Got a little putter in your house? With a few household items you can create a golf course for them that will entertain them, rain or shine. You can go elaborate and make each room of the house a different hole or keep it simple and do it all in your yard. Your only limitation is your imagination (and your swing). Read on for ideas.
photo: Katia Strieck via flickr
No Golf Set? No Problem!
If you don’t have a toy golf set get creative. Unless you’re playing outside and the kids don’t have wild swings, you can use superballs, ping pong balls, or even a tennis ball. No putter? Try out a sword, stick or even your own hands. Just keep the size of the ball in mind when you are creating your obstacles.
Boxes
Use a cardboard box like Craftulate did here to create a simple three-hole obstacle for the kids. Make one hole harder by making angling the box, or try making the holes different sizes. You can also use empty cereal or tissue boxes. Try turning them on their side or even at an angle by taping them down with duct or packing tape. Old wrapping paper or packing tubes can become tunnels.
Cup, 2, 3, 4
There’s nothing like a plastic cup to make a “hole” for your golfers. Turn the cups on the side and tape them lightly in place to putt gently into them, or put them upright across the yard and see who can get their ball in. Tupperware works great for this too! Household items like runner rugs, paper plates and pillows can all be used to make pathways and “holes” for the golfers to target.
Get Creative with Toys
Create an obstacle course more challenging than your local mini-golf with toys you have around the house. Use LEGO bricks to build arches and tunnels; Hot Wheels tracks to create an extra-tricky way to level-up (bonus to anyone who can keep their ball on the track); books to create ramps and tunnels; and even stuffed animals to make gaps that the kids have to hit between.
photo: makelessnoise via flickr
Stop, Chalk & Roll
If you are playing outside, create difficulty levels for each area by drawing targets or boundaries with chalk. Use rocks to make roadways that kids have to hit through.
Scoring Tips
Unlike many other games, less is more with golf. The lower your score the better you’re actually doing. Basically, each stroke you take counts as a point. If you want to be true to the sport assign each hole in your obstacle course a number of difficulty beginning at Par 3 and moving up.
For example:
Par 3 means it’s a shorter hole and you should be able to get it in within three strokes
Par 4 means you should be able to get it in the hole with four shots (or less)
Par 5: five strokes or less
Par 6: six strokes or less
(etc.)
Tip: Make some of the holes a high par so that the kids almost always score under!
Fun golf terms to shout out!
Birdie: one less than the expected, so one under par
Eagle: two under par
Bogey: one over par
Double bogey: two over par
Triple bogey: two over par
Quadruple bogey: four more than par
(etc.)
Have you tried making a course at home? What are your ideas? Share them with us in a comment below.
—Amber Guetebier*
*actual golfers were consulted in the writing of this story
featured image: clappstar via flickr
