"To master mini golf is to master life itself. Do not fear to let your wild side embrace the power that is destroying everyone on that little green carpet. Embrace your destiny as one of the very best."

There’s an old saying thatmakes its way through some golf chatter: Drive for show, putt for dough. Whatdoes this deep doctrine really mean? It’s actually quite simple. It is a sayingmeant to imply that, while driving and being able to hit the ball far is flashyand impressive, the real pros are those that can sink their putts. Even coolerpros are those that can putt incredibly well on the diverse-terrain, wild 18known as your local mini golf course. Do you need tips on how to impress firstdates, your kids or your boss? Look no further.

1: Know the Hole

Basketball players, football players, they have it easy—theirfields of play are always the same. Golfers? That’s where true course knowledgecomes in. Golfers need to know where every bend, sand trap, stream, hill, andcurve is. Heck, some even have to worry about where the alligators are. Luckilyfor you, each individual hole at a putt-putt course is like, 20 feet long. Youshould be able to see if there’s any tricky things hiding in each one. Don’t beafraid to get on your hands and knees and really look at the curvature; PhilMickelson does it all the time. 

2: Pick the Right Putter

Professionals tend to have some of the most exquisite putters onthe planet, but don’t you dare think that they didn’t once practice with thecute little green or pink one on the mini golf course. You’ve got to pick theone that speaks to YOU. Is it the tiny orange one that’s slightly bent? Maybeit’s the one that doesn’t actually make you need to squat down to putt. If youdon’t believe in the putter, then the putter won’t believe in you, and wecannot have any trust issues on the course. There is simply no room forthat. 

3: Get a Comfortable Hand Position

 You may have never guessed this, but the way you hold theclub actually does matter. Well, a little bit. I defeated my wife and a coupleof our buddies while I held the stick like Donkey Kong the entire time. Theimportant thing was that I was consistent in how I held it, and I allowedmyself to get comfortable. I would testify that holding it like a monkey isgreat, but there’s probably nothing wrong with holding it like a professional. Getting the right grip down can make or break your game.

4: Confidence 

Has a lack of self-confidence helped anyone, in the history ofever? In order to have bragging rights after the match, you got to visualizeyourself succeeding against your 8-year-old. We may pretend to be laughing andhaving a great time on the putt-putt course, but we all know that behind thoselaughs and stares are hopes that your opponent shanks their next putt.Visualize success, Visualize victory, believe in each putt, and know that theconfident victors are the ones that get to pick where we get ice cream afterthe match. 

5: Use the Walls to your Advantage 

Thankfully for all of us, these holes are not big, wide areasfor us to hit the ball hundreds of feet in the wrong direction. These holes aresmall, narrow and bordered by that lovely brick. This almost becomes a game ofbilliards: use those walls. You might not have a perfect shot to the hole fromyour current position, but if you could bank it off the wall just right, you’llsink it in style. If you can pull this off, you’ll have your opponents in shockand awe. They will know your greatness. 

6: Let Others Go First

Your little kid is just begging to go first. They look toyou for permission. You give it to them, and they smile and excitedly hit theball quickly, with no thought. You give a little smirk—you allowing them to gofirst not only earned you cool parent points, but it also allowed you to seeany unforeseen divots or tricks that the hole hides from their hit. Everyonewins. You wanna know the funny thing about playing with kids? They're quite short-sighted. In their desire to win is also the desire to go first and go fast. You think they're planning their every move? No chance. They don't think ahead when they're in the kitchen about to snag some cookies because they don't see beyond the moment. If you really want to go for bragging rights, you just sit back and let your little one hit a +12 on the easiest par 3 in the world. They are their own worst enemy. 

7: Dress for Success

My old football coach had a saying: look good, feel good, play good. When it comes to feeling confident on the mini gold course, you've got to dress the part. Striking fear into your spouse's game is one of the best things you can do, and nothing does that like looking like a professional. If you show up in your old t-shirt that you wear on painting-the-house-day, do you think you're going to get the respect you deserve? Absolutely not. Dress for success. Nothing assures confidence inyour skills than showing up in the awesome golf attire. Don’t be afraid topintimidate your opponents by looking your best golf self.

When the time comes, and you find yourself on hole 1 nextWednesday night, I hope that you feel prepared and ready for success. Followingthese tips will guarantee an improvement in your play. I believe in you. Now,go and get that victory!