How to Build a Mini Golf Course

Survey the ground space available to you. The best base surfaces are concrete or hard-packed sand but wood can be laid over grass as a foundation as well. Next, create a general outline of where your holes will be. Remember, the player should be able to easily recognize the path to the next hole.

Decide on your hole layouts. If necessary, make slight modifications to the outline made in the previous step. Be sure to vary the type of shot required to complete each hole. For example, if a bank shot is required on one hole, have the next hole employ ramps, bottlenecks, pipes, obstacles or a combination of challenges. Hole length should vary as well; as a general rule of thumb longer holes have a higher par.

Finalize your outline and compile a list of supplies that are needed, keeping in mind the durability requirements of each item. You can use shag carpet as sand, bricks or 2x4s for siding, PVC piping for tunnels and artificial turf or short-length carpet for grass depending on the project budget. For cups you can use any sort of container, but remember the regulation diameter of a golf hole is 4 and 1/4 inches (108 mm).

Buy your supplies and begin building the course. If the course will be laid on top of cement or packed sand, no adhesive is necessary to hold the putting surface in place as most artificial turf has a non-slip backing; instead, lay the bricks that will border each hole on the edges of the grass or carpet. If it is to be built on a wood foundation with wood edging, the grass can be nailed into place as long as the nails are completely sunk into the wood. Be sure to mark a starting point at each hole. This can be as simple as a line or a spray-painted mark.

Complete each hole by first laying down the putting surface and placing the cup. Continue by adding the border of bricks or wood. Finish by marking the starting point and adding the obstacles.

Once the course is complete, test it to find and resolve any problems in construction or design. Bring in outside parties to test the course and provide unbiased feedback. Make any necessary modifications.

Play at least three rounds keeping score, and use the average score attained to set par for each hole. The sum of the means will be par for the entire course.

Print scorecards for use during rounds. Keep tabs on the scores in relation to par. If the scores are predominantly lower, lower par for that hole. If opposite, raise par for the hole.

Keep a small store of surplus supplies on hand. This will allow you to replace any broken items in a timely manner.