Golf Games for Kids
The best golf games for kids are short, active and full of small wins. Children don't need a full course or proper clubs to enjoy golf: a few targets in the garden, a plastic club and some soft balls will do, and a simple golf video game can teach them how a hole works before they ever step on a tee.
Golf games for the garden or park
Use plastic clubs and soft or foam balls for younger children. They're safer, and a missed shot doesn't break a window.
Bucket chipping
Put a bucket, washing basket or hula hoop a few steps away. Each child gets five chips: 3 points for landing in the bucket, 1 point for hitting it. Move the target further away as they improve.
Garden putting course
Lay plastic cups on their sides around the lawn as holes. Add obstacles from around the house: a shoe to putt round, a book to bank off, a ramp made from a tray. Play nine holes and count the strokes. This is basically crazy golf at home.
Golf noughts and crosses
Lay out a three-by-three grid of hoops or chalk squares. Two players take turns chipping; landing in a square claims it. Three in a row wins.
Ladder putting
Mark lines on the grass at one, two, three and four big steps. Each child putts once to every line, trying to stop the ball just past it. It quietly teaches distance control, the most useful skill in putting.
Golf bingo
Make a bingo card of small challenges: chip over a cushion, putt through a gate, hit a target with your eyes shut. Tick them off as you go.
Golf video games for kids
Screen-based golf games teach the shape of a hole, choosing a club and reading a slope, without anyone getting cold or tired.
- Wii Sports included a golf game on the original Wii, played by swinging the controller.
- Nintendo Switch Sports added golf in a later free update, also with motion controls.
- Mario Golf is a long-running Nintendo series with cartoon characters and power-ups; Mario Golf: Super Rush is the Switch version.
- Mashy is a free pixel-art golf game that runs in the browser on phones and computers. There's nothing to install, and a child can tee off as a guest without an email address.
| Game | Platform | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Wii Sports golf | Wii | Swinging like real golf |
| Nintendo Switch Sports golf | Switch | Families playing together |
| Mario Golf: Super Rush | Switch | Fans of Mario characters |
| Mashy | Any browser | Short rounds, no console needed |
Why Mashy suits young golfers
Mashy is a pitch and putt game: irons, chips and putts, with no driver. The holes are par 3s and par 4s, so a round never drags. The golfer, Pip, is a green keeper, and the courses include ponds with geese, seaside dunes and pine forests.
The swing is a three-tap meter: tap to start, tap to set power, tap at the sweet spot. Tapping early or late curves the ball, which is a gentle way to learn what a hook and a slice are. Putting is drag and release, and the green read overlay shows high ground in warm colours and low ground in blue, so children can see which way a putt will break.
Parents should know that Mashy has optional purchases with real money (coin packs and a one-off Pro Pass), alongside coins earned by playing. If your child plays on your device, it's worth agreeing the rules first.
Tips for keeping kids interested
- Keep sessions short. Fifteen minutes of fun beats an hour of frustration.
- Celebrate every small win: a good chip, a putt that stops close, a ball over the obstacle.
- Use points, not strokes. Children like scores that go up.
- Let them design a hole. Ownership keeps them playing.
- Mix outside and screen golf. A round on screen can explain what par means; the garden makes it real.
Try it in Mashy
On a rainy day, open Mashy and play a hole together in Practice mode, taking turns. For the numbers side of golf, see golf math for kids, and for more family ideas, family golf game night.
Frequently asked questions
What age can kids start playing golf?
There's no fixed age. Many children start swinging plastic clubs as toddlers, and putting games in the garden work from about the time they can follow simple rules. Keep it playful at first, with targets and points rather than full holes, and move on to proper junior clubs when they're keen.
What is a fun golf game for kids at home?
A garden putting course is easy to set up: plastic cups on their sides as holes, household objects as obstacles, and nine holes to play. Bucket chipping and golf noughts and crosses also work well. Use soft or foam balls indoors or near windows to keep everyone safe.
Is Mashy suitable for children?
Mashy is a pixel-art pitch and putt game with a green keeper called Pip, ponds, geese and seaside courses. It runs in the browser and children can play as a guest. There are optional real-money purchases for coins and a Pro Pass, so parents may want to agree rules if a child uses their device.
Do kids need an account to play Mashy?
No. Choosing TEE OFF NOW starts a round as a guest with no sign-up. Logging in uses an emailed six-digit code and saves scores across devices, so for younger children a parent may prefer to log in with their own email or simply play as a guest.
What golf video games are good for kids?
Wii Sports golf and Nintendo Switch Sports golf use motion controls, so children swing as they would on a course. The Mario Golf series adds familiar characters. Browser games such as Mashy need no console and play short rounds, which suits younger players with a shorter attention span.