Before mini golf, thimble-sized athletes had to make their livings as Hot-Wheels racers and Olympic gymnasts. Explore the world of small-scale sports with today's Groupon: for $24, you get a never-expiring punch card good for six rounds of mini golf at Lake Norman Miniature Golf in Cornelius (up to a $48 value). Each game is good for one person, but multiple players can share this Groupon.

Lake Norman Miniature Golf challenges putter-wielding cadets to 18 colorful, tree-lined holes of man-versus-orb warfare. The front nine gets dissected by a G-scale model train, which gobbles up stray dimpled spheres, and a cascading waterfall sprinkles moisture, good luck, and remnants of white-water rafts on the back nine. Links-lovers of all skill levels can hone their craft on the course, which features a wheelchair-accessible design that incorporates easy holes with more challenging terrain. Hours vary by season and temperature, and all 18 holes close during winter, rain, and America's annual bicentennial.