EP0476147B1

EP0476147B1 - Mini-golf course

Info

Publication number: EP0476147B1
Application number: EP91906585A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Masao Yamada
Original assignee: Tamapack Co Ltd
Current assignee: Tamapack Co Ltd
Priority date: 1990-04-01
Filing date: 1991-04-01
Publication date: 1996-07-03
Anticipated expiration: 2011-04-01
Also published as: DE69120619D1; EP0687485A1; CA2057019A1; EP0476147A4; DE69120619T2; WO1991015277A1; KR920702822A; EP0476147A1

Abstract

A mini-golf course wherein golf similar to a formal golf can be played in an area smaller than a formal golf course. The mini-golf course is constituted of a plurality of tee grounds and a plurality of putting greens having holes corresponding to the tee grounds. In each of respective golf courses, there are a long course, a middle course and a short course. Each of the courses can be used as an out-course, an in-course or a center course a plurality of times. Golf balls are formed so as to have shorter flying distances. Score cards each have score write-in columns corresponding to reference stroke count columns, and, a plurality of score write-in columns are provided so that each of the courses can be used as an out-course, in-course or center course.

Description

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to miniature golf links, or course mores specifically to miniature golf links used for enjoying playing golf in an area smaller than formal golf links.

Description of the Invention

Formal golf links extend a large tract of land prescribed as a formal golf game mainly with a series of 18 or 27 holes spaced far apart. For example, a course comprising a 9 holes (half of formal 18 holes) is usually configured to finish a game in about 108 minutes without any special consideration of long, middle, or short hole. Accordingly, in an ordinary 9-hole course, players can enjoy only a simple 9-hole game, and when the first player group start the game in the first hole, no players are playing in the following 8 holes. So there are many holes not in use until the first player group reach the last ninth hole. Likewise, there are as many holes not in use until the last player group reach the last hole, thereby offering the problem of an uneconomical use of golf links, that is, a poor profitability. This has caused the necessity of a 18-hole course for a 18-hole game, requiring a large tract of land of about 594,000 m² and a large amount of expense for constructing formal golf links. This is the reason for the deficiency of golf links, exceedingly high charge for a game, and a long queue of players, etc., and has long prevented a nice sport golf from being popular among public people. Besides, some golf links have recently caused the problem of water pollution by applying harmful agricultural chemicals on the large area of their grass links, developing a severe social problem of polluting adjacent river and underground water as well as the links themselves. They used agricultural chemicals to protect their large grass links against diseases and bad insects with no alternative means.

Summary of the Present Invention

The principal object of the present invention is to provide miniature golf course for enjoy playing golf in links smaller than formal golf links.
It also is an object to provide miniature golf course for a formal golf game using a fewer holes.
It also is an object to provide miniature golf course that facilitate the construction and establishment of golf links.
Another object is to provide miniature golf course for playing a pseudo-formal-golf game with a golf ball of smaller flight distance in an area smaller than formal golf links.
The present invention as defined in independent claim 1 refers to a plurality of golf holes comprising a plurality of teeing grounds and a plurality of the corresponding putting green, wherein each golf course is made of long, middle, and short holes, used for multiple times as an outer-, inner-, and central-circuits, prepares score cards based on the predetermined numbers of strokes, wherein each of the score cards are prepared so that holes can be used as outer-, inner-, or central-circuits.
All objects of the present invention are clearly shown in the following figures:

