What is the Typical Mini Golf Course Construction Cost?
Mini Golf Creations builds commercial mini golf courses from about $650,000 for a 9-hole course on a 1,200 m² site to about $1.6 million for an 18-hole course on a 4,000 m² site. The courses we’ve completed across Australia have cost between $550,000 and $1.85 million, depending on size, site and features.
Typical build cost: about $650,000 (9 holes, 1,200 m² site) to about $1.6 million (18 holes, 4,000 m² site)
Running costs: up to about $70,000 a year
Turf life: 5–8 years under heavy traffic
Payback: 2–3 years at 35,000–60,000 rounds a year
Details last updated: October 2026
What does a mini golf course cost to build?
Costs vary with size and complexity. These three reference builds show the typical range. Each includes a creek, and the 18-hole figures exclude structures.
| Course | Site size | Grass coverage | Approximate cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9-hole course | 1,200 m² | 700 m² | $650,000 |
| 18-hole course | 2,500 m² | 1,200 m² | $1,100,000 |
| 18-hole course | 4,000 m² | 2,000 m² | $1,600,000 |
Perimeter fencing, water bodies, shade structures, lighting and audio, viewing structures, and landscaping and course furniture all affect the final cost. Clients can also save by taking on extras themselves: Drummond Golf’s 18-hole course (2,500 m²) cost about $1.2 million and saved about $250,000 through client-led extras.
What have our completed mini golf courses cost?
| Course | Holes | Site size | Completed | Approximate cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rich River Golf Club, VIC | 9 (18-hole option) | 2,000 m² | June 2019 | $550,000 |
| Sporties Club, Barooga NSW | 9 (18-hole option) | 1,850 m² | May 2021 | $680,000 |
| City Golf Club, Toowoomba QLD | 18 | 1,500 m² | January 2017 | $750,000 |
| Maroochy River Golf Club, QLD | 18 | 2,500 m² | September 2019 | $950,000 |
| The Vines Golf Resort, WA | 18 | 2,500 m² | September 2017 | $1,000,000 |
| Meadowbrook Golf Club, Logan QLD | 18 | 2,650 m² | March 2021 | $1,000,000 |
| Pacific Golf Club, QLD | 18 | 2,800 m² | March 2021 | $1,000,000 |
| The Range @ Curlewis, VIC | 18 | 3,400 m² | December 2017 | $1,000,000 |
| Drummond Golf (MGmax), West Beach SA | 18 | 2,500 m² | October 2024 | $1,200,000 |
| Hervey Bay Mini, QLD | 18 | 2,400 m² | August 2023 | $1,300,000 |
| Noosa Par 3 Mini Golf, QLD | 18 | 2,500 m² | October 2023 | $1,400,000 |
| Lynwood Mini & Golf and Country Club, NSW | 18 | 2,600 m² | May 2024 | $1,500,000 |
| Wembley Golf Course, Perth WA | 18 | 5,000 m² | December 2016 | $1,850,000 |
Costs are approximate and rounded. Some of these projects needed no travel or on-site accommodation, and where the client covered travel, it isn’t included in the figures shown.
Are you thinking about building a mini golf course?
At Mini Golf Creations, we’d be happy to run you through all of your options. We have an in-depth understanding of the building and construction process, and our expert team has checks and balances at every step of the way—from initial ideas, to concept, design, detailed design, and construction.
This means we can give you very accurate estimates for your specific site.
What do we need to know to estimate your course?
Costs vary with size, complexity, area, construction needs, materials and labour. To give you an accurate estimate, we first need to know:
- What is your vision for your mini golf course?
- How many holes do you want?
- How big is your site?
- What condition is your site in?
- What features do you want on your course?
- What materials do you want (for example concrete, synthetic turf, rock and timber)?
Once we know these details, it’s much easier for us to give you an accurate estimate. Whether you’re in Australia, South East Asia or anywhere else in the world, we can discuss your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions about Mini Golf Course Costs
What does it cost to run a mini golf course?
Running costs for our courses are up to about $70,000 a year, mainly staffing and course upkeep. Most courses spend less than fifteen minutes each morning clearing leaves and debris off the turf, and the synthetic grass may need a “fluff up” with a rotary broom after heavy traffic. Concrete-lined creeks and ponds also need to be kept free of debris, and we help clients keep these waterways in good condition after construction.
How long does mini golf turf last, and what does it cost to replace?
