there‘a lot of cool gear in the world of golf that doesn’t always fitThe most requested testsORBuyers Guides. You still want to know how it works. In our We Tried it series, we put the equipment to the test and let you know if it works as advertised.
What did we try?
Playing rounds of miniature golf in PopStroke and Puttshack, two modern takes on a classic family activity.
Your reviewer
Sean Fairholm, miniature golf scorer and self-appointed head of the competition’s integrity committee.
We tried it: PopStroke
I will start my review with PopStroke, the miniature golf course owned by Tiger Woods that opened its doors in 2019.
As of this writing, PopStroke has 17 locations in six states (Florida, Texas, Alabama, Arizona, Nevada, South Carolina). Eight are in Florida.
The PopStroke concept is similar to Topgolf in that it is a casual mini golf venue that also offers a robust food and beverage operation.
Another differentiator between the PopStroke and your standard mini-golf is that PopStroke looks like a small version of ia true golf course. The artificial turf, which includes white areas for “bunkers” (no sand involved, don’t worry), is high quality and vibrant compared to most mini golf courses. No windmills or clown mouths here. In fact, there is no obstacle other than the slope of the terrain.
Each PopStroke venue features two 18-hole courses with one layout more difficult than the other. The normal feel of a PopStroke is an outdoor patio/bar—complete with games like cornhole and table tennis—overlooking the miniature golf courses, which are not covered.
My round took place last month at the Orlando location. It’s about 20 minutes east of downtown in the Union Park area, surrounded by your normal suburban sprawl like Red Lobster and Kohl’s. I’m sure there’s a Bar Louie within walking distance.
Setting the scene
The first thing you notice upon entering PopStroke is … an ice cream shop? Yes, there is an option to get ice cream as a handful of flavors are trying to entice you to try them.
The second thing I noticed was the price point. When I first saw $25 per adult, I thought it was a little steep. This is just mini golf. You can play for $12 at my local course. And then I noticed it was $25 with unlimited play—and I was there on a Sunday afternoon while the NFL games were in full effect.
That’s a pretty fair deal, especially considering that each person gets a real golf ball. You know how you play mini golf and they give you a plastic ball that will probably explode on impact if someone hits it with a driver? No such worries here. You get a legitimate TaylorMade Distance+ golf ball with the PopStroke logo.
It’s not winning our quiz, but playing mini golf with a real golf ball? This is a big step. And you have to keep it!
Putters are standard fare for mini golf. Nothing you’d want to be caught using on a real golf course, but they do the trick for an afternoon.
A quick word about the food operation before I get into mini golf. There are no waiters at PopStroke – or at least there weren’t any at this location. Walk up to an empty table, scan a QR code, then order on your phone. They know where your table is so you just wait for your food. You pay for it electronically – no signature bills or anything. You barely talk to any servers. I understand why they do it, but it feels a little impersonal. The food took a long time and then we had to hunt down someone to ask where it was because there was no waiter.
The food was good. Memorable, but nothing worse.
Not a place you would look for food/drink. You’re there to play mini golf and maybe chill out on the patio.
I appreciated that there were a million TVs with every NFL game being played. And the ping pong table is a great feature.
It was constantly busy the whole time we were there, but nothing was ready to fill up.
Playing the course
We were a big group, so we asked for the two easiest courses to continue playing.
The first thing you notice is how smooth the terrain is throughout the course. The greens are fast and true for the most part. It feels a lot more like you’re on a grown-up course — similar to a place like Streamsong or Erin Hills — rather than a mini-golf course.
At the same time, PopStroke courses offer plenty of buffer for players of all ages. Behind most holes is a slope that prevents your ball from entering the mulch. Many times, it will bring your ball closer to the hole. Our group had a handful of holes-in-one for this very reason.
Once again, there are no obstacles or gimmicks. It’s just a straight putting course on artificial turf. There are no bricks forming a border around the hole, but most of the slopes are there to help you.
Whether you’re carrying a drink, bag or something else, there are stands on each steel case for your convenience. For this reason, I recommend that several people in a group play at once – if each player finishes before the other player hits, then you have to go back and forth taking your drink or whatever you have with you.
The second course was a little more difficult than the first. If you go on the wrong side of a slope, you can easily take four or five shots.
Overall, I’d say PopStroke does a good job of appealing to real golfers while still being fun for non-golfers. We saw a diverse group of people – everyone from young children to elderly couples. You can spend three or four hours there.
