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Design Your Own Facility
Suppose you do not have access to a championship golf course. This does not mean you cannot start your program. You can introduce the game with a little imagination and creativity. A challenging and fun golf course can be created on the school athletic field, playground, at a driving range, or in a gymnasium. The key is effectively utilizing existing space and equipment to create golf shot or course situations.
The course should contain all elements of a regular course, with the exception of a putting green.
The following suggestions are listed for consideration in planning a limited space golf play area:
- Teeing areas can be easily established by using any kind of markers, such as paper cups, small stakes, flags or pylons.
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- Hazards of a golf course, including bunkers, lateral water and a sign and an outline of tape, paint or rope can design regular water hazards. If the ball comes to lie within the area, the appropriate golf rule is in effect and the student must play accordingly.
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- Greens can be marked with a sign, cone or flagstick and varied in size and shape. Use tape or paint to mark two concentric circles for the "green." Balls landing in the larger circle call for 2 additional strokes in lieu of putting, If only a flagstick is used with no markings, ball is considered holed when within 1 club length from the flagstick. Bicycle tires or hula-hoops can also be used for a target green. Balls must come to rest within the circle to be considered holed out.
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- To construct a putting course on grass, use cones or paper cups with flags. Balls hitting the cups or cones are scored as holed putts.
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- Boundary lines should be established and marked with small stakes, paint, rope or cones; The use of natural or manmade objects in outside courses, such as trees, bushes, fences and walks can add variety and challenge to your short course.
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- The distance of the holes can vary in length depending on the type of ball used and the space available. Students should begin with a plastic or soft ball, such as a tennis ball. As they become more skilled, a golf ball can be introduced in outdoor settings, (Short distance golf balls may be used in Outdoor settings).
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- Scorecards for the course should be designed so that students can actually experience the thrill of on-course play and competition.
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Indoor Course Options
The modifications for construction of a golf course in a gymnasium or large indoor area as follows:
- The use of a plastic ball or soft ball such as a tennis ball is mandatory in an indoor setting.
- The use of protective material for the floor is essential. Brush mats can be used to protect the teeing areas and small carpet remnants can be used to protect the floor during the fairway shots.
- The green can be a commercial-style putting strip or can be improvised from suitable indoor-outdoor carpeting.
- The ball can be putted into a putting disc or metal cup.
- Use a tape or rope on the floor, mark indoor golf course similar to an outdoor course.
- As a creative indoor golf designer, add variety to your gym layout: use mats for bunkers, chairs for trees, mark water hazards on the floor, and so on.
Outdoor Course Options
If an unimproved area is used, you may consider designing some actual golf holes.
- We recommend a using a cup hole twice the size of a normal cup. These larger holes would have an 8½ inch diameter and be 4 inches deep (or about the size of a #'10 can). Insert a dowel rod with a flag attached, and you have a golf hole!
- The enlarged cup will accommodate the use of a lofted club in getting the ball into the cup. This is more effective than attempting to use a putter on ungroomed surfaces. Be sure that the holes are marked so that they do not become a hazard when your course is not in use.
- If mowing equipment is available, cut the grass to a height of ½ inch. Sand will help smooth the surface. Although this putting area will not be maintained in the same condition as a green, it will allow for students to get the feel and experience of putting.
- Short-distance golf balls, which have been recently introduced, can create a more realistic round of golf by requiring the use of a greater variety of clubs. These balls are not designed to substitute for plastic balls or whiffle balls in an indoor situation.
- When laying out an open area golf course, arrange the holes in a counterclockwise pattern in regards to safety. Most players will be right-handed and their tendency will be to hit to the right.
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