Here at Glencor, we’re well known for sending golfers to amazing golf resorts across the globe. But at this time of crisis, when we are all stuck at home, we want to help bring the green to you.
Our goal? To save our faithful customers from a golf-less existence and help you turn your house into an indoor golf practice facility.
Glencor Golf At Home Games
Introducing the Glencor Golf At Home Games! They are the ideal solution to keep the family busy, whilst subtly getting them to embrace the sport you love.
Have your kids been clashing during the lockdown? It’s not usually advisable to arm them with golf clubs in order to broker a peace deal. However, you’ll soon find that the children will find common ground and an inner calm with our golf practice ideas. Let the games begin!
Designating a golf practice area around the home
First things first. You need to establish which part of your golf game you’re all going to work on and the best area of the house, in which to practice golf at home.
To practice your long game you’ll need at least one of the following things:
– Very forgiving neighbours
– More land than the Queen
– A practice net that doesn’t rebound balls through the kitchen window
– A simulator
To practice your short game, you’ll need:
– A putter
– A golf ball
– An empty plastic jar or pot (a double helping of chocolate spread on your morning toast may be in order;)
– The simple step-by-step guides below
Practice golf games ideal for the home
Our unique golf practice ideas include seven tried and tested games. Whether you try them all one by one or pick your favourite, you’re sure to find the best way to practice golf at home. These activities will be fun for all involved and will also help to hone your putting skills to near super-human levels.
Game #1 – DIY Golf Putting Green – Be at one with your sitting room carpet and sharpen your putting ability.
Game # 2 – Stealth Golf – An exhilarating putting challenge that will be a hit with the kids. Hide and seek meets golf.
Game #3 – Shoe Golf – A dangerously addictive golfing challenge is afoot.
Game #4 – Marauder’s Golf – This putting challenge can morph into a different game every day.
Game #5 – DIY Golf Course – You may have always dreamed of designing your own golf course. Now’s your chance!
Game #6 – DIY Crazy Golf – Unleash your creativity to create a crazy golf course inside. The possibilities are endless!
Game #7 – The Bogey Man – It’s a little twist on the classic DIY Golf Course game, to keep things interesting.
Game #1 – DIY Golf Putting Green
We’ll start with the simplest game first, to whet your appetite. The ideal place for this one is the sitting room or somewhere that has a rug. Creating your own makeshift putting green in the house is a perfect way to practice golf on your own or challenge opponents to a match.
Step 1 – Place your empty jar in the middle of the rug (AKA your DIY golf putting green).
Step 2 – Each player starts putting from one side of the room in turn.
Step 3 – The winner is the player who navigates their ball onto the green and into the jar in as few shots as possible.
Game #2 – Stealth golf
This challenge will be a firm favourite with the kids as they adopt the roles of golf ninjas. Their mission (if they choose to accept it) is to navigate their way through the house in as few shots as possible, without being seen by the rest of the family. It works best when there’s 4 or 5 people in the house.
Step 1 – At some point in the day, each player grabs the attention of a family member and appoints them as their caddie.
Step 2 – The player must start at the back door of the house and putt their way to the front door without being seen by anyone else (other than their caddie) and in as few shots as possible. If they’re spotted, then it’s game over.
Step 3 – The appointed caddy follows behind the player and counts the number of shots that the player takes, without alerting everyone to the ninja’s presence. Whoever makes it from door to door in the least number of shots that day, wins.
Step 4 – If someone in the house spots their ball and moves it, then the player must continue to stay hidden, find the ball and play it as it lays. If just one player makes it from door-to-door undetected, they will win, regardless of the number of shots they took.
Game #3 – Shoe golf
One pair of shoes, one empty jar, a golf ball and a putter. All of that adds up to one very addictive DIY golf activity. This one can be played over the course of a whole summer. Simply put a high score poster onto the wall or store it in the “messy drawer”. That way, you can keep track of the current record holder in your house.
Step 1 – Set up a pair of shoes at the end of a corridor. They should sit side by side with the toes pointing away from each other. Place your empty jar between the heels.
Step 2 – Place the ball five paces away at the other end of the corridor and take ten separate shots from the tee towards the shoes, aiming to sink the ball into the jar each time.
Step 3 – Award yourself 10 points for every shot that goes into the jar, 5 points for shots that hit the rim of the jar, 3 points if you hit the heel of the shoe, 2 points for the lace area and 1 point for the toes.
