Halloween Pumpkin Golf: Free Printable Mini-Golf Course + Scorecard
There is something hilarious about watching a grown adult concentrate really hard on putting a golf ball into a pumpkin’s mouth. Halloween pumpkin golf, backyard putt-putt with a pumpkin twist, works for almost everyone. Little kids love rolling the ball toward a big grinning pumpkin, teenagers turn it into a serious competition, and grandparents end up playing more rounds than anyone else. Best of all, you can build the whole course in an afternoon with pumpkins, a few household items, and a putter or two.
This guide walks you through the full setup: how to build the course, hole-by-hole ideas for every skill level, the par for each hole, and a free printable scorecard you can copy and print. No golf experience needed, no fancy equipment, just a backyard and a sense of humor.
What Is Halloween Pumpkin Golf?
Halloween pumpkin golf is mini-golf played on a backyard course where carved pumpkins act as the holes. Instead of a cup in the ground, players putt toward a pumpkin and try to get the ball through the pumpkin’s mouth, or into a hole cut in its side. Some holes are easy, straight putts across the lawn. Others wind around hay bales, through cardboard tunnels, and past plastic spiders that guard the green.
I like this game because it scales so well. Set up three holes for a quick family game, or nine for a full party tournament. Play in daylight for younger kids, or at dusk with string lights for a spookier round. Either way, the pumpkins steal the show.
What You Need
- 3 to 9 pumpkins, depending on how many holes you want
- 1 or 2 putters, or kid-sized plastic golf clubs
- Golf balls, foam balls, or plastic practice balls for younger players
- Cardboard, pool noodles, hay bales, or garden edging for bumpers and obstacles
- String lights, lanterns, or battery candles for evening play
- A printed scorecard for each player (see below)
Safety note: use foam or plastic balls for kids under six, and keep putters low and slow.
Building the Course
Pick a flat stretch of lawn or driveway. Lay out your holes in a loop so players finish near where they started. Mark each hole with a numbered sign or flag. I use paper plates with numbers written in marker, stuck on sticks, because they are cheap and easy to replace.
For each hole, carve a pumpkin with a wide mouth opening, big enough for a golf ball to roll through. Cut a second opening at the back so the ball rolls out and you can see it went in. Set the pumpkin at the end of a short putting lane shaped with cardboard or pool noodles. Keep the first hole dead simple so new players get a quick win.
Hole-by-Hole Ideas
Here is a nine-hole course you can copy as is, or mix and match to fit your yard. Par is the number of putts a decent player should need. For kids, add one or two strokes to each par and nobody will mind.
Hole 1: The Friendly Grin (Par 2)
A straight, short putt into a smiling jack-o’-lantern. No obstacles. This is the warm-up hole, and almost everyone sinks it in two.
Hole 2: Hay Bale Curve (Par 3)
Two hay bales force a gentle curve. Players bend the putt around them into a toothy-grinned pumpkin.
Hole 3: Spider Tunnel (Par 3)
Build a short tunnel from a cardboard box decorated with plastic spiders. The ball rolls through the dark tunnel and out toward the pumpkin. Kids love this one, even if they pretend to be scared of it.
Hole 4: The Wobbly Bridge (Par 4)
Lay a flat board across two low blocks as a bridge. A putt that is too hard bounces off, and one that is too soft never makes it across.
Hole 5: Ghost Guard (Par 3)
Stand a couple of white sheet ghosts beside the lane. They are just decoration, but laughing players miss putts, and that is part of the fun.
Hole 6: The Pumpkin Patch Maze (Par 4)
Line up small uncarved pumpkins as bumpers. Players weave between them to reach the target pumpkin, and a bumped bumper sends the ball somewhere unexpected.
Hole 7: Uphill Climb (Par 3)
Use a gentle slope or a board propped on a brick. The ball needs just enough speed to climb and drop in. Too much speed and it sails past.
Hole 8: The Double Pumpkin (Par 4)
Two pumpkins sit side by side, but only one mouth is open. Players pick a pumpkin and putt. Pick wrong and the ball bounces off a closed pumpkin, which counts as a stroke and a lesson in guessing.
Hole 9: The Grand Finale (Par 3)
The biggest pumpkin, the widest grin, and a straight shot with string lights all around. End on a hole everyone can sink, so the last memory of the game is a cheer, not a groan.
How to Play
Each player takes turns putting from the starting marker. Count every putt, including misses. The player with the lowest total score at the end wins. For a party, split into small groups of three or four so nobody waits too long between turns. Set a maximum of six putts per hole so slow holes do not drag the game out. If a ball rolls off the course, place it back at the edge where it left, add one penalty stroke, and keep playing.
For younger kids, skip penalties and let them drop the ball closer if they get stuck. The point is fun, not rules.
Free Printable Scorecard: Copy and Print
Here is the full scorecard. Copy it, print one per player, and hand out pencils before the first tee.
Halloween Pumpkin Golf Scorecard
Player name: ______________________________ Date: ______________
- Hole 1, The Friendly Grin, Par 2: ______
- Hole 2, Hay Bale Curve, Par 3: ______
- Hole 3, Spider Tunnel, Par 3: ______
- Hole 4, The Wobbly Bridge, Par 4: ______
- Hole 5, Ghost Guard, Par 3: ______
- Hole 6, The Pumpkin Patch Maze, Par 4: ______
- Hole 7, Uphill Climb, Par 3: ______
- Hole 8, The Double Pumpkin, Par 4: ______
- Hole 9, The Grand Finale, Par 3: ______
Total par: 29. Your total score: ______
Under par? You are the Pumpkin Putt Champion. Over par? You had more fun than the score shows, and that counts for more at a Halloween party.
Tips for a Great Game Night
Play at dusk with string lights around each hole, and the course looks magical without costing much. Offer a small prize for the lowest score and a silly prize, like a plastic spider ring, for the highest, so everyone has something to play for. Keep a spare ball handy, because one always ends up in a bush.
Want the Designed Bundle?
If you would like a polished, ready-to-print version of this scorecard, plus matching hole signs and a tournament leaderboard sheet, you can grab the full set in our shop. Get the printable bundle at fukroo.etsy.com. Print it, set up your pumpkins, and let the putt-putt begin.
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