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a plan view of miniature golf links applied with the present invention.
Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram for indicating the time required to finish a game on each circuit shown in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan view of miniature golf links comprising 6 circuits applied with the present invention.
Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram indicating the time required to finish a game on each circuit shown in Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a plan view of miniature golf links comprising 3 circuits applied with the present invention.
Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram indicating the time required to finish a game on each circuit shown in Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a plan view of miniature golf links comprising 4 circuits applied with the present invention.
Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram indicating the time required to finish a game on each circuit shown in Figure 7.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Figure 1 is a plan view of miniature golf links applied with the present invention. The illustrated golf links comprising 9 holes are divided into 2 groups; the first group comprises 4 holes of 2 long holes and 2 middle holes, and the second group comprises 5 holes of 3 middle holes and 2 short holes. Each hole is provided with two teeing grounds and two corresponding putting greens with respective holes, each of them for an inner- and an outer-circuit. As shown in Figure 1, golf links 1 comprise the first group G1 of 4 holes and the second group G2 of 5 holes. More precisely, the first group G1 comprises two long holes L1 and L2 and two middle holes M1 and M2, and is configured to play starting with L1, M1, M2, and finishing with L2. In formal golf links, a long holes is designed to extend about 460 - 480 m for par 5, and a middle hole about 320 - 340 m for par 4. In the case of soft-ball golf links where the golf ball is designed to have half flight distance of formal golf ball, a long hole is designed to extend about 220 - 240 m for par 5, and a middle hole about 140 - 155 for par 4.
The second group G2 comprises three middle holes M3, M4, and M5, and two short holes S1 and S2, and is configured to play starting with M3, S1, M4, S2, and finishing with M5. In formal golf links, a middle hole is designed as described above for par 4, and a short hole is designed to extend about 130 - 140 m for par 3. In the case of soft-ball golf links, a short hole is designed to extend 75 - 85 m for par 3.
Each hole is provided with two teeing grounds Ti and To (including a back teeing ground TiB and ToB) and two corresponding putting greens Pi and Po with respective holes Hi and Ho, each of them for an in-and an outer-course.
Each hole is designed with a fairway F, bunkers B, pond W, rough R, trees, and slopes to make differences both in view and golfing technique between the inner-course and outer-course even though these courses are designed on the same hole.
Figure 2 indicates the time required to finish a game through the above mentioned hole.
In the first group G1, the first long hole L1 for par 5 requires 15 minutes, the first middle hole M1 and the second middle hole M2 each for par 4 require 12 minutes, the second long hole L2 for par 5 requires 15 minutes.
In the second group G2, the third middle hole M3 for par 4 requires 12 minutes, the first short hole S1 for par 3 requires 9 minutes, the fourth middle hole M4 for par 4 requires 12 minutes, the second short hole S2 for par 3 requires 9 minutes, the fifth middle hole M5 for par 4 requires 12 minutes.
Accordingly, the total minutes required to finish playing golf through all holes of the first group G1 are 54 minutes, equal to the value required by the second group G2. Thus, the time periods required by the first group G1 and the second group G2 match exactly.
Next, the usage of the golf links 1 is described as follows. The first player group of the first hole group G1 start at 1 on the teeing ground To 1 of the long hole L1 of the first hole group G1, taking the outer-course. At the same time, the first player group of the second hole group G2 start at 10 on the teeing ground To of the middle hole M3 of the second hole group G2, taking the outer-course.
The first player group start their game at the teeing ground To, and play through the fairway F, putting green Po, and hole Ho, finishing the first long hole L1. Then they enter the first middle hole M1 as indicated by the arrow A in Figure 1, and start their game there at 2 on the teeing ground To, and play through the putting green Po and hole Ho, finishing the first middle hole M1. Then they enter the second middle hole M2 as indicated by the arrow C in Figure 1, and start their game there at 3 on the teeing ground To, and play through the putting green Po and hole Ho, finishing the second middle hole M2. Then they enter the second long hole L2 as indicated by the arrow D, and they start their game there at 4 on the teeing ground To, and play through the putting green Po and hole Ho, finishing the second long hole L2. That is the whole course of the first hole group G1, and the time required to finish the course (from the first long hole L1 to the second long hole L2) is 54 minutes. Next, The first player group proceed to the third middle hole M3 of the second hole group G2 as indicated by the arrow E in Figure 1.
