2026-09-01 12:42:00
Solving the mystery of the missing dragon eggs takes a bit of teamwork, and not just within your own group. Any trip to crazy golf Blackpool means sharing nine holes of castles, lakes, and talking portraits with plenty of other trainee witches and wizards, all trying to crack the same case. A little courtesy goes a long way toward making sure every family has a good time, not just yours. Crazy golf etiquette for families isn't complicated, but it's easy to overlook when you're caught up in a good story and a competitive scorecard. Here's how to be the group everyone's happy to see arrive at the next hole.
Unlike a quiet round of regular golf, crazy golf courses are built for noise, excitement, and a fair bit of chaos. That doesn't mean anything goes preparing for your first crazy golf game. A few simple habits keep the day fun for your family and every other family sharing the course with you.
It's easy for kids (and honestly, plenty of adults) to get impatient and take a shot out of turn, especially when a sibling is lining up a tricky putt. Set the expectation early that everyone waits until the person before them has finished, including retrieving their ball from wherever it ended up. This isn't just about fairness. Someone stepping in too early can genuinely get hit by a stray shot near tighter holes like the castle.
If your group has a wide age range, it helps to agree on an order before you start, whether that's youngest to oldest, a random draw, or just going around in a circle. Sticking to a consistent order removes the "it's my turn" arguments before they start.
It's also worth teaching younger kids to stand well back from whoever's putting, not just wait for their turn. A safe distance matters more on a crazy golf course than a regular green, since the obstacles mean balls can bounce in directions nobody expects. A quick reminder at the start of the round usually covers it for the rest of the day.
Getting loud when your team solves a tricky riddle or sinks a great shot is part of the fun, and nobody expects a library-quiet round of crazy golf. The line to watch is whether your excitement is spilling into someone else's hole. Groups just ahead of you are often mid-swing or trying to read a riddle of their own, and a sudden shout from behind can throw off their concentration or just startle a younger player.
A good rule of thumb: celebrate freely once your group has moved a comfortable distance from the group ahead, and keep it a bit more contained while you're right on their heels. Kids usually pick this up fast once you point it out, especially if you frame it as "we don't want to give away the answer to their riddle."
Every family has at least one player who takes a bad shot personally. A few tips help keep frustration from turning into a scene:
Set the tone early by staying calm yourself after your own bad shots
Agree that clubs stay on the ground, never thrown or slammed, no exceptions
Remind kids that a wonky shot is often the funniest part of the story you'll tell later
Offer a "wizard's mercy" redo for anyone who's clearly having a rough hole
Modeling good sportsmanship matters more than any rule you actually state out loud. Kids watch how the adults in their group react to a missed putt far more closely than they listen to instructions about it.
This matters just as much when your family is winning as when it's struggling. A team that's cruising through the course with low scores can still be gracious about it, cheering on other groups rather than rubbing in a good run. Sportsmanship goes both directions, and kids notice when it's only demanded of them and not modeled by the adults around them.
Every course is full of details built to bring the story to life, from talking portraits to the creepy castle and the mysterious lake. These are part of what makes the experience magical for the next family coming through, so treat them with a bit of care. Climbing on scenery, forcing open props that are meant to stay closed, or wandering off the marked path to chase a ball can damage the course and spoil the surprise for whoever's playing behind you.
If a ball does end up somewhere awkward, like tucked behind a prop or against a portrait frame, it's fine to retrieve it carefully. Just avoid tugging on anything that looks decorative rather than functional. If you're ever unsure, a staff member nearby is always happy to help rather than have you guess.
This is also a good moment to remind kids that other families will be walking the exact same path an hour after you leave. Leaving rubbish behind, dropping wrappers near a hole, or letting a potion cup roll into the lake area isn't just untidy, it chips away at the magic for the next group of trainee witches and wizards. A quick check for anything you've brought with you before moving to the next hole keeps the course looking as good as it did when you arrived.
Not every family moves at the same pace, and that's completely normal. Some groups linger over every riddle, others move quickly and want to get through all nine holes. If you notice a faster group building up behind you, it's good etiquette to wave them through at a natural gap rather than making them wait behind your entire round.
The same goes in reverse. If you catch up to a group ahead that's clearly taking their time with younger kids or a tricky puzzle, be patient rather than hovering right behind them. A little breathing room makes the course far more pleasant for everyone, and most groups are happy to return the favor once your family needs a bit of extra time on your own tricky hole.
Good etiquette on a crazy golf course isn't about rigid rules, it's about remembering that every other family out there is trying to enjoy the same story you are. Wait your turn, keep an eye on your volume near other groups, model good sportsmanship after a bad shot, treat the scenery with care, and let faster or slower groups move at their own pace.
Do that, and your family won't just have a great round yourselves, you'll be the group other families are glad crossed paths with them. Grab your putters crazy golf in rainy weather, mind your manners, and get out there to help solve the mystery of the missing dragon eggs.
by Stuart Jarman
