The putter used in minigolf is basically similar to a golf putter. Putters manufactured exclusively for minigolf tend to be heavier than golf putters, and many minigolf players prefer a club angle that is sharper or wider than the angle of standard golf putters. Heavy putters give more force to your shots with little effort, and the swing may feel more stable with heavy putters than with the lightest ones.

Acquire a club of high quality right away: don’t think that the difference between an good putter and a poor one cannot be traced from your shots. One day the difference will be visible, and changing the putter might then become a long struggle.

The length of minigolf putters varies according to the tallness and stance of players. Short junior putters are available if you need one, but most players buy a full-length putter, and use an iron saw if the need arises. A child naturally cannot use a full-length putter, which would stick to his stomach all the time. But using an unnecessarily short putter is not recommendable either, as you would need more muscle power to play the strokes. The standard length of golf putters is a quite optimal solution for maximal control of both the force and direction of the strokes.

If the standard handle of the putter feels uncomfortable in your hands, you can get it changed in golf shops, or make a better one yourself. It is probably a good idea to cover the handle with similar grip as is used on tennis rackets.

The steel head of a golf putter is not suitable for playing minigolf: the different balls used in minigolf would be very difficult to control with a steel putter. For this reason a rubber some 10 mm thick is attached to the club-head of minigolf putter. It gives the player good control of all the different ball types, and also adds some force to the shot.

Rubbers vary in elasticity and thickness. These qualities affect the control of force and spin: a very thick and soft rubber makes it easy to play powerful spinless shots, while a thin and less elastic rubber gives you maximal control of the delicate spin shots. In theory a thin rubber might be an advantage on eternite, and a thick one on felt courses. But if you plan to play on all the different course types, it is advisable to avoid any extremities.

The rubber is attached to the club-head with contact glue or double-sided tape. If you use a very thick layer of glue, it may spread unevenly under the rubber, and the rubber becomes slightly crooked. Being careless when gluing the rubber would be a very unfortunate way to begin one’s career as a competition minigolfer.

During transportation you should protect the putter or at least its club-head, which is the most important and vulnerable part of your playing equipment. Remember to check the condition of the club-head from time to time! If it gets harmed or badly worn-out, this will certainly affect your performance in competitions.

As an accessory it is possible to acquire a suction cup to the upper end of the putter handle, with which it is easy to pick the ball from the hole.

DRESS

In most competitions it is obligatory to wear sports clothing and jogging shoes. The physical nature of minigolf does not set many special requirements for dress though. During practice most players wear the same kind of casual clothing that they would wear in city center.

The optimal tournament dress is more preferably too warm than too cold. Your muscles obey your commands best when they are warm. Naturally you should not torment yourself with excessive clothing, but make sure that blood circulation in your muscles keeps at a high enough level.

Shoes are an essential part of minigolfer’s dress. It is recommendable to always wear the same shoes when playing – especially the height of the heels is an important detail. In tournaments it is forbidden to wear shoes which have separate heels: only sneakers are allowed.

On sunny or rainy weather it is wise to wear a hat or cap. Just be careful that the visor of the cap does not disturb your concentration, for example if the visor blocks the club-head from sight at some point of the swing. In that case, lift the cap higher on your forehead.

Don’t wear clothes that are too tight, or which otherwise draw your attention to themselves. For example, a large hem fluttering around, or hair falling on your face, might cause you much trouble in competition. Concentrating is not so easy that you could afford to let such details to constantly bother yourself.