While the first player group of the first hole group G1 enjoy their game from the first long hole L1 to the second long hole L2 of the first hole group G1, the first player group of the second hole group G2 start their game at 10 on the teeing ground To of the third middle hole, and play through the putting green Po and hole Ho, finishing the game there. Then they enter the first short hole S1 as indicated by the arrow I, and proceed to the fourth middle hole M4 as shown by the arrow J, the second short hole S2, and the fifth middle hole M5, finishing the whole course in the second hole group G2 in 54 minutes. Then (at 54 minutes from the very beginning) first player group of the second hole group G2 start their game at 15 on the teeing ground Ti of the first long hole L1 of the first hole group G1 as indicated by the arrow O in Figure 2.
Thus, the first player group take the outer-circuit in the first and second hole groups G1 and G2, finish their game there, change the circuit and take the inner-circuit as indicated by the arrows E and O, and use the tees 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, finishing a total of 9 hole course in the total of 108 minutes.
Another first player group who finish the second hole group first and proceed to the first long hole L1 as indicated by the arrow O in Figure 1 take the inner-circuit indicated by the arrows X, Y, and Z and use the tees 15, 16, 17, and 18, finishing a total of 9 hole course in the total of 108 minutes.
The arrangements of circuits described above enable each player group to start a game every 6th minute at 1 on the teeing ground of the long hole L1 of the first hole group G1. Likewise, each player group can start a game every 6th minute at 10 on the teeing ground To of the second hole group G2. Therefore, when the first player group of the first hole group G1 finish playing in the second long hole L2 in 54 minutes, that is, 6 minutes after the ninth player group start at 10 on the teeing ground To of the second hole group G2, 5 on the teeing ground Ti of the third middle hole M3 is already available. Then the ninth player group last starting at 10 on the teeing ground To are on the fairway F of the third middle hole M3, and the first player group proceeding from the first hole group G1 following the arrow E now can start their game at 5 on the teeing ground Ti.
Likewise, at 54 minutes after the first player group of the second hole group G2 start at 10 on the teeing ground To, the group can start their game at 15 on the teeing ground Ti of the first long hole of the first hole group G1. That is, the ninth player group last starting at 1 on the teeing ground To of the first long hole L1 of the first hole group G1 is already on the fairway F of the first long hole L1, and permitted to start at 15 on the teeing ground Ti.
If each player group after finishing the whole course of each hole group G1 or G2 take a break before proceeding to another hole group as indicated by the arrow E or O in Figure 1, the maximum of 10 player groups each in the hole group G1 and G2 can be admitted in this arrangement.
Therefore, with 9 player groups starting every 6th minute respectively from the first hole group G1 and simultaneously playing in the holes there, another 9 player groups can start every 6th minutes respectively from the second hole group G2, and play games simultaneously. Accordingly, in the whole golf links, player groups start their game every 3rd minute, obtaining double profitability of ordinary golf links.
Besides, players can enjoy different views and techniques between starting at the teeing grounds To and Ti even in the same hole. Similarly, different technical consideration is required on the the same putting green between holing out in Po and Pi, providing players with variety.
Although the description above is made based on the size of ordinary formal golf links, it is not limited to such large golf links, but can be adopted in smaller links.
In the golf links shown in Figure 1, the first and second groups can be used simultaneously, reducing the number of holes not in use around the start and end of business hours, admitting double number of players per hour of ordinary golf links, thus providing the golf links applied with the present invention with double profitability. Additionally, golf links can be made smaller, reducing the playing charge, and making a golf game more popular among public people. Another effect of the present invention is that when players take the inner-circuit, they use exclusively inner-circuit teeing grounds, putting greens, and holes. likewise in outer-circuit, they use exclusively outer-circuit teeing grounds, putting greens, and holes. Therefore, fairways and putting greens can be viewed from different direction, making players enjoy the variety in their game as if they were playing in a 18 different hole course.
An embodiment shown in Figure 3 shows golf links 2 comprising a total of 6 holes. The links are divided into two groups; the first hole group and the second hole group each comprising 3 circuits. In the first hole group G1 comprises the first long hole L1, the first middle hole M1, and the first short hole S1. Players start their game with the first short hole, proceeds to the first middle hole, and finish with the first long hole. In the formal golf links, a long hole extends 460 - 480 m for par 5, a middle hole 320 - 340 m for par 4, and a short hole 130 - 140 m for par 3.
