Golf Games for Seniors
Good golf games for seniors keep the fun of golf (planning a shot, judging a putt, a bit of friendly rivalry) without the long walk, the early tee time or the strain on backs and knees. Some are played on a carpet, some at a card table, and some on a phone or tablet.
Putting games at home
Putting is the part of golf that ages best. It needs touch and judgement more than strength, and you can practise it on a carpet.
- Round the clock. Put a mug on its side as the hole and place balls in a circle around it, a putter's length away. Try to hole all of them in a row.
- Ladder putting. Putt to stop the ball just past markers at different distances. It's the best drill there is for distance control.
- Fewest putts wins. Set up a few "holes" around the room and play them in turns with a friend or grandchild.
Putting drills at home has more ideas to try.
Golf at the card table
Golf, the card game. In the common six-card version, each player has a grid of face-down cards and tries to swap them for low cards over several turns. Like real golf, the lowest total wins, and a round over nine "holes" makes a good evening game. House rules vary, so agree card values before you start.
Golf solitaire. A one-player patience game in which you clear cards from the table by playing a card one higher or one lower than the top of the pile. It's quick, gentle and easy to learn.
Motion-controlled golf
Console games such as Wii Sports and Nintendo Switch Sports include golf played by swinging the controller. They give you the rhythm of a real swing without hitting a ball. Take care with space around you, and sit down to play if balance is a concern.
A relaxed golf game in the browser
If you'd rather play on a tablet, phone or computer, Mashy is a free pixel-art golf game that runs in the web browser. There's nothing to download and no sign-up needed to start: tap TEE OFF NOW and you're on the first tee.
What makes it a comfortable choice:
- Short courses. It's a pitch and putt game with par 3 and par 4 holes, played with irons, wedges and a putter. Nine holes take about ten minutes.
- No password. If you want to save your scores, logging in uses a six-digit code sent to your email.
- Big-screen friendly. It works on a computer as well as a phone, and on a desktop the Space bar swings, so you don't need a fiddly mouse click.
- Calmer settings. You can turn off the music and sound effects, switch off flyovers and zooms, and turn off the retro scanlines effect.
- Help on the greens. An aim guide helps you line up, and a green read overlay colours high ground warm and low ground blue, so you can judge a putt without squinting.
The swing uses a three-tap timing meter: tap to start, tap to set power, and tap again as the marker comes back to the sweet spot. It needs a steady tap rather than quick reflexes, and Practice mode lets you replay any hole as often as you like until the rhythm feels natural.
Which game suits you?
| You'd like... | Try |
|---|---|
| Something to practise touch | Putting games on the carpet |
| A sociable evening at the table | Golf, the card game |
| A gentle swing indoors | Wii Sports or Switch Sports golf |
| A short round on a tablet or computer | Mashy |
| A game with the grandchildren | Garden putting or Mashy, taking turns |
Make it social
Play the Mashy daily course, which has the same pins and wind for everyone that day, then compare scores with friends or family. A grandchild in another city can play the same course on the same day. For more ways to stay in touch through golf, see play golf with friends online.
Try it in Mashy
Open Mashy on whichever screen is most comfortable, turn the settings to suit you, and play a hole in Practice mode first. There's no rush.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good golf game for seniors at home?
Putting games on a carpet are the simplest, needing only a putter, a few balls and a mug as the hole. For a seated option, the card game Golf is sociable and easy to learn. On a screen, a browser golf game such as Mashy plays short rounds with no download needed.
Is Mashy easy to play for older adults?
Mashy is designed to be picked up quickly. The swing is three taps on a timing meter, putting is drag and release, and Practice mode lets you replay any hole. You can play on a computer, where the Space bar swings, and turn off music, sounds and motion effects in Settings.
Do I need an account or password to play Mashy?
You don't need an account to start; TEE OFF NOW begins a round as a guest. If you'd like to save scores, you log in with a six-digit code sent to your email, so there's no password to remember. Your scores then follow you across devices.
How do you play the card game Golf?
In a common version, each player has six face-down cards in a grid and turns over or swaps cards to collect low values. Matching pairs in a column often cancel out. The lowest total after a set number of rounds, often nine, wins. House rules vary, so agree card values before you deal.
Are motion golf games good exercise for seniors?
Motion games such as Wii Sports golf and Nintendo Switch Sports golf get you standing and turning, which many people find a pleasant way to stay active indoors. They aren't a replacement for advice from a doctor, so start gently, clear the space around you, and sit down if balance is a worry.