Where Can I Take a Toddler to Play Mini Golf?
Golf Center of Arlington, at 1301 NE Green Oaks Blvd, is a toddler-friendly place to play mini golf. Children 3 and under play free with a paying adult, kid-size clubs and colorful balls are provided, and the 36-hole outdoor course is landscaped with bridges and rock formations. Replays are free the same day, so short attention spans cost nothing extra.
Taking a two-year-old to play mini golf is less about golf and more about a walk with a purpose: a small club, a bright ball, a bridge to cross and a hole to aim at. Golf Center of Arlington, a family-owned public range at 1301 NE Green Oaks Blvd, Arlington, TX 76006, has hosted that kind of visit since 1986. Here is what parents of toddlers need to know before they come.
Do toddlers pay for mini golf?
No. At Golf Center of Arlington, children 3 and under play free with a paying adult. The toddler still gets a kid-size club, a colorful ball and a spot on the scorecard if you want to keep one. Standard pricing for everyone else is $12 for adults and $8 for children 4 through 12, and every ticket includes tax, club, ball and free same-day replays on both 18-hole courses.
Right now there is also a limited-time special tied to the course remodel: $8 per person for unlimited mini golf all day. Under that special, a parent and a toddler play for $8 total; two parents and a toddler play for $16. Our page on what mini golf costs for a family of four lays out the math for bigger families.
The 36-hole course is being remodeled, and many of the improvements are already done. All holes are open. The seven waterfalls are temporarily off while the last work is finished, which some parents of water-obsessed toddlers will consider a feature.
What is the course like for very small children?
Outdoor, landscaped, and full of things to look at
The mini golf at Golf Center of Arlington is two 18-hole outdoor courses on a landscaped nature course with bridges and rock formations. For a toddler, the bridges and rocks are the attraction; the golf is secondary. There is space to wander between holes, and nobody minds if a small child carries the ball to the cup by hand.
Paths run through the course, and parents with strollers should ask the staff at the counter which stretch is easiest to start on. The course follows the terrain, so it is not a flat carpet layout, and a carrier is a good backup for a child who tires of walking.
Kid-size clubs and colorful balls are handed out at the counter. If the toddler loses interest halfway through the first course, that is fine: the ticket includes free same-day replays, so an older sibling can finish both courses later while the little one naps in the car or plays on the grass. Our guide to how long 36 holes of mini golf takes has honest timing for families with young kids.
How do you keep a toddler moving through 18 holes?
A short playbook that works for most parents at Golf Center of Arlington.
- Go early or late. The course is outdoors. In Texas summer, a morning or evening round is more comfortable for a small child than mid-afternoon, when the sun is high.
- Pick one course, not two. Eighteen holes is plenty for most toddlers. Both courses are on the ticket, so play the second only if the mood holds.
- Let them carry the ball. A two-year-old will drop the ball in the cup by hand on half the holes. That still counts as a hole-in-one in the scorecard of a toddler.
- Bring a snack. Outside food is allowed at Golf Center of Arlington. Coolers and outside beverages are not, so buy drinks at the snack bar.
- Stop when it stops being fun. Replays are free the same day, so leaving after nine holes and coming back after lunch costs nothing.
Buy tickets online before you arrive. Walking a toddler straight from the car to the first hole, instead of through a counter line, saves the patience you will need on the back nine.
Toddlers 3 and under are free with a paying adult. Buy your tickets ahead and head straight to the first tee.
Buy Mini Golf TicketsWhat else is there for a toddler at the facility?
Golf Center of Arlington is a full driving range, and a few things on the range side work well for small children with a parent.
Angry Birds on the Toptracer screen
Every covered bay has a Toptracer screen with games like Angry Birds and Go Fish. A parent hits the ball; the toddler watches the birds fly. No golf experience needed.
Covered, heated bays
The 18 range bays are under cover and heated in cold weather. If rain closes the outdoor mini golf course for the afternoon, a bay is a dry place to let a small child watch balls fly.
Snack bar
Light snacks and non-alcoholic drinks for kids, plus 50+ beers, wine and canned cocktails for the adults. Outside food is welcome.
Gazebo party area
Mini golf birthday parties can add the gazebo area or the 24-seat indoor room for $120 each for 2.5 hours. Parties are $8 per guest with a 12-guest minimum.
