Miniature golf pro putts for cash, offers tips
RYANNE SCOTT The Slice
(published July 21, 2004)

Four-time Professional Miniature Golf Association champion Tom Frederickson, of Salt Lake City, started playing to improve his putting. He's became something of a miniature golf guru.
After high school, he'd get together to play with old friends — an excuse to hang out with the guys.  Realizing there were no organized mini golf clubs, he and his friends formed a nonprofit miniature golf organization. They started hosting tournaments and competitions — of course, they'd play them.

"It started to grow, we started having championships and I started winning," said Frederickson, putting it succinctly. Away from the little links, he runs a promotions firm and an import/export business.  Frederickson's not playing as many tourneys this year — his expecting wife is keeping him close to home, waiting for the big day. But he's got a few tips for amateurs.

Slice: How did you get so good?

Frederickson: When we first started off playing miniature golf as friends, there would be a lot of razzing. We'd give each other a hard time, yell things while people where taking their backswings. While that was funny to watch, it was also really good for improving on the mental aspect of the game.

If your best friend is yelling something when you're trying to make a putt, it makes the situation less serious. You kind of relax and not think about the game. Mentally, that helped me deal with the pressure of the situation.

Slice: What are the easiest things people can do to improve?

Frederickson: The best advice I'd give someone is to realize it's just a game. That way, the results aren't so dire.

After that, I'd say, don't focus so hard on the hole. You see it a lot in regular golf: Guys and women standing over a putt, staring at the hole for three minutes. They won't move and their bodies will tense up. You're almost afraid they're going to fall over on the spot.

Instead, take a look at where you want the ball to go, and envision the ball rolling into the hole.

Slice: What are the hardest shots?

Frederickson: Just like in life, people have those things they're good at and those things that are hard for them. It carries into the miniature golf world. There are obstacles you struggle with.

For me, I think the hardest ones are where you're hitting the ball up a steep hill to a definite stopping spot, which a lot of courses do as their last hole. You hit it in the hole and it falls in a collection bucket.

Those are the ones I have a hard time with because I get a little antsy looking at the hill and think 'I've really got to whack (the ball) hard.'

Slice: What's your advice for those steep hills?

Frederickson: Don't hit it as hard as you think you need to. Don't kill it — it's just a little hill.
The green Astroturf that many miniature golf courses have is really fast. So you don't have to hit a ball really hard.  Look and see how fast the green is playing. Then adjust your putt.

Slice: What about getting over big gaps?

Frederickson: I think most players would be tempted to hit it too hard. All you have to do is pop it over — over the pit, the stream, whatever — and hit it straight.  If you do that, it won't come flying back up at you.

Slice: What about the ramps?

Frederickson: I think it's best in that situation to picture the end result.  You know if it goes halfway up the ramp and it starts to slow down, it will probably make it all the way through.
Picture the ball where you want it to go. Then picture in your mind's eye, the ball going from the hole, backwards to the ramp and to your putter.

It's funny, a lot of the things I use in miniature golf, are things professional golfers use, too. I would read books by Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus or gurus like Dr. Bob Rotella, and I would see they did the exact same things I did in my putting game.