Step 4 – If you have varied golfing abilities in the household, you can give the best player a handicap by switching the shoes you use. The better the player, the smaller the shoes. For example, Rory Mcilroy would be aiming at a toddler’s shoes.
Game #4 – Marauder’s golf
The beauty of this game is that it can be played inside, outside or a mixture of both. It just depends how adventurous you want to be. Simply pick an area of the house where each player starts and an object inside or out, which your ball needs to touch in order to finish a round. A pair of wellington boots, the drainpipe of the garage, a pink elephant…the choice is yours.
Step 1 – Each player in turn selects an area of the house to act as a tee box and an object elsewhere that acts as a hole.
Step 2 – Every player in the game putts their way from the new tee box to the object in as few shots as possible. Whoever hits their ball into the object after the fewest number of shots, wins.
Step 3 – The next player then chooses their proposed tee box and hole and another round starts. The first person who gets five wins under their belt is the victor!
Game #5 – DIY Golf course
Your very own DIY golf course will be the next best thing to St Andrews Links. It’s time to map out 9 different holes around the house and garden, designate a par for each one and then challenge the whole family to a round.
Step 1 – Decide on nine holes and nine tee boxes around the house, putting down pieces of paper to mark out where each of these are. Choose a par for each and record this on a scorecard.
Step 2 – Place your empty jar onto the marker for the first hole. Each player takes it in turn to putt their way from the designated tee box into the empty jar, in the fewest strokes possible.
Step 3 – You may decide that all players are allowed to come into contact with walls. Alternatively, hitting into a wall may be considered ‘out of bounds’ and a penalty or disqualification applied.
Step 4 – The winner is the player with the lowest score after completing all nine holes.
Game #6 – DIY Crazy golf
It’s time to let your imagination run wild. Designate some holes and pars in the same way you did for the DIY golf course, but this time you’ll introduce some obstacles. Cushions, TV remotes, board game boxes and slippers. Use everything at your disposal to create a challenging carpet fairway strewn with random obstacles to overcome.
Step 1 – Decide on nine holes and nine tee boxes. Alternatively, just make these up one by one.
Step 2 – Each player takes it in turn to place some obstacles on the fairway, after the hole and tee box have been decided upon. Every player must then putt their way in between the obstacles, sinking the ball in the empty jar in as few strokes as possible.
Step 3 – The winner is the player with the lowest score after completing nine holes.
Game #7 – The Bogey Man
This is a variation of game #5 and #6, which adds a twist to the rules. It’s a perfect way to spice things up when, on day 19 of the lockdown, the original game might be getting just a little bit stale.
Step 1 – After deciding on your nine holes and teeboxes, you need to think of three “wildcards” that each player can use at some point during the nine-hole course. These could include, for example, a “bogey man wildcard”. When you play this wildcard, you have the right to hit your opponent’s ball away from the hole and sabotage their round.
Step 2 – Take it in turns in the normal way for each hole.
Step 3 – The player who completes the course in the fewest strokes wins.
More fun golf activities for kids
A lot of work goes on behind the scenes at golf resorts to keep those greens pristine. The same goes for your own in-home golf course. Here’s some fun and creative jobs that the whole family can get stuck into.
Golf flags – Your DIY golf course is going to need some numbered flags for each hole. Straws, paper and blue-tac will work nicely for this.
Golf course sign – You can’t own your own golf course without giving it a fancy welcome sign, complete with name and logo.
Par signs – Mark out the designated par for each hole at the tee box.
Painted golf balls – Perhaps the kids want to give their ball a little more character. So it’s time to get the paints out and think creatively.
Clubhouse snacks – Who can create the best clubhouse sandwich for lunchtime?
Course map – Keep track of where your holes and tee boxes are around the house with a colourful map.
Trophy – It’s always nice to have something to play for. Grab some cardboard and tin foil and away you go!
Advantages of the Glencor Golf At Home Games
Practicing golf at home is an ideal way to keep your eye in. By the time the lockdown is over, you may find that you now have a short game that is on par with Phil Mickelson’s.
Plus, you may also find that other members of your family have developed a newfound passion for all things golf.
Disclaimer: Participants of the Glencor Golf At Home Games take part at their own risk. Glencor are not responsible for any damage sustained to the interior or exterior of a household during the games. This includes but is not limited to the following types of breakages: family heirlooms, television screens and bay windows.
