Show HN: Putt.day a daily mini golf game

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

A new browser-based daily mini-golf game, Putt.day, is drawing praise for its cute design, Wordle-like “one hole per day” concept, and the ability to see other players’ shots in real time. Players report creative shortcuts that let them beat the official par by a wide margin, while also highlighting issues with ball physics, camera controls, mobile usability, and performance. The creator is actively tweaking physics, scoring, and level generation in response to this feedback and is considering improvements such as better scorecards, clearer aiming, and expanded multiplayer features.

Overall reception

  • Many found the game fun, cute, and “addictive,” especially for a quick daily play (Wordle-like).
  • Visuals and browser/mobile support are praised.
  • Several say it “could be something special” with more polish.

Difficulty, Par, and Shortcuts

  • Par 6 for the highlighted daily hole is widely viewed as unrealistic via the “intended” path; many report 12–20 strokes.
  • Multiple players demonstrate completions in 6, 4, 3, and even 2 strokes by exploiting shortcuts:
    • Bouncing off walls near the start to gain vertical lift and jump over walls/water.
    • Using the initial spinner as a teleporter by banking into the opposite wall.
  • Debate over whether these “cheese” routes are intentional; some find them satisfying, others think par is misleading.
  • One person notes you can edit localStorage to fake any score.

Physics and Controls

  • Common feedback: too much rolling resistance and overly damped bounces; ball stops too quickly.
  • Short putts are hard to control; “tap-ins” often overshoot and oscillate around the hole.
  • Some dislike the ramp that pushes the ball automatically.
  • Developer states physics and scoring are being actively tweaked.

Camera, UI, and Mobile UX

  • Auto camera orientation is often confusing or 180° off; users request:
    • Fixed or overhead camera.
    • Automatic but smarter alignment toward the next shot.
  • On mobile, aiming is difficult:
    • Thumb covers the ball and power indicator.
    • Ball-as-hit-target conflicts with panning.
  • Scorecard suggestions: show latest or best run, don’t truncate, and give richer “progress” feedback.

Multiplayer / Ghosts and Social Features

  • Visible flying balls/cursors are real-time ghosts of other players.
  • Some love the feeling of not playing alone and using ghosts for hints; others question the value vs. complexity.
  • Requests for multiplayer modes, private rooms, and series of holes with friends.

Performance, Bugs, and Compatibility

  • Reports of lag, blank screens, or failure to load on some devices.
  • WebGL-disabled case currently shows a blank page; users want an explicit error.
  • Mixed success on Firefox; some get WebGPU errors.
  • One daily hole was “bunk” (stuck at first ledge) due to a bad random seed; later fixed.
  • An instruction dialog can exceed screen height with no scroll, blocking progress.

Implementation and Comparisons

  • Implemented with three.js.
  • Compared to other mini-golf and golf-like games; some users prefer those, others enjoy this one’s daily format and feel.