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Your backyard should be a space that you enjoy as much as the inside of your house! And if you’re a fan of golf, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s not difficult to transform your lawn into a mini-golf course. You’ll have a quick putting game at your fingertips and add value to your home at the same time.
Here’s how to make a fun-filled putting green out of your lawn. Be aware upfront that it requires some maintenance, but if you’re willing to put in the initial time investment and keep up with maintaining it, it’ll be very worthwhile.
Step-By-Step Guide to Help You Get Started
Ready to transform your lawn into a mini-golf course? You’ll need to start by planning how your mini-golf course is going to be laid out in your available space so you don’t start building and run out of room!
The Planning Stage
The first thing to do is assess the available space you have to build in. If you’re creative enough, you can design the course yourself, although you might need to do some research on effective mini-golf course design.
Decide how many holes you can fit into your space and lay them out on a blueprint. Make sure you know the size of each hole and how they’ll fit around existing obstacles. Here, also decide on the par for each hole and create your scorecard!
Materials
From there, figure out the materials you’ll need to build your chosen number of holes. You can choose whatever material works for you: bricks, wood, aluminum, whatever will be able to stand up to the weather.
You can use your lawn just as it is instead of a flat or astroturf top layer, but keep in mind you’ll need to create removable hole sides so you can keep your lawn mowed and keep the holes playable! Alternatively, you could lay astroturf, but it’s not quite the same.
Find what you can around the house to create obstacles without spending extra cash! An old tire, a garden gnome, pool noodles, and almost any bit of “rubbish” can be turned into a fun obstacle for your course! You can use old plastic cups as putting holes.
Tools
Make sure you have the necessary tools before you begin building. This is likely to depend on the materials you’re building with, so you might need a saw to cut wood, wood glue or nails, and so on.
Prepare the Lawn and Garden
Whether you’re using your existing lawn or laying turf or new grass, you’ll need to do a bit of prep work. Cut your grass short enough for a golf ball to roll smoothly and roll out bumps or fill in holes with packed soil.
If you’ve decided to lay new grass for your golf course, now’s the time to remove the existing grass, reshape the ground to suit your course design, and lay the new lawn. You might also need to remove or relocate some plants or trees to make space.
If your yard is very hilly, you might want to incorporate small gradients into the holes, but make sure they’re smooth and easy to play.
Build the Holes and Obstacles
Now for the fun part! Get friends and family involved for a day of building, but keep in mind that it might take a little longer, depending on how many holes you’re making and the material you’re making them from.
Building
Here’s where you’ll need to physically create the outlines of each hole. Don’t forget to create pathways between each hole to make it more visually appealing and to help players follow the layout properly.
Wooden planks or bricks can serve as pathways from one to the other. Lay your obstacles here as well, like creating tunnels or bounce walls. Don’t forget to dig holes for your putting cups and place them in each hole. You might want to place flags to show where the hole is at a glance.
Decorate and Paint
Once you’ve created each hole and your course is playable, make it pretty! Paint the obstacles to make them a little more visually appealing.
Make sure you’ve chosen paint that works for whatever you’re painting. For example, you might need different paint for wood than you’d use for a rubber tire. It’s also a great idea to use weather-proof paint to add a layer of protection against the elements.
You might also want to place a mat on each tee-off area to make it easier to putt from. Make sure the mat is thin enough to be quite flush with the ground so you’re not creating a bump as you tee off.
Invest In Equipment
The good news is you don’t need to invest in full sets of golf clubs because nobody’s going to be using a driver or fairway wood. All you need is a few putters so that a group of people can play at the same time!
You may be able to find good quality second-hand clubs. Just make sure they all have intact grips and aren’t damaged in any way. Some wear and tear isn’t an issue, but they should be decent and playable.
There’s no need to go out and buy new ones unless you want to. Check second-hand sales websites and stores before pricing new ones—you may find some great bargains!
Also, figure out where you’re going to store the clubs. They’ll need to be kept safe from the weather and out of the way, like in a cupboard or store room.
Invite Players and Enjoy!
Once your course is up and running, have a course-warming party! Invite your friends and family over for a game of mini golf. This is a great way to break it in and also a good way to test that it works as it should.
If you notice any issues here, you can always go back and make small changes to the layout if necessary. Don’t forget to provide snacks and drinks!
Maintenance
Keep your mini-golf course well-maintained by moving the grass often to keep it playable. This is why removable side walls are handy, so you don’t have to try mowing within constraints. You might want to consider something like a Sunday Smart Lawn Plan to help you keep your lawn in great condition.
Check the obstacles fairly often for damage and repair or repaint as needed. Keep in mind that if you have dogs, this might not work so well unless your dogs are very well-trained to do their business in a specific area!
Conclusion
It’s not as hard as you might think to transform our lawn into a mini-golf course! If your backyard is currently an open space without a purpose, this could be a great way to add some flair, up the value of your home, and create a fun socializing space too!
About the Author
Jordan Fuller is a retired golfer and businessman. When he’s not on the course working on his own game or mentoring young golfers, he writes in-depth articles for his website, Golf Influence.