If a golf ball of half flight distance of an ordinary golf ball is used, golf links are designed with a long hole of 220 - 240 m for par 5, a middle hole of 140 - 155 m for par 4, and a short hole of 75 - 85 m for par 3.
The second hole group G2 comprises the second long hole L2, the second middle hole M2, and the second short hole S2. Players start with their game at the second middle hole M2, proceeds to the second short hole S2, and finish with the second long hole L2. The size of each hole is almost equal to each of the first group holes.
Each hole is provided with three teeing grounds (the first, second, and third grounds T1, T2, and T3), and the corresponding first, second, and third holes H1, H2, and H3 in the first, second, and third putting greens P1, P2, and P3.
Each hole is provided appropriately with fairway, bunkers B, ponds P, rough R, trees (not shown in Figure 3), and slopes to make differences in view and golfing technique among the first, second, and third teeing ground even though these courses are designed on the same hole.
The time required to finish a game in the first hole group G1 and the second hole group G2 in ordinary formal golf links is 15 minutes for a long hole for par 5, 12 minutes for a middle hole for par 4, 9 minutes for a short hole for par 3.
Accordingly, the time required to finish all holes in the first hole group G1 is 36 minutes, an addition of all the required time for the above three holes. Likewise in the second hole group G2, the time required to finish all holes there are 36 minutes. Thus, the time periods required by the first hole group and the second hole group match exactly (Figure 4).
The usage of the golf links above is described as follows. The first player group of the first hole group G1 start their game at 1 on the teeing ground T1 of the first short hole S1, and at the same time the first group player of the second hole group G2 start their game at 4 on the teeing ground T2 of the middle hole M2.
The first player group of the first hole group G1 start their game at 1 on the teeing ground T1, and play through the fairway F, the first putting green P1, and the first hole H1, finishing the first short hole S1. Then they enter the first middle hole M1 as indicated by the arrow A. After finishing the game there, they proceed to the first long hole as indicated by the arrow A1, thus finishing all holes in the first hole group G1 in 36 minutes. Next, the first player group of the first hole group proceed to the second middle hole M2 of the second hole group G2 as indicated by the arrow C in Figure 3.
While the first player group start their game with the first short hole S1 of the first hole group G1 and finish with the first long hole L1, the first player group of the second hole group G2 start their game with the second middle hole M2, proceed to the second short hole S2, and finish with the second long hole L2 as indicated by the arrows D and E, thus finishing all holes in the second hole group G2 in 36 minutes. Then the first player group of the second hole group G2 start at 7 on the third teeing ground T3 of the first short hole S1 of the first hole group G1 as indicated by the arrow G in Figure 3 at 36 minutes after the beginning of their game.
Thus each of the first player groups start at the first and second hole groups G1 and G2 respectively, proceed to the second hole group G2, exchange the hole groups as indicated by the arrows C and G, and proceed to 4, 5, and 6 on the second teeing ground of the second hole group G2 as indicated by the arrows D and E, or to 7, 8, and 9 on the third teeing ground of the first hole group G1 as indicated by the arrows I and J. Again, each of the first player groups exchange the hole groups as indicated by the arrows K and G, proceed to 7, 8, and 9 on the third teeing ground of the first hole group G1, or to 10, 11, and 12 on the third teeing ground of the second hole group G2 as indicated by the arrows N and O. When both first player group finish their games as described above, they re-exchange the hole groups as indicated by the arrows K and Q, and proceed to 13, 14, and 15 on the second teeing ground of the first hole group G1 as indicated by the arrows U and V, or to 10, 11, and 12 on the third teeing ground of the second hole group G2 as indicated by the arrows N and O. After finishing the above circuits, each of the groups exchange the hole groups as indicated by the arrow Q and Q1, and proceed to 13, 14, and 15 on the second teeing ground of the first hole group G1 as indicated by the arrows U and V, or to 16, 17, and 18 on the first teeing ground of the second hole group G2 as indicated by the arrows X and Y. Then again, each group exchange the hole groups as indicated by the arrows W and Z, and proceed to 1, 2, and 3 on the first teeing ground of the first hole group G1 as indicated by the arrows A and A1, or to 16, 17, and 18 on the first teeing ground of the second hole group G2 as indicated by the arrows X and Y, finishing the whole course in these golf links.
Thus, playing golf in these 6 holes for 3 times each actually completes a 18-hole game, and the time required to finish a game is equally 144 minutes for two first groups starting from the first and second hole groups G1 and G2.
By arranging the course as described above, player groups starting from both the first and second hole groups G1 and G2 can start their game every 6th minute. Accordingly, at 36 minutes after the first player group of the first hole group G1 finish their game in the first long hole L1, the tee 4 on the teeing ground T2 of the second middle hole M2 is already available. Thus, in the golf links shown in Figure 3, at least 6 player groups can start their games simultaneously, that is, one player group can start their game every 3rd minute in the whole golf links, providing double profitability of ordinary golf links.
