,000. Finally, you may require up to $9,000 to order eye-catching signage and up to $12,000 to advertise your grand opening.

What are the ongoing expenses for a miniature golf course?

The good news is that after the initial expenses to open a course, the ongoing expenses are relatively minor. Some of the costs will vary by business location and size, but utilities should be about $1,500 a month, and insurance about $500. Fresh supplies can run about $400 a month, while rent may be upwards of $6,000. Beyond that, your main concern will be paying the wage for your workers (typically $4,000 or so a month for a manager, and an appropriate hourly rate for other employees).

Who is the target market?

In general, your best clients will be families. This is because the parents will help to control the behavior of children (which will not be true of all your teenage customers), and larger families provide more cash at a time than smaller groups of customers. And they help create lifelong business for you as the children who enjoy the experience will enjoy coming back as they get older and eventually bring their own children.

How does a miniature golf course make money?

A mini-golf business simply charges customers a set fee in order for the customers to play on the course.

How much can you charge customers?

The exact cost may vary by region, but it is typical to charge customers about $5 to $7 to play 18 holes. This pricing makes your business a very competitive alternative to the increasingly pricey activities going out to movies, restaurants, etc.

How much profit can a miniature golf course make?

The exact amount of profit your business makes greatly depends on the region as well as what the local entertainment competition is. However, the relatively low ongoing expenses means that a steady stream of customers can easily make you over $100,000 a year, and some mini golf course owners report being able to pay off their initial investment within the first few years of opening this business.

How can you make your business more profitable?

In order to maximize profitability, be sure to have an advertising presence in logical areas for potential customers, including schools, churches, and local entertainment centers. Try to stay open as many days as possible—major holidays often prove to be big business for mini-golf courses, as people have time off from work and school and are happy to come out and play. Finally, be sure to have a social media presence that heavily features pictures of actual customers and their testimonials, as this will establish the legitimacy of your business within the community.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC's free Small Business Startup Guide - a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), and corporation.

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your miniature golf course is sued.

Form Your LLC

Read our Guide to Form Your Own LLC

Have a Professional Service Form your LLC for You

Two such reliable services:

You can form an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.

Recommended: You will need to elect a registered agent for your LLC. LLC formation packages usually include a free year of registered agent services. You can choose to hire a registered agent or act as your own.

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

  • Separates your personal assets from your company's assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
  • Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

  • Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
  • Build your company's credit history, which can be useful to raise money later on.

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a mini-golf business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.

Certificate of Occupancy

Miniature Golf Courses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met.

  • If you plan to lease a rink location:
    • It is generally the landlord’s responsibility to obtain a CO.
    • Before leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to a mini golf course.
    • After a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of business will be renovated before opening, it is recommended to include language in your lease agreement stating that lease payments will not commence until a valid CO is issued.
  • If you plan to purchase or build a rink:
    • You will be responsible for obtaining a valid CO from a local government authority.
    • Review all building codes and zoning requirements for your business’ location to ensure your golf course will be in compliance and able to obtain a CO.

Music Licensing

In order to play music in a public setting, permission must be acquired from the composer or license holder. Typically, it is possible to obtain a  “blanket” license allowing a businesses to play music owned by a large catalog of artists and recording studios. Such licenses can be obtained from Performance Rights Organizations, such as ASCAP and BMI.

Learn more about music licensing requirements and how to obtain a blanket license here: https://printing.wsu.edu/copyright/

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.

FInd out what types of insurance your Miniature Golf Course needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Miniature Golf Course.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you aren't feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners, we'll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.

Recommended: Get a logo using Truic's free logo Generator no email or sign up required, or use a Premium Logo Maker.

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a miniature golf course

For your initial advertising rush, it's good to do a mixture of television, radio, newspaper, and online advertising. This helps you become established within the community. Over time, though, online advertising via social media and your website will be easy and virtually free, and it provides a natural venue with which to engage younger customers.

How to keep customers coming back

As mentioned earlier, one of the best ways to attract and retain customers is to encourage customers to have birthday parties and other events at your course. You can also have special days and times with certain promotions (such as bringing in four friends and getting a free game, or lower prices past a certain hour) in order to encourage more customers. Finally, within your budget, try to add interactive arcade games and other experiences that customers cannot easily have at home. This is one of the reasons that things like pinball, skeeball, and unconventional games like Dance Dance Revolution retain their popularity—customers cannot replicate these experiences easily at home.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

  • All legitimate businesses have websites - full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
  • Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
  • Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.

Other popular website builders are: WordPress, WIX, Weebly, Squarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2023 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it's fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

This job is definitely for someone who is enthusiastic about mini-golf. This helps you to not only enjoy your job but to facilitate minor repairs and maintenance of the course as needed. The job is also best for a “people person,” as you will be dealing with individuals and groups of very different ages, personalities, and temperament, and it takes a special skill to deal with everyone courteously and professionally.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a miniature golf course?

The daily activities for a mini-golf business are pretty simple. You will be talking to customers, taking their payment, providing them with equipment, and explaining any particular regulations for your course. Other time will be spent fixing and maintaining the course, ordering additional equipment when needed, and networking with other local businesses to help promote yourself. If you end up investing more and adding features such as arcade games, your daily activities may include the maintenance and repair of those machines as well.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful miniature golf course?

Prior experience working at a mini-golf business or other type of recreational center can be helpful to in starting this business. Similarly, being part of a network of other youth recreational venues in the area can help you in advertising and establishing your business. Finally, a formal education in a field such as business can help ensure that your early investments pay off.

What is the growth potential for a miniature golf course?

The exact growth potential of a mini-golf business varies by area. Nationally, businesses that focus purely on mini-golf have experienced a decline in recent years; however, businesses that have diversified their offerings by including features such as a video arcade typically do quite well, and the affordability of this as an entertainment option remains highly attractive to local residents in many cities.

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Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

  • Funding
  • Events
  • Guides
  • Support

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a miniature golf course?

Make sure that you prominently advertise your business as a fun place for families and friends to throw birthday parties and other special events. Similarly, you may want to court local businesses and corporations to see if they would like to have any fun events at your location. Within your budget, make sure the decorations of the course itself are very dynamic and engaging—this will be the kind of thing prospective customers see from the road, so it needs to be good!

How and when to build a team

The nature of this job means that you will need staff from the very beginning, as it is difficult to manage the entire course, help out customers playing, and to process new customers as they arrive. Beyond that, you will typically expand your team in reaction to increased business, increased operating hours, or increased services offered.

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