When it is pouring outside, the living room becomes the best golf course in town. Indoor mini golf is cheap, quick to set up and oddly satisfying: carpet rolls true, furniture makes natural walls, and a hallway is a ready-made fairway. This guide covers what to use, how to lay out holes that do not end in broken ornaments, and a sample nine-hole route you can adapt to any home.
Pick the right balls and putters
Real golf balls are hard. They are fine for gentle carpet putting, but they can mark skirting boards, rattle radiators and hurt if a small child swings too hard. For indoor play, consider foam practice balls, plastic practice balls or even ping-pong balls, which roll surprisingly well on hard floors but