Garnet Carter

John Garnet Carter (Feb. 9, 1883, in Sweetwater, Tennessee – July 21, 1954)^[1][2] was an American inventor and entrepreneur who is considered one of the fathers of miniature golf. In 1927, Carter was the first to patent a version of the game which he called "Tom Thumb Golf". His course was built on Lookout Mountain in Georgia where Carter owned a hotel.^[3] Within a few years, thousands of Tom Thumb courses opened all over the United States.^[2] Carter eventually sold the rights to his patent and used his fortune to found the Rock City Gardens.^[4]