A medium bucket of 60 balls is $21, and regular bucket prices are 30% off from 9 AM to 6 PM daily when you mention the special at check-in. The Power Tee automatic teeing system sets each ball, so a parent never has to bend down with a toddler on one hip. Well-behaved dogs on a leash are welcome too, if the family dog is part of the outing.
When is a toddler old enough for real golf?
Mini golf is the usual first step, and for most families it stays the only step until kindergarten. Golf Center of Arlington's junior program starts at age 5, with kids grouped by age and ability and equipment available if needed. Our page on what age a kid can start golf lessons explains what a first lesson looks like and why the putting green comes before the driver. Until then, a colorful ball and a bridge to cross are all the golf a toddler needs.
- Ages 3 and under: mini golf free with a paying adult; watch Angry Birds in a bay
- Ages 4 to 12: mini golf at $8 standard, or $8 unlimited under the limited-time special
- Age 5 and up: junior lessons, grouped by age and ability
- Ages 7 to 15: Junior Summer Golf Camp, announced each spring
Hours, food and getting there with a car seat
Golf Center of Arlington is open Monday–Saturday 8 AM–11 PM and Sunday 8 AM–10 PM, seven days a week, and walk-ins are welcome with no membership required. Outside food is allowed; coolers and outside beverages are not. Our outside food policy page covers the details, including what applies to parties. For a toddler birthday, see our guide to kids' birthday party venues in Arlington.
The address is 1301 NE Green Oaks Blvd, Arlington, TX 76006, about two miles north of the Arlington Entertainment District and near River Legacy Park. Families coming from Six Flags Over Texas, AT&T Stadium or Globe Life Field head north a few minutes. Holiday hours vary; call 817-469-9005 to confirm before a holiday visit, and see the full Golf Center of Arlington mini golf page for the current price list.
Frequently asked questions
Is mini golf free for toddlers at Golf Center of Arlington?
Yes. Children 3 and under play free with a paying adult. They still receive a kid-size club and a colorful ball at the counter. Standard pricing for adults is $12 and for children 4 through 12 is $8, with tax, club and ball included. During the current course remodel, a limited-time $8 per person special covers unlimited play all day for paying players.
Are there kid-size clubs for very small children?
Yes. Golf Center of Arlington provides kid-size clubs and colorful balls with every mini golf ticket, and there is no extra rental charge. A toddler who would rather carry the ball than putt it is welcome to do so. There is a $2 charge per ball and $20 per club not returned, which applies to party bookings, so keep track of the little one's putter.
Can I bring a stroller onto the mini golf course?
Paths run through the landscaped course, but the layout follows the terrain with bridges and rock formations, so it is not a flat, fully stroller-friendly loop. Ask the staff at the counter which stretch is easiest to start on with a stroller, and consider a carrier as a backup for a child who is done walking. Leaving the stroller near the counter and carrying a toddler for one 18-hole course is what many parents end up doing.
How long will a toddler last on the course?
Most groups play both 18-hole courses at Golf Center of Arlington in about 60 to 90 minutes, but a toddler usually lasts one course, about 30 to 45 minutes. That is fine: the ticket includes free same-day replays, so an older sibling or parent can finish the second course later while the toddler rests. Going early or late avoids the hottest part of a Texas afternoon.
What if it rains while we are there with a toddler?
The mini golf course at Golf Center of Arlington is outdoors and weather-dependent, but the 18 driving range bays are covered and heated in cold weather and stay open rain or shine. A parent can buy a bucket, pick a bay and let a toddler watch Angry Birds or Go Fish on the Toptracer screen while the rain passes. The snack bar and bar are under cover as well.
Can we bring snacks and a sippy cup?
Outside food is allowed at Golf Center of Arlington, so snacks for a toddler are fine. Coolers and outside beverages are not allowed on site; drinks are sold at the snack bar, which also carries light snacks and non-alcoholic options. For mini golf parties, all beverages must be purchased at the snack bar, though you may bring cake, plates, candles and decorations.
Play 36 holes of mini golf
Two landscaped courses, clubs and balls included, free same-day replays. Minutes from the Entertainment District.
Golf Center of Arlington · 1301 NE Green Oaks Blvd, Arlington, TX 76006 · 817-469-9005 · Open Mon–Sat 8 AM–11 PM, Sun 8 AM–10 PM