Besides, changing the course from the inner-circuit to the outer-circuit and vice versa also changes the teeing ground and putting green, requiring different golfing technology and providing players with variety of the course.
Additionally, as an ordinary 18-hole game can be performed in 6 holes in this arrangement, the utilization of land is tripled.
The above explanation is made in comparison with the size of formal golf links. However, this course arrangement is not limited to such ordinary formal golf links.
As described later, when a golf ball of half flight distance of a formal golf ball is used in this course arrangement, the size of a hole may be a half of an ordinary hole in proportion to the flight distance of the ball, and the width of the hole can be two-thirds of an ordinary golf hole. To sum up, as shown in Figure 5, if the flight distance of a formal golf ball is "a", the length of the hole of a formal golf hole l1 must be larger than "a", and its width W1 must be also larger than "a". However, if a ball of half flight distance of a formal golf ball is used, the length of the hole l2 may be a little more than a half of "a", and its width W2 may be two-thirds of "a" sufficiently.
Thus, the size of the golf links where a golf ball of smaller flight distance is used can be half in length l1 and two-thirds in width W2 of ordinary golf links, reducing the total area into one-third of an ordinary one. Additionally, as the golf links 2 shown in Figure 3 comprise 6 holes, one third of an ordinary one, the total area can be also one-third of ordinary golf links even using an ordinary golf ball. If a ball of half flight distance of an ordinary golf ball is used in this economical golf course arrangement, the total area can be one-ninth only. As ordinary golf links are about 594,000 m² in area, the golf links 1 shown in Figure 3 can be about 198,000 m² or even reduced to about 66,000 m².
The above embodiment is designed to enjoy playing 18-hole game in a fewer holes. In this embodiment, 9-hole games can be performed in three circuits. These embodiments are shown in Figure 6.
In Figure 5, the golf links 3 comprise a long hole L, middle hole M, and short hole S, and players are to play games in this order. In formal golf links, a long hole extends 460 m - 480 m for par 5, a middle hole 320 m - 340 m for par 4, and a short hole 130 m - 140 m for par 3. In golf links applied with a golf ball of half flight distance of a formal golf ball described later, a long hole extends 220 m - 240 m, a middle hole 140 m - 155 m for par 4, and a short hole 75 m - 85 m for par 3.
Each hole is provided with 3 teeing grounds, that is, T1 on the first teeing ground, T2 on the second teeing ground, and T3 on the third teeing ground, and corresponding holes H1 (the first hole), H2 (the second hole), and H3 (the third hole) in the first putting green P1, second putting green P2, and third putting green P3 respectively.
Each hole is also provided with fairway, bunkers B, ponds W, roughs R, trees (not shown in Figure 5), and slopes. All of them are designed to require different golfing techniques and provide players variety in view from starting at T1 on the first teeing ground, proceeding to T2 on the second teeing ground, and finishing after T3 on the third teeing ground.
The time required to finish a game in above 3 holes in formal golf links as shown in Figure 6 is: 12 minutes for a long hole for par 5, 10 minutes for a middle hole for par 4, and 7 minutes for a short hole for par 3, adding up to 29 minutes for finishing all 3 holes.
In the golf links 1, the first player group start their game at 1 on the first teeing ground T1 of the long hole L, play through the fairway F, the first putting green P1, and the first hole H1, and finish the long hole L. Next, they enter the middle hole M as indicated by the arrow A, start at 2 on the first teeing ground T1 of the middle hole M, play through the first putting green P1 and the first hole H1, and finish the game in the middle hole M. They then enter the short hole S as indicated by the arrow B1, start at 3 on the first teeing ground T1, play through the putting green P1 and the first hole H1, and finish the short hole S at 29 minutes after their start at the long hole L. Then the first player group enter the long hole L again as indicated by the arrow C, start at 4 on the second teeing ground T2, play through the second putting green P2 and the second hole H2, and finish the long hole L. Next, they enter the middle hole M again, start at 5 on the second teeing ground T2 of the middle hole M, play through the second putting green P2 and the second hole H2, and finishing the middle hole M. Then they enter the short hole S again as indicated by the arrow E, start at 6 on the second teeing ground T2, and play through the second putting green P2 and the second hole H2, finishing the short hole at 58 minutes after the very beginning.
Next, they proceed to the long hole L again as indicated by the arrow F, start at 7 on the third teeing ground T3 of the long hole L, and play through the third putting green P3 and the third hole H3, finishing the long hole L. Then they enter the middle hole M as indicated by the arrow G, and the short hole S as indicated by the arrow H, completing the whole game at 87 minutes after they begin the game at the long hole for the first time.
