For many Cincinnati-area residents, Putt-Putt® Golf & Games was a defining part of suburban life during the late 20th century. More than miniature golf, these locations served as gathering places for families, teenagers, and community groups—especially during summer evenings.
Founded in 1954 in North Carolina, Putt-Putt® was known for its simple, standardized course design. Unlike themed miniature golf, the focus was on skill, with each hole engineered so a hole-in-one was possible. This formula proved popular nationwide, and as Cincinnati’s suburbs expanded in the 1970s and 1980s, several Putt-Putt® locations opened around the region.
A typical Cincinnati-area Putt-Putt® featured one or more 18-hole courses along with an arcade. By the late 1980s and 1990s, many locations rebranded as Putt-Putt® Golf & Games, adding video games, batting cages, party rooms, and other attractions. These venues became common destinations for birthday parties, first dates, youth outings, and after-school meetups.
Despite their popularity, many locations declined in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Rising land values, aging facilities, competition from newer entertainment centers, and changing leisure habits all contributed to closures. Former Putt-Putt® sites across Greater Cincinnati were eventually redeveloped, often leaving no visible trace of their past.
Though mostly gone, Cincinnati’s Putt-Putt® locations remain vivid in local memory. They represent a distinctive era of suburban recreation—one defined by arcade sounds, concrete greens, and shared community experiences that still resonate today.
Evendale
9941 Reading Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45241
The Evendale Putt-Putt location lives on as a miniature golf course, now operating as The Acres.
Beechmont
7725 Five Mile Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45230
The Beechmont Putt-Putt location has given way to new development and is now the site of the Mexican restaurant Don Rigo.
Northgate
3640 Springdale Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45251
The Northgate Putt-Putt location has been redeveloped and now lies beneath the parking lot of a Kroger Marketplace.
Western Hills
3325 Westbourne Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45248
The Western Hills Putt-Putt location lives on as a miniature golf course, now called General Custer’s.
Hamilton
2232 Dixie Hwy, Hamilton, OH 45015
The Hamilton Putt-Putt location has disappeared, leaving only a grassy patch in the corner of the Hamilton Plaza parking lot.
Erlanger
3143 Dixie Hwy, Erlanger, KY 41018
The Erlanger Putt-Putt location lives on as a Putt-Putt Fun Center, tucked into the corner of the Erlanger Town Center.
