The best places to play mini golf in Melbourne

Melbourne's CBD is chock-full of arcades and mini golf venues, so it's about time that the northside got its very own late-night games spot. Enter What the Putt, a massive games centre that landed in Brunswick in 2021. It's open until midnight most days, so it's perfect for an after-dinner date, post-work hang or catch-up with friends. Inside, you'll find heaps of activities designed for fun and some friendly competition. Practice your short game on the 18-hole mini golf course that's chock-full of horror props, quirky obstacles and pop culture references, all illuminated by neon signs.

The huge, multi-level CBD space – which was once raging nightclub Sorry Grandma – is a colourful fun house of 27 wacky holes, neon lights, pizza and pumping pop music. The formula works. Puns are par for the course at Holey Moley, and once you’re in the golfing spirit (the visor helps) you won't think twice before ordering a Teeyoncé Holes cocktail from the upstairs bar – an instant sugar high of citron vodka, Cointreau, cranberry juice, sour mix, lemonade and soda. Our tip: finish your course before you hit the bar in a big way.

If you live out east, head on over to the Forest Hill Chase shopping centre to try out Australia's first-ever Birdies Mini Golf. On top of an 18-hole course, the space also has a well-stocked bar that would make any Melburnian's night. It features craft beers from 12 independent breweries and 65 gins from independent distillers, and in truth, it's worth going for the bar alone. 

Just like its CBD counterpart, this Holey Moley located inside of Crown offers ridiculous drinks, themed holes and a hole (sorry, not sorry) lot of silly fun. The venue includes a bar in an empty swimming pool, complete with lifebuoy shaped tables, banana lounges and a diving board. You can get any cocktail in a Sharing Trophy, which is served in yes, a giant trophy. 

Rather play outside? Tee off at this 18-hole mini golf course located right along the Albert Park lake. Jurassic Park fans and animal lovers will have a blast, with many of the holes featuring large dinosaurs and cute critters. Games are $20 for adults and $14 for kids, and if you're looking to save a few bucks, opt for public transport since parking can be hard to find or pricey at $6 per hour. 

This indoor mini golf course is lit up by UV lights and features glow-in-the-dark balls and clubs, so be sure to wear your brightest clothes to maximise the impact. Putt your way through the 18-hole course, which is themed around Australian landmarks and biomes, and then grab a drink at Le Bar European, a four-seater bar that is quite possibly among the smallest licensed venues in the world. 

Once you've reached adulthood, you realise that you really took for granted those good old days of childhood birthday parties filled with arcade games, putt-putt and stuffing your face with pizza until you feel sick. Reminisce on those days at Funderdome, a 2,000-square-metre venue packed with fun. Put your putt-putt skills to the test on the two-level, 18-hole mini-golf course or head to the old-school arcade and grab a joystick, pretend it's 1985 and play classic games like Space Invaders and Pacman. For those uninterested in a blast from the past, there's also an arcade boasting an ever-evolving collection of contemporary games and immersive experiences.