How To Practice Golf in the Backyard: Three Fun Games
There are many dreams that a lot of people share. Maybe you dream of one day retiring near the beach. Or perhaps your dream is to win the lottery. And for many, many others, the dream nearest to their heart is to take a few swings off their golf game.
From frat guys to businesswomen, teenagers to retirees, everyone can enjoy a spirited game of golf. But if you find getting up to the tee a constant source of frustration, as you quickly approach another bogey (or worse), know that you aren’t alone. Golf is challenging, even for the most seasoned experts.
That being said, getting better doesn’t have to involve a huge investment of time and money and countless hours on the driving range doing boring, repetitive shots. You can get better with a few hours a week right from your backyard if you have the right games.
Here are three golf games that you can use to practice in your backyard:
#1) PutterBall
If you love cup pong and putting, then PutterBall is the perfect practice game for you. The short game is one of the hardest parts of golf to master. PutterBall gives you a lively and competitive way to hone your fine motor skills to help you become a master of the greens. But you also don’t have to have any golf experience to love this game and become a pro.
PutterBall is a twist on the idea behind cup pong, a game of knocking out your targets faster than your opponent. At the end of the dual-sided strip of green is a pyramid of holes. The putter who can sink a put in all six holes before their opponent wins.
How To Play PutterBall
Playing PutterBall is a blast for the whole family and can be easily taught to new players for an afternoon of smiles. There are a couple of basic rules to keep in mind, and you are ready to play.
Instructions:
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Start by setting up the green and play area. You will ideally want to find a somewhat flat surface to lay your green so that neither team is at an unfair advantage or disadvantage. Be sure to remove all of the plugs that go in the holes so that every hole is open and available.
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Decide a team or player to putt first. You can do this based on age, a game of rock, paper scissors, or the flip of a coin. At the end of the day, as long as everyone agrees, it doesn’t matter too much.
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The first team or player will then putt towards their opponent’s end, aiming to score their ball in any of the exposed holes. If there are two players per team, then each player gets to putt before the opposing team takes their turn.
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Teams continue alternating the putt until one team scores all six holes. At this point, the opposing team will be offered the opportunity for redemption. If playing as individuals, the individual in the losing position gets the opportunity to putt as many times as they can without missing to score all of their remaining holes. As a team, each player gets the chance to putt without missing.
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If the team misses their redemption shot, the winning team is crowned. If, however, the opposing team wins their redemption, you can remove the top three holes to form a small pyramid. Now you play a sudden death round, with the team who did redemption going second, until one team scores all three holes first.
A Complete Set
It is simple, enjoyable, and easy to learn. You can grab the PutterBall Bundle today and start a new hobby on your next weekend off. The PutterBall bundle comes with everything you need to play, store your game safely, and bring it anywhere you might go.
There are few better ways to get in loads of practice on your short game while having a good time and avoiding frustration. You’ll find that the greens are a bit easier than you’re used to the next time you hit the links.
#2) Chippo
If you’d rather get some work on your midrange game, Chippo combines chipping practice with the backyard game classic cornhole. You’ll compete against your friends and family, attempting to chip your high-density foam golf balls at your opponent's board with more accuracy.
Chipping has always been considered one of the most complex aspects of golf, and any true golf master will tell you that chipping is crucial for any great golfer. Practicing chipping can get boring, however, which is why mixing it up with some games of Chippo can help keep you interested and engaged with your practice.
The Chippo Bundle includes two game boards, two rubber chipping mats, and six high-density foam balls. Just add in a few chipping wedges, and you're ready to play wherever you find yourself.
How To Play Chippo
Chippo is a derivative of the backyard game classic cornhole and is super easy to learn and great to play over and over again. You can play as teams or as individuals and can get in hours of practice on your chipping game without getting bored shooting repetitive shots on the range.
Instructions:
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Start by setting up the boards 15 to 20 feet away from each other,
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Then, divide into even teams, and decide which team or individual will chip first. This can be done any way that you find fair — from youngest shoots first to a game of rock, paper, scissors — in order to decide.
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The first player/team will then chip from their chipping mat. Each player on a team will get to chip one ball per round at their opponent’s board. You score one point if your ball bounces off their board, three points for scoring your ball into the large center hole, and five points for sinking your ball into either of the smaller corner holes.
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Teams alternate chipping until one team has scored 21 points, but you must win by at least two points. This means if one team reaches 21 while the other team reaches 20, play continues until there is at least a two-point gap between the teams.
It really is that easy to start playing, and there can be endless fun. Feel free to experiment with distances and to use obstacles and different terrain to create new challenges to add to the joy.
Take Care: Use Caution
Chippo is played with rubber and turf chipping mats and high-density foam balls so that you can even play safely indoors. Be careful with your clubs, but the foam balls won’t pose a threat, and the rubber chipping mat keeps your floors safe. This indoor/outdoor game offers endless possibilities to master your chipping game from every angle.
#3) The Backyard Golf Game
Just when you thought we were done, there’s another golf game that you will love to practice! The Backyard Golf Game rewards accuracy and creativity, which gives you endless opportunities to improve your game. Furthermore, The Backyard Golf Game is portable, a breeze to learn, and can be adjusted to any skill level and ability.
Whether you want to work on your long game, mid-range, or chipping, The Backyard Golf Game is perfectly adjustable to your needs. The game comes with three rings of different sizes, giving you different targets and various ways to play.
One option is to place the rings inside of each other like a target and shoot from a distance aiming for the center ring. You can also set the rings in snowman formation, giving you the largest ring closest to you, the medium ring in the middle, and the smallest ring at the top, making the head of the snowman. Or, go crazy and place the rings all over the yard, assigning different point values.
Keep score as you would for regular golf, use H-O-R-S-E rules, or even invent your own method of score-keeping that rewards the skill you want to work on the most. With endless options like these, you can never practice too much.
Backyard Golf Games: Practice and Fun In One!
Practicing your golf game doesn’t have to be mind-numbingly boring. With these three ultra-awesome golf games, you can get in hours of practice with a big smile on your face. Whether you want to work on putting, driving, or anything in between, these games have you covered.
And you can get The Backyard Golf Game, Chippo, and PutterBall all right here at Caliber Games. We strive to provide only the highest quality games for you, your family, and your friends to enjoy. Check out all of our golf games and the rest of our games. We design our own games like TowerBall and Island Shot. Stock up on the high-quality games that the whole neighborhood will love!
Sources:
An Easy Accuracy Tip For Consistency | Instruction | Golf Digest
2 Meanings of Bogey Golfer Explained | LiveAbout
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