We tried it: Puttshack
There is another example of modern mini golf that is almost the opposite of PopStroke.
Puttshack has 21 locations that are either open or about to open across the US. It’s spread all over the country, including one in my hometown of Nashville, Tenn. Our location opened last year in the Gulch, a trendy area south of downtown.
While PopStroke is focused on outdoor and warm weather regions, Puttshack has a large presence in northern cities as well as southern cities. Their mini golf concept is exclusively indoor.
Puttshack is mini-golf with technology, specializing in tricks and games. It was certainly unlike anything I had seen.
There is a chip in every golf ball that records every hit. It’s kind of like the bowling equivalent of mini golf because the scores are automatically updated and displayed on screens throughout your round (more on this experience in a moment).
Setting the scene
Man, Puttshack is busy. My wife and I have been several times now and it is always packed.
When you walk through the front doors you are immediately in the bar/restaurant area. You check in at a kiosk—reservations are highly recommended if you’re going on the weekend—and learn which of the three courses your party will be playing. It would be nice to be able to choose your own course because you can easily end up on the same design every time you come back.
There is a large table showing which parties are playing which course. Once your training time is ready, you are directed to whichever course you have been assigned. Someone walks you through a little tutorial and then you’re good to go.
While the technology is super cool, the golf ball and putter are just passable. PopStroke has Puttshack beat on that front.
It costs about $15 per adult to play nine holes. There is an option Monday through Thursday to play another nine holes for 50 percent off, so that would be 18 holes for about $22.
I was pleasantly surprised by the volume of the music. It wasn’t too loud which is nice. You’re already being stimulated by a lot of lights and screens, so having limited noise is appreciated.
The bar/restaurant area is a more traditional sports bar atmosphere with normal servers. I thought the food was good. Do any of these alternative golf spots have great food? Maybe not. You are not here for food.
Playing the course
There are three nine-hole courses and each hole is extremely different with its own theme. For example, there could be an air hockey theme where the course looks like a large air hockey table. Once you put the ball down, the objects in front of you start to move – you have to judge when to hit the ball through them.
You start your round in a certain order based on the screen above you. There is a screen on each hole that shows how many points you have. In this game, most points win.
Each player finishes individually. The ball knows how many shots you’ve made.
On certain holes, there are bonuses. For example, you may be asked a true or false question while facing two openings in front of you. Where you decide to shoot the ball is how you answer the question. Getting it right adds points to your score.
I played a beer pong themed hole. You climb a ramp into one of the holes and get a certain number of points to enter one of the cups. Then your ball comes out of a well and you finish to get your final score.
Unlike PopStroke, you can’t hold the ball. The last hole is usually a large ramp where you send your ball onto a large ski ball board, giving yourself one last shot at the points. And then the last screen displays the name of the winner for your group.
The round only takes about 25 minutes as there are only nine holes and is not particularly challenging. It’s worth playing two courses depending on your budget.
One of the holes we played had technology that didn’t work. After reading the reviews of our location, it seems like this happens from time to time. This will happen with an innovative concept like this.
The clientele are families and a LOT of children.
Overall, I think the Puttshack is a really fun concept that can be installed anywhere around the country, regardless of the weather. It is stimulating for children and keeps everyone’s attention all the time.
Concluding thoughts
I don’t think one wins over the other because it all comes down to what you want out of your experience.
Want more of a pure in-hand score experience that simulates being on a real golf course? If you intend to play 36 holes or more, PopStroke looks like a good deal at $25 per day.
Want to experience golf’s version of bowling where technology keeps you entertained and anyone can win the game regardless of skill? Puttshack is the place for you.
Personally, I have more interest in PopStroke. What can I say, I’m a miniature golf purist. PopStroke is more repeatable in that you want to return several times to improve your score. It can be challenging, which is stimulating.
The fun of Puttshack is in the novelty of the experience. Similar to Top golfI went a couple of times, got the idea and didn’t feel a strong desire to go back.
If I had a PopStroke in my town, I’d be there every month or so. It’s dynamic in that you can literally go out there by yourself and play—or you can go out with a big group of people.
Puttshack is awesome for a 10 year old’s birthday party. And it’s great for a quick date night activity before or after dinner. But for the amount of time you spend (not a lot) and money (kind of a lot compared to the time), I’m not sure it’s a great value as a recurring activity.
Have you been to any of these mini golf experiences? Was it worth it?
Let me know below in the comments.
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