Glow Golf Bournemouth: Christmas mini golf after dark
Glow Golf Bournemouth turns the Gardens Mini Golf into 18 Christmas holes, a family course before 5pm and glowing balls after dark, from 12 November 2026.
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Glow Golf Bournemouth is what the Gardens Mini Golf in the Lower Gardens becomes after dark during Christmas in Bournemouth: 18 Christmas-themed holes played with glowing balls among the lights, according to the organisers' golf page. Before 5pm the same course runs as a family daytime round. It opens with the season on 12 November 2026 and is bookable in advance.
The course sits on the free Festive Trail, a few steps from the rink and the Christmas Tree Maze.
What is the course like?
The organisers describe 18 holes dressed for Christmas, with giant gingerbread men, candy canes and snowy features among the obstacles. The organisers call it the Gardens Mini Golf, given a festive set for the season.
Day or night?
The organisers split the day in two:
- Before 5pm: a family daytime course, the same 18 holes in daylight.
- After dark: Glow Golf, with glowing balls and lights across the course.
In November and December it is dark by about 5pm, so the switch falls naturally at the end of a school day. The daytime round suits younger children who will be in bed before the evening sessions finish; the glow sessions suit older children, couples and groups of friends.
How do you book?
Glow Golf is bookable through the organisers' site. Their FAQ adds the rules that apply to every ticketed attraction at the event:
- some ticketed experiences sell out
- tickets on the day are sold only where there is space
- arriving late may lose your slot
Prices and session times for 2026 are not in what we have read, so check the golf page when you book. We would expect weekend evenings to go first; the organisers say that of the rink.
Pairing it with the rest of the trail
Glow Golf is one of several bookable stops in the Lower Gardens, which makes an evening easy to build:
- Start at the Christmas market in the Square for food; the stalls serve until 10pm, the organisers say.
- Walk down the Festive Trail and catch the snow from the giant trees, listed at 4pm, 6pm and 8pm from Friday to Sunday and 5pm Monday to Thursday.
- Play a Glow Golf round.
- Finish with the Christmas Tree Maze or a session at the rink.
The course is also one of the five pick-up points for the Kids Trail booklet, with clues hidden across the market, the trail and the rink and a prize for one family at the end of the season.
Our Christmas itinerary puts a full day in order, and the Bournemouth Guide's Christmas guide covers the season beyond the gardens.
Practical points
The course is outdoors and the organisers say the event carries on in most weather, so a wet evening means waterproofs rather than a cancelled round. Many outdoor areas have accessible routes, though some attractions have restrictions; check the golf page if anyone in the group uses a wheelchair. Dogs are welcome on leads in many outdoor areas but not inside some attractions.
The Bournemouth Guide's Lower Gardens page shows where the course is, between the Square and the pier.
Staying within walking distance
Flexiestays' hotels on the West Cliff are about ten minutes on foot from the Lower Gardens, so a late glow session ends with a short walk back rather than a drive. Self check-in means arrival time does not matter, and booking short stays direct on flexiestays.com is cheaper than the big platforms. The Help Centre explains how self check-in works.
Frequently asked questions
It is the evening version of the Gardens Mini Golf in the Lower Gardens during Christmas in Bournemouth. The organisers describe 18 Christmas-themed holes, played with glowing balls among lights after dark.
The organisers say the course runs as a family daytime course before 5pm and as Glow Golf after dark. Exact session times are on the booking page.
It is bookable in advance and the organisers' FAQ warns that some ticketed experiences sell out. Tickets on the day are sold only where there is space.
