We Europeans have played “World Championships” for two decades now. Mostly between European players only. At the same time, Americans have played their own Putting World Championships, between American players only.

The European form of minigolf was born in Europe, and the competition sport filled the entire continent during the 20th century. But the European version of minigolf has seen very little growth outside of Europe. Americans don’t play the European version of minigolf, which includes the special balls. Americans play with a golf ball only.

Why did the WMF version of competition minigolf get stuck inside Europe? Why are our “World Championships” visited by so few players from outside of Europe? (Budapest 2008 didn’t have any players from outside of Europe.)

There are certainly many answers to this question. One of the answers is that WMF major tournaments practically always include eternite or beton as a playing system, and players from outside of Europe have a hard time enjoying these playing systems. We are trying to sell a product that is not selling very good — outside of Europe. In Europe this product is selling just OK, to the limited number of competition players that we have.

It is surprising how little this problem is discussed, that eternite has nearly 100% market share in international major tournaments, even though many players and entire nations never play this system. The minigolf that we are selling is like a Soviet supermarket: only one product on the shelf. Take it or leave it. We need more freedom of choice, more true diversity in the playing systems of major tournaments, a more equal market share for all different playing systems.

But this is not the only or biggest reason why minigolf got stuck inside Europe. The biggest reason is probably money. Europe is the rich “Old World”, which has built an empire of wealth imported from Africa and Asia during the past centuries. Travelling around the world is very expensive, and all major tournaments are played in Europe. Flying to Europe from the other side of the world is so expensive that it could take all savings of an average person. Even if people have the money, they probably have other more important uses for their money.

How much does it cost to travel to a competition? Below is a diagram of the average cost of flight tickets per person (cheapest two-way ticket during August, prices listed in EUR), if the competition gets 14 teams from Europe and 4 teams from outside of Europe (USA, Thailand, Brazil, Egypt). This is a simple and also futuristic example, because WMF version of minigolf has not grown to Africa or South America yet.

If a major tournament is played in Central Europe, the average travel costs per person (for all participating 18 teams in this example) are approximately 250 euros per person. If the tournament is played in Cairo, the average travel costs are nearly twice so much. If the competition is played in United States, the average travel costs are 3 times greater, and if the competition is played in Asia or South America, the average travel costs are 4 times greater. (For more detailed statistics, click here.)

There is very much economical sense in arranging the major tournaments in Europe. But it means that Europeans can easily afford to participate in the tournaments, while many talented non-Europeans will stay away because of the high costs. No matter where the competition is played, the local team has travel costs near zero (plus hotel costs), and teams from the other side of the world have travel costs near 1000 euros per person. The competition game is thriving nicely in Europe, but without much growth outside of Europe.

Even without a Doctor’s Degree in mathematics, it is easy to find a possible solution to this problem. If the average flight costs to London are 200 euros for all 18 teams from 5 continents, they can afford to meet each other in competition, if everyone pays 200 euros, and everyone gets a flight ticket to London.

A year ago I was planning a MOS minigolf competition with this principle. I discussed with Brad Lebo and Matt McCaslin, the greatest legends of American minigolf, and they were interested in coming to Europe, if their flight tickets are subsidized by local European players. This competition project never came true, but it proved that many great minigolfers from around the world are interested in meeting each other, if the problem of travel costs is solved.

European minigolfers can afford to grow the sport outside of their Old World. But it requires some smart economical decisions, and probably also more neutral, universally interesting playing systems.