Thus, players enjoy their 9-hole game by using three holes for three times each, finishing the game in 87 minutes, or 90 minutes with 1 additional minute for each course change.
In the golf links 3 as described above, at 24 minutes after the first player group start their game followed by each player group starting every 6th minute, all holes are occupied by players and at least 5 player groups can be playing simultaneously, improving the profitability of the golf links.
In the golf links shown in Figure 5, players can perform a 9-hole game in 3 holes, tripling the utilization of land. Compared with formal golf links equipped with 18 holes, the golf links 3 above comprise 3 holes, one-sixth in the number of holes, requiring only one-sixth of the area of formal golf links, and only one-eighteenth of it if a golf ball of half flight distance of a formal golf ball. As most typical golf links extend about 594,000 m², the golf links shown in Figure 6 can be about 99,000 m² if applied with a formal golf ball, and reduced down to about 33,000 m² if applied with a golf ball of half flight distance of a formal golf ball.
In the golf links 3 above, players can play a 9-hole game in a total of only 3 holes.
An embodiment shown in Figure 7 indicates golf links where players can enjoy a 9-hole game in 4 holes.
In Figure 7, the golf links 4 are designed in a rectangular area of 160 m in length, 280 m in width, and about 44,800 m² in total site area. The whole site comprises 4 holes 5, 6, 7, and 8. The holes 5, 6, and 7 are located along the width of the links 4, and 8 in the shape of L extending in the length to the width direction. Each hole is provided with teeing ground 9 and putting green 10. The longest hole 5 in these holes is located almost straight along the width of the site, and the teeing ground 9 and the putting green of this hole are located around the corner of the rectangular site, forming a long hole of about 280 m (distance for male players) from the teeing ground 9 to the putting green 10. The first middle hole 6 is located adjacent to that long hole 5 followed by the second middle hole 7. These 2 holes 6 and 7 are equal in length (about 170 m distance for male players), but the teeing grounds 9 and the putting greens 10 are placed back to front to each other. The third middle hole 8 is located adjacent to these two middle holes 6 and 7 in the shape of L. One end of the hole 8 extends to the center of the hole 7, and is provided with the first teeing ground 9. The hole 7 bends obtusely around the center toward both ends.
Each hole of the above golf links is provided with a plurality of teeing grounds 9 and putting greens 10 so that they make variety of views and techniques. For example, using teeing grounds 9 and putting greens 10 of the long hole 5, the first middle hole 6, and the second middle hole 7 for two times each makes up a 6-hole game. The third middle hole 8 is provided with two teeing grounds 9 and putting greens 10 respectively by additionally locating a teeing ground 9a and putting green 10a around the central part of this hole. The teeing ground 9 of the third middle hole 8 refers to the first and second teeing grounds 9 and 9a, and likewise the putting green 10 of the third middle hole 8 the first and second putting greens 10 and 10a. These two teeing grounds 9 and 9a and two putting greens 10 and 10a can make up a 3-hole game. For example, playing from the first teeing ground 9 to the second putting green 10a (a short hole), from the second teeing ground 9a to the first putting green 10 (a short hole), and from the first teeing ground 9 to the first putting green 10 (a middle hole) makes a 3-hole game.
Thus adding up all holes in the links makes a 9-hole game; the first 5 holes making the outer-circuit, and the last 4 holes the inner-circuit.
Now the time required to finish a game in the golf course above is described as follows:
Figure 8 is a diagram of the time required to finish a game in the golf course applied with the present invention.
In Figure 8, the time required to finish a game in the long hole 5 is about 12 minutes, and about 10 minutes each for the first and second middle holes 6 and 7. At the third and final middle hole 8, in the case of split holes 8a and 8b, two short holes require 7 minutes each. If the middle hole 8 is used as one middle hole, it requires about 10 minutes to finish a game there. That is, proper arrangement of these 4 holes makes up a 9-hole game; the first 5 holes making the outer-circuit requires 46 minutes, and the last 4 holes making the inner-circuit requires 42 minutes.
In each of above embodiments, links can be of grass, but as grass links consume a large amount of cost and labor at the initial construction, and cannot be practically used until the planted grass get rooted, they require a long construction period and a larger cost in maintenance. Besides, as they are poor in permeability, players are subject to interruption by rain. Additionally, in winter plays often cannot be performed as snow-removing work in winter will damage grass.
Now artificial grass for covering golf links can replace natural grass having such demerits . However, artificial grass links have the demerit that a golf ball will exceedingly bounce on them if they are used "as is", especially on a putting green where a ball must be controlled the most carefully.

