Stroke limit in mini golf
A stroke limit is a hole max: when a player reaches it, they pick the ball up and write that number, usually 6, sometimes 7. It keeps a slow hole from eating the evening.
Agree the cap before hole 1. Posted boards beat this page.
Why courses use a cap
Mini golf is friendly until one player is still on stroke nine while everyone else waits in the sun. A ceiling turns "almost done" into "done," protects pace, and keeps the card honest for kids and adults on the same grid.
The cap is a house ceiling, not a secret official number. Neither 6 nor 7 is "more correct." The correct number is the one on the board, or the one your group said out loud if the course is silent.
Cheat sheet
| Question | Casual answer |
|---|---|
| What is the limit? | Max strokes on one hole before pick-up |
| Common numbers | 6 on many boards; 7 on some |
| What do you write? | The cap itself — not a blank, not "DNF" |
| Who decides? | Posted sign first; else your group before hole 1 |
| Mid-round change? | Old holes stay as written; only new holes use the new ceiling |
Agree it before hole 1
- Look for a posted "max per hole" or stroke limit on the counter board or first tee.
- If the sign is silent, pick 6 or 7 as a group and say it out loud.
- Write the cap on a paper card, or set 6/7 on the browser scorecard.
- Stick to it. Bargaining on hole 8 turns a friendly round into a debate.
If you change the cap mid-round anyway, leave the finished boxes alone. Only holes still ahead use the new number.
Pick-up at the cap
When a player hits the max, they stop. Pick the ball up, write 6 (or 7), and walk to the next tee. Do not keep hacking "just to finish." The card already has the answer.
Whiffs you meant to hit still count toward the ceiling. Taps count. The putt that would have dropped on stroke eight does not get a free try after you already wrote the cap.
6 vs 7
Some courses print 6 because short holes move faster that way. Others print 7 so a hard rail or a windmill still feels finishable. Copy the sign. Do not invent a stricter game than the shop asked for.
This browser card can clamp a typed number so it cannot sit above the current cap, same idea as writing the ceiling in ink.
More on the full scoring flow lives on /how-to-score. Open the / scorecard when you are ready to tee, or skim /rules for the 30-second house-rules script.