When you have rainy days and free weekends, there is nothing more fun to do than setting up an indoor or outdoor mini-golf course in your living room or back garden. Making a mini golf course for the kids is a way to allow them to exercise their imagination and engage in some family competition. The most successful mini golf holes ideas and the homemade mini golf holes do not necessarily mean that one needs to be a professional carpenter and buy expensive building materials. Using simple things such as shipping boxes, pool noodles, empty tissue boxes, and painter’s tape, one can make eight fun challenges.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
1. 8 Creative Do-It-Yourself Mini Golf Holes: Discover eight unique mini golf hole designs ranging from teeter-totter ramps and bank shots at 90 degrees to cardboard tunnels, pool noodle arches, and target zones.
2. Safe Building Materials: Constructed with corrugated cardboard, pool noodles, and painter’s tape. Always test out the painter’s tape in an inconspicuous place and leave the utility knife to adults only.
3. DIY Target Zones: Design easy-to-create mini golf hole targets using horizontal tissue box holes with ramps, plastic cups securely fastened, or circle target zones.
4. STEM Fun: Allow children to have fun experimenting with forces, surface friction, and ramp designs while learning problem-solving skills prior to the tournament.
What You Need to Build a Safe DIY Mini Golf Course at Home
You don't need expensive equipment or specialized tools to build a fun mini golf course at home. A few recycled materials and everyday household items can provide everything you need to create simple obstacles while keeping kids safe and protecting your floors. Before getting started, gather these budget-friendly supplies to bring your DIY mini golf hole ideas to life.
Corrugated Cardboard and Shipping Boxes: Building Ramps and Course Walls
Shipping boxes and corrugated cardboard are strong and relatively cheap material which can be used to build obstacles for mini-golf games. The multiple layers in such material provide sufficient strength to withstand the weight of light balls (about 46 grams), not being bent while doing so.
Larger cardboard pieces can be used to make ramps, elevated surfaces and walls guiding the ball through the course. Utility knives and scissors with sharp blades should be managed by parents for safety reasons, but children may help to tape the parts together and decorate them.
Pool Noodles and Painter’s Tape: Creating Soft, Flexible Bumpers
The pool noodles are ideal in creating barriers which will guide the balls within the desired direction. The adults will be required to cut the pool noodles lengthwise into two halves. These barriers should be placed along the peripheries of every putting path.
They are made from soft and flexible material; therefore, in case of any impact, they do not collide hard with anything else. The painter's tape is used to fasten the bumpers and all other cardboard materials to the floor. It is advisable to use a portion of the tape on hardwood or tile floor for 15 minutes.
Everyday Household Items: Tissue Boxes, Books, and Towels
Hardcover books make handy barriers. Place them along the course to redirect balls around corners. Rolled-up towels work just as well. Use them to slow down the ball or create small hills under a thin rug.
These household items make homemade mini golf hole ideas easy to build with little extra cost. Want your kids to learn the basics first? Check out our guide to how to play golf for kids before setting up the course.
8 Easy DIY Mini Golf Hole Ideas for Kids
Ready to build your own mini golf course? These eight mini golf holes offer a mix of creative challenges and quick setups. Some feature ramps, tunnels, and tricky turns, while others use simple household items for an easy afternoon activity. Whether you have plenty of time or just a few minutes, these homemade mini golf hole ideas give kids plenty of ways to put their skills to the test.
1. Teeter Totter Ramp Hole
Cut a strip of cardboard about 40–50 cm long and 12 cm wide. Place a toilet paper roll underneath, slightly off-center, and secure it with tape. The board should tilt when the golf ball rolls past the balance point. The trick is getting the ramp light enough to move with a golf ball weighing around 46 grams. If it feels too stiff, tape one end down and use it as a regular sloped ramp instead.
2. 90-Degree Angle Bankshot Hole
Set up this hole in an L shape. Place the target around the corner so kids cannot putt straight toward it. Use two pool noodle strips to mark the lane. A hardcover book or flat piece of wood can act as the rebound wall. Kids need to hit the wall before the ball can reach the target. Let them try different angles and putting speeds to see which shot works best.
3. Cardboard Tunnel Hole
Place two shoeboxes in a row on a rug, with arched openings cut into both ends of each box. Leave an opening about 8–10 cm wide so the ball can pass through without getting stuck. Kids must keep their putts straight and use just enough force to send the ball through both tunnels. Unlike a gap under the sofa, these DIY mini golf hole ideas make it easy to retrieve the ball after each shot.
4. Gravity Funnel Hole
Place a large funnel or an old plastic basin with a funnel-shaped neck on a 15 cm-high box. Make sure the bottom opening is at least 5–6 cm wide so a standard 4.3 cm golf ball will not get stuck. Add a cardboard ramp from the floor to the funnel. Kids must putt hard enough to send the ball up the slope. Once it reaches the funnel, it will spin around before dropping into a cup underneath. This is one of the more unusual mini golf hole ideas to try at home.
