Getting Started with Golf With Your Friends
Golf With Your Friends is a multiplayer mini-golf game where up to 12 players putt through 18-hole courses at the same time, and the lowest total stroke count after 18 holes wins. You aim by rotating the camera around your ball, then hold and release the shoot button to fill and release the power bar. Start on the Forest course, scout every hole with free camera before your first shot, and use less power than you think you need.
Golf With Your Friends is a multiplayer mini-golf game developed by Blacklight Interactive and published by Team17. You and up to eleven other players putt through increasingly absurd 18-hole courses filled with loops, ramps, jumps, water hazards, moving platforms, and physics traps, all at the same time instead of in turns. The objective is simple: sink your ball in as few strokes as possible. The execution is rarely simple.
The game entered early access on January 30, 2016 and officially released on May 19, 2020 for Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, macOS, and Linux. It supports online multiplayer for up to 12 players, local hotseat play, and solo practice. A typical 18-hole round takes 20 to 40 minutes depending on the course and player count.
Golf With Your Friends is published by Team17, the same studio behind The Escapists and Worms. Two of the game's courses (The Escapists and Worms) are direct crossovers with those franchises, featuring themed environments and assets pulled from their respective universes.
How the Game Works
Every course consists of 18 holes. Each hole is a self-contained mini-golf puzzle with a spawn point (where your ball starts), a flag (where the hole is), and whatever obstacles the designers put between them. You aim your shot, set your power, and release. The ball rolls, bounces, flies, and hopefully ends up closer to the hole.
Here is the core loop:
- The lobby host selects a course and game mode (Classic, Dunk, or Hockey).
- All players spawn at Hole 1. Everyone takes their shots simultaneously (not turn-based).
- Aim your shot by rotating the camera around your ball.
- Set your power using the power bar (hold and release the shoot button).
- Watch your ball roll. Use the jump ability mid-roll if needed.
- Repeat until your ball enters the hole (or you hit the stroke limit).
- Once all players finish the hole (or time expires), everyone advances to the next hole.
- After 18 holes, the player with the lowest total strokes wins.
Controls
Golf With Your Friends supports mouse and keyboard, controllers, and mixed input lobbies. No official binding reference is published, and the bindings below reflect common defaults and not a documented list. Bindings are rebindable, so check the in-game controls menu if any of these do not match your build.
Mouse and Keyboard
| Input | Action |
|---|---|
| Mouse Movement | Aim (rotate camera around ball) |
| Left Click (Hold + Release) | Set power and shoot |
| Spacebar | Jump (while ball is rolling) |
| Right Click (Hold) | Free camera (look around without aiming) |
| Scroll Wheel | Zoom in / out |
| Tab | Toggle scoreboard |
| T | Open chat |
| Escape | Pause menu |
Controller
| Input | Action |
|---|---|
| Right Stick | Aim (rotate camera around ball) |
| A / X (Hold + Release) | Set power and shoot |
| LB / L1 | Jump (when jump is enabled) |
| Left Stick | Alternative aim / fine adjustment |
| LT / L2 | Zoom out |
| RT / R2 | Zoom in |
| Back / Select | Toggle scoreboard |
Golf With Your Friends has a known controller binding problem on PC, where the input configuration menu displays "None" for every action. The cause is not settled, and the fixes players report are not the same one.
- Team17 support has pointed players toward making sure Enable Steam Input is turned on in the game's Steam Properties > Controller tab. Note this is the opposite of the commonly repeated advice to disable it, so try enabling before you disable.
- One thread traced it to a second input device, a keyboard, taking priority in Windows' controller queue. Unplugging that device resolved it.
- Another traced it to corrupted local config files, resolved by deleting the game's config folder.
Work through those in order instead of assuming a single root cause.
Rebinding the jump button is highly recommended on controller. The default LB/L1 placement forces you to take your finger off the aim stick to jump. Many players move jump to a face button or a paddle for quicker reaction times during mid-roll adjustments.
Shot Mechanics
Every shot in Golf With Your Friends has two variables: direction and power.
Aiming
Move your mouse or right stick to orbit the camera around your ball. A dotted guideline extends from the ball showing your aim direction. This line is short and only shows the initial trajectory. It does not predict bounces, curves, or slopes.
Free camera: Hold right click (or the designated button on controller) to detach the camera and scout the hole. This lets you look ahead at the layout, find the flag, identify hazards, and plan your route without committing to an aim direction. Release to snap back to your ball.
Always scout the hole with free camera before your first shot. Knowing where the flag is and what obstacles lie between you and it saves strokes. Many holes have non-obvious shortcuts that are only visible from certain camera angles.
Power
Hold the shoot button to fill the power bar. The bar fills from zero to maximum. Release the button to shoot at the current power level. There is no backswing animation or timing window. The power bar is a simple hold-and-release mechanic.