Synthetic grass lasts about 5–8 years under heavy traffic. Replacing it costs around $120 per square metre for removal and relay, depending on complexity. For example, replacing about 1,000 m² of grass at Brisbane’s Victoria Park course cost just under $90,000 in 2015. Larger layouts spread the wear: Wembley, with about 2,200 m² of grass and over 60,000 rounds a year, was expected to need new turf after 7–8 years, while the smaller Toowoomba layout, at over 35,000 rounds a year, was expected to need it after 5–7 years. Commercial turf suppliers typically offer only a one-year warranty, so plan for replacement from the start. See our mini golf turf page for more.
How quickly does a mini golf course pay for itself?
Our courses have paid themselves back in 2–3 years. At ticket prices of $15 to $25+, a course in a good demographic area can play 35,000–60,000 rounds a year, and busy school holidays can see more than 1,000 rounds in a week. Food and beverage sales and events speed up the return. Examples from completed courses:
- Maroochy River Golf Club: estimated payback was five years, and it was reached in just over two. The course averages about 43,000 rounds a year, with café takings up 35%.
- Rich River Golf Club: the 9-hole course brings in about $250,000 a year, with café takings up 20%.
- City Golf Club, Toowoomba: 46,000 rounds in the first year, 43,000 in the second and 40,000 in the third.
- Wembley Golf Course, Perth: about $3.7 million in revenue over its first three years (December 2016 to December 2019).
Use our revenue calculator to model your own site.
Does Mini Golf Course Quality Matter?
Our mini golf courses are a far cry from the tired old putt putt style courses.
When you invest in a mini golf course with us, you won’t spend your money on things like windmills, clowns and animals. Instead, you’ll invest in a high-quality attraction that plays much like a real golf course, with elements such as:
- real water features
- sand traps
- beautiful landscaping
- contouring
Instead of focusing on holiday fun for the kids, our courses appeal to a wider range of people all year round.
What are the Costs of a Putt Putt, Crazy Golf, or Goofy Golf Course?
Although there are different types of mini golf courses, the costs for building each type will be based on the same variations we’ve already discussed. Since Putt Putt courses are often simpler than typical mini golf courses, they may have less investment in terms of construction. On the other hand, Crazy Golf and Goofy Golf are known for outlandish obstacles and ‘crazy’ themes, with all sorts of additions like life-size statues, immersive concepts like jungles, and water features. These additions, of course, add to the cost of building a new course.
Which businesses is a mini golf course a good investment for?
A mini golf course works best as an extra revenue stream for a venue that already has visitors and space. Mini Golf Creations has built courses on sites from 1,500 m² to 5,000 m² for:
- Golf clubs and golf courses: a family attraction that brings in visitors who don’t play golf. At Maroochy River Golf Club, café takings rose 35% after the course opened.
- Driving ranges: MGmax at Drummond Golf Driving Range gave a business built around solo practice a course that groups can play together.
- Resorts: food and beverage sales at The Vines Golf Resort have risen 25–30% since its course was built.
- Sports clubs and sports complexes: Sporties Club in Barooga and KDV Sport in Carrara both added a course to an existing precinct.
The same approach suits bowls clubs, holiday parks and other venues with steady visitors and spare land. Use our revenue calculator to model your own site, or see our payback examples in the questions above.
What’s the Cost of Starting a Mini Golf Business?
There are many costs that go into starting up a mini golf business outside of just the design, construction, and maintenance. These include:
- Land Cost: Whether the course is indoors or outdoors, the area it takes up will cost money in terms of renting or buying the land/space. You may also have to do some landscaping based on the land you choose.
- Legal Requirements: Depending on where you are, there may be specific permits and licences you need to secure to run your mini golf business.
- Equipment: You’ll need to purchase all the balls, putters, scoring sheets, and more so that customers can play on the course. Over time, these will need to be replaced, so this can be an ongoing cost.
- Marketing: To get the word out and bring in customers to your new course, some advertising may be necessary, which could include paying for ads, paying a PR professional, paying someone to do your website and SEO, and more.
While these don’t affect the course itself, you’ll be running a business and this creates new necessary investments.
Book in for a Consultation With Us
Our aim is to deliver your dream for a mini golf course, down to the finest detail. So in order to work out your mini golf construction costs, we’ll need to collect some information from you. And the easiest way to do this is to have a chat. So whether you are in Australia, SE Asia or any other part of the world, we can discuss your needs.