Claims

A miniature golf course comprising a plurality of golf holes each golf hole comprising a plurality of teeing grounds and a plurality of putting greens each of said greens having a cup hole wherein:
said golf course comprises long, medium and short length golf holes, each golf hole used for more than one time as outer and inner circuits, said golf course being divided into two distinct groups of consecutive golf holes, whereby the number of golf holes is 9, 6 or 3.
A miniature golf course according to claim 1 in that each golf hole is used additionally as a central circuit.
The miniature golf course according to claim 1, wherein:
said miniature golf course comprise a total of 9 golf holes comprising the first golf hole group of 4 golf holes and the second golf hole group of 5 golf holes, wherein the first golf hole group comprises 2 long golf holes and 2 medium golf holes, and the second golf hole group 3 medium golf holes and 2 short golf holes, with each golf hole provided with a putting green comprising 2 teeing grounds and 2 corresponding cup holes.
The miniature golf course according to claim 1, wherein:
said miniature golf course comprise a total of 6 golf holes comprising the first and second golf hole groups of 3 golf holes each, wherein each group comprises a long, medium and short length golf hole with each golf hole provided with a putting green comprising 3 teeing grounds and 3 corresponding cup holes.
The miniature golf course according to claim 1 and 2 wherein:
said miniature golf course comprise a total of 3 golf holes; a long length, medium and short golf hole with each golf hole provided with a putting green comprising 3 teeing grounds and 3 corresponding cup holes.
The miniature golf course according to said claim 1, wherein:
said putting green is provided with a circular OK zone for exempting a player from the last 1 stroke into the cup hole, and said OK zone is mounted as easily assembled and removed.
The miniature golf course according to claim 6, wherein:
a plurality of said OK zones are provided on a putting green, with each cup hole set in center and provided with a removable cover.