Key points about power:
- A full-power shot sends the ball the maximum distance on flat ground. On most courses, full power is rarely what you want.
- Gentle taps (releasing the shoot button almost immediately) produce short, controlled putts. These are essential for precision near the hole.
- The ball's speed after the shot is affected by the surface it rolls on. Grass slows it down. Metal and smooth surfaces preserve speed. Slopes accelerate or decelerate based on direction.
- Overshooting the hole is one of the most common mistakes. When in doubt, use less power.
Jump
The jump ability is not available by default in Classic mode. Jumping is tied to custom lobby settings (the host must enable it) or the Double Jump power-up. When jump is active, pressing the jump button while your ball is moving launches it into the air. The jump propels the ball upward and slightly forward relative to your current camera orientation, not purely vertically.
When to jump:
- Clearing small walls, lips, or raised edges that would otherwise stop your ball.
- Hopping over water hazards if you are already rolling toward them with enough speed.
- Reaching elevated platforms that require a combination of ramp speed and a well-timed jump.
- Escaping from concave traps where the ball oscillates back and forth.
You get one jump per shot (or two with the Double Jump power-up). Once you use it, you cannot jump again until your next shot. Do not waste it early in a long roll. Wait until you actually need it.
Scoring
Golf With Your Friends uses standard golf scoring terminology:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hole-in-One (Ace) | Sink the ball in one stroke |
| Albatross | Three strokes under par |
| Eagle | Two strokes under par |
| Birdie | One stroke under par |
| Par | The expected number of strokes for the hole |
| Bogey | One stroke over par |
| Double Bogey | Two strokes over par |
Each hole has a par value (typically 2 to 5 strokes). Your score for the round is the total of all 18 holes. The lowest total score wins.
Stroke Limit and Time Limit
The lobby host can configure a maximum stroke limit per hole (default is 12 active strokes). If you fail to sink the ball within those 12 strokes, the game assigns an automatic two-stroke penalty, recording a score of 14 for that hole. Your ball is placed in the hole and you advance.
A per-hole time limit can also be enabled. If the timer runs out before you finish the hole, the same two-stroke penalty applies and you advance to the next hole. Team17 support has confirmed this scoring is intended and not a bug.
New players are often confused when their scorecard shows a 14 despite the stroke limit saying 12. The 14 is the 12 active strokes plus the automatic two-stroke penalty for failing to sink the ball. For competitive or achievement-hunting games, the host can increase the stroke limit to a high number (like 20) to give more room to experiment on difficult holes.
Lobby Setup
When you create or join a lobby, several settings shape the experience:
| Setting | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Course | Which 18-hole course to play |
| Game Mode | Classic, Dunk, or Hockey (see Courses and Game Modes) |
| Max Players | Up to 12 players online |
| Stroke Limit | Maximum strokes per hole before forced completion |
| Time Limit | Per-hole time limit |
| Collision | When enabled, players' balls can bump into each other |
| Power-ups | When enabled, power-up pickups spawn on the course |
| Ball Shape | Toggle random ball shapes for all players |
| Gravity | Adjustable gravity slider for custom physics |
Collision Mode
When collision is turned on, balls that physically contact each other will push, redirect, and knock each other around. This transforms the game from a pure skill challenge into a chaotic social experience. Strategic players use collision to sabotage opponents who are lined up for easy putts. It also means your own shots can be disrupted by other players' balls rolling through your path.
Private vs. Public Lobbies
You can set your lobby to private (invite-only via Steam friend invite or lobby code) or public (visible in the server browser). Public lobbies fill quickly but often have players who leave mid-game.
Your First Course: Forest
Forest is the first course listed in the game and the most beginner-friendly. It is set in a woodland clearing with gentle slopes, wooden bridges, simple tunnels, and minimal hazards. Most holes are short and direct with clear sightlines to the flag.
Hole 1: The Introduction
The first hole is a nearly straight shot from spawn to flag. Aim directly at the flag, set your power to about 60%, and shoot. The ball should roll across the flat grass and either reach the hole or stop very close to it. This hole is a freebie designed to teach you the basic aim-power-shoot cycle.
Holes 2-6: Learning Curves and Ramps
These holes introduce gentle curves, small ramps, and mild elevation changes. The key lesson here is that the guideline only shows your initial direction, not what happens after the ball hits a wall or rolls up a slope. Start scouting with free camera on every hole to find where the flag is relative to your spawn.
Holes 7-12: Obstacles and Timing
Mid-course holes add moving platforms, rotating barriers, and water hazards. Moving obstacles operate on fixed timers. Watch them cycle once or twice before shooting so you can time your shot to pass through the gap. Water hazards reset your ball to the last safe position and add a penalty stroke.
Holes 13-18: Putting It Together
The final stretch combines everything: slopes, curves, moving parts, jumps, and tight corridors. By this point, you should be comfortable with power control and camera scouting. The difficulty ramp is gentle on Forest compared to later courses.
Forest is the best course for learning the game. Play it solo a few times before joining multiplayer lobbies. The par targets on Forest are achievable for beginners, and earning "par or better" on this course is one of the more accessible achievements.
Understanding Course Hazards
Every course uses a shared vocabulary of obstacles. Recognizing them early saves strokes across all courses.
| Hazard | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Water | Resets your ball to the last safe position. Adds a penalty stroke. |
| Tubes and Pipes | Enclosed sections that funnel your ball along a fixed path. |
| Teleporters | Pads that warp your ball to a different location on the hole. |
| Vents and Fans | Blowing air that pushes your ball sideways or forward. |
| Blackholes | Space Station's signature hazard. They alter the gravity around them and can shoot your ball off course. |
| Turbo Charge Boosters | Speed gates that accelerate your ball. Central to Speed Golf routing. |
| Moving Obstacles | Swinging, sliding, and disappearing platforms and barriers, which vary by course. |
Ball Customization
You can customize your ball's appearance with three types of cosmetics:
- Hats (Toppers): Small objects placed on top of your ball. Purely cosmetic.
- Trails: Visual effects that follow your ball as it moves.
- Floaties: Inflatable ring-shaped accessories that wrap around your ball.
Cosmetics are earned through playtime drops or purchased through DLC packs. Equip them in the lobby's Customize menu before starting a round.
Team17 has never published the drop formula. Player consensus on the Steam forums is that you receive up to three drops across roughly 45 minutes of playtime, then wait about 24 hours before the next batch becomes available. Treat those figures as community estimates and not documented values.
The Practice Area
The Practice area is a sandbox environment accessible from the main menu. It gives you an open space to test shot power, ramp physics, jump timing, and out-of-bounds boundaries without the pressure of a stroke counter or timer. Team17 rebuilt it as part of the Quality of Life update.
The Practice area also contains a hidden Easter egg. A gingerbread character named Gingy waits at the end of a platforming route: launch your ball up a specific ramp wall at full power, cross a series of isolated platforms, and drop into a wooden barrel. The achievement description is blunt about what happens next, reading "Get eaten by Gingy in the practice area." It unlocks "Who's The Food Now?", held by only 0.9% of players.
Out of Bounds
When your ball leaves the playable area, the out-of-bounds (OOB) system activates. The penalty mechanic resets your ball to its last stationary, in-bounds position and adds a one-stroke penalty to your scorecard.
The 1.0 launch notes of May 2020 describe a reworked out-of-bounds system built to fix players finding themselves out of bounds when they were not. On official courses, kill volumes are well-calibrated. On Workshop maps, OOB detection can be unreliable, and community-made geometry sometimes triggers false resets when you land in what looks like a safe spot.
In Dunk Mode, out-of-bounds water sits beneath the basketball hoops as a boundary. Team17 later patched a visual issue where that water texture rendered above the hoop's net from certain camera angles, so if the geometry looks wrong from your angle, reposition the camera before trusting it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my scorecard show 14 when the stroke limit is 12?
That 14 is the 12 active strokes plus the automatic two-stroke penalty for failing to sink the ball. The same penalty applies if a per-hole time limit is enabled and the timer runs out. Hosts can raise the stroke limit to give players more room on hard holes.
Why can I not jump in Golf With Your Friends?
Jump is not available by default in Classic mode. The lobby host has to enable it in the custom settings, or you need to pick up the Double Jump power-up. You get one jump per shot, or two with Double Jump.
How do I fix a controller that shows None for every binding on PC?
There is no single confirmed cause. Team17 support has pointed players toward making sure Enable Steam Input is switched on in the game's Steam Properties and Controller tab, which is the opposite of the commonly repeated advice to disable it. Other players traced it to a second input device such as a keyboard taking priority in Windows, or to corrupted local config files that were fixed by deleting the game's config folder.
What happens when my ball goes out of bounds?
Your ball resets to its last safe position and you take a penalty stroke on top of the shot you already played. Detection is well calibrated on official courses but can be unreliable on Workshop maps.
How do I get free cosmetics for my ball?
Cosmetics arrive as playtime drops. Team17 has never published the formula, and player consensus on the Steam forums is up to three drops across roughly 45 minutes of play followed by about a 24 hour wait before the next batch. Treat those numbers as community estimates.
What to Read Next
- Courses and Game Modes. All 13 base courses and DLC courses with difficulty breakdowns, plus detailed guides for Classic, Dunk, Hockey, and Speed Golf modes.
- Multiplayer, Power-Ups, and Workshop. Collision strategy, all four power-ups, custom game settings, the Steam Workshop level editor, and community map recommendations.
- Achievement Guide. All 83 Steam achievements with unlock conditions, global completion rates, and recommended strategies.
- Tips and Tricks. Short mechanics the guides cover in passing, from the jump toggle to penalties.