5. Pool Noodle Arch Hole
Bend an intact pool noodle into an upside-down U shape. Secure both ends to the floor with painter’s tape. That is all it takes to build this hole in about two minutes. Kids must putt the ball through the foam arch before it can reach the target. It is one of the easiest DIY mini golf hole ideas for a quick home setup.
6. Shoe Box Zig Zag Hole
Position 3 or 4 boxes or books at irregular intervals on the putting range. Ensure there is just enough room for the golf ball to fit through. The children have to execute short putts while changing directions at every zigzag point. This simple setup adds a change in elevation to your mini golf holes and helps children practice controlling their putting force.
7. Towel Hill Hole
Take 1 or 2 bath towels, roll them up and place them under a thin sheet or piece of felt rug. The children need to work out how much force to use when putting so that the ball is traveling at the correct pace to make it to the top and not roll back down.
8. Target Circle Hole
No cup needed for this hole. Cut three circles in different sizes from colored paper, or arrange cord into three rings on the rug. The center circle earns 10 points, the middle ring earns 5, and the outer ring earns 1. Preschoolers only need to putt the ball so it stops inside one of the scoring zones. No need to worry about getting it into a cup. For more ways to practice putting together, check out these golf games for kids.
How to Make a Mini Golf Hole Without Drilling
One tricky part of indoor mini golf is making a target that catches the ball without damaging your floors. You do not need to drill holes or use heavy equipment. These DIY mini golf hole ideas use simple household items to create soft, stable targets that keep the ball from bouncing away.
The Horizontal Tissue Box with a Gentle Ramp
An empty rectangular tissue box makes a simple ball catcher. Lay it on its side and cut a wider opening, about 10 cm across, into one of the long sides. Then cut a thin piece of cardboard and tape one edge to the inside of the opening. Let the other end rest on the floor to form a gentle ramp. The ball rolls up the ramp and into the box, where the soft paper walls help keep it in place.
A Plastic Cup Secured on Its Side
Place a disposable plastic or paper cup on its side on the rug. Use painter’s tape to secure the base and both sides so it stays in place. The round opening gives kids a clear target to aim for. A well-aimed putt rolls straight into the bottom of the cup instead of pushing it across the floor. This is one of the quickest DIY mini golf hole ideas to set up.
A Flat Target Mat Instead of a Cutout Hole
Cutting a round hole in a paper plate may seem like an easy solution, but a flat plate has no depth to catch the ball. The ball can simply roll across the opening instead of dropping into it. Use an intact paper plate or a small piece of felt as a flat target zone instead. Set a simple rule: the hole is complete when the ball stops on or touches the target. This avoids the need for a physical hole altogether.
A Mini Hole Flag Made from a Paper Straw and Play-Doh
Make a small triangular flag from colored paper and attach it to the top of a paper straw. Add a hole number from 1 to 8 so kids can identify each stop on the course. To keep the flag upright, press the bottom of the straw into a small ball of Play-Doh placed behind the tissue box target. The soft base holds the flag in place without scratching the floor. Before the game starts, go over these golf rules for kids so everyone knows how to play.
Customize, Test and Play Your DIY Mini Golf Course
Give each hole its own fun theme, then turn the finished course into a family tournament. A few decorations and simple challenges can make your mini golf holes more exciting. Kids can also help test the setup, make small adjustments, and prepare for the final game.
Quick and Easy Mini Golf Hole Themes
Arrange toy dinosaurs on each side of the lane. Put a T-Rex near the target, and kids will need to putt the ball between its legs to score a point.
Set up plastic toy car tracks to outline the path of the ball. Lay down the track pieces that will force the ball to make tight turns and go up small hills.
Place a few rubber ducks around the green area covered with a moss-green towel. The kids should put the ball through the ducks without touching them.
Test the Ball Roll Before Playing
After taping all parts, allow your kid to roll the ball through each hole manually two or three times. See if the ball rolls without any resistance and arrives at the destination. This easy test may help you find out any difficulties before the course is completed.
Let this be an element of the problem solving game. Ask questions such as “Why do you think the ball went to the left?” or “Is this a hill too high for the ball to get on it?”. Let your kid add a strip of cardboard to the course to make some changes.
Host a Family Mini Golf Tournament with DIY Scorecards and Medals
Give each player a name, such as Dad, Mom, or Kid, on a folded piece of paper. Draw a table with eight rows for the holes and record how many putts each player needs to finish each one.
Cut circles from old cardboard boxes, cover them with shiny foil paper, and attach ribbon loops. At the end of the game, hand out awards such as "Most Persistent Putter" so everyone gets a prize. It is a fun way to wrap up a day of building and playing together.
Conclusion
You don't need fancy equipment to build a fun mini golf course. A few cardboard boxes, pool noodles, and some old household items are enough to get started. Let the kids help build the holes, try different shots, and enjoy a little friendly competition. When they're ready to take their golf fun outdoors, check out our golf baby clothes for cute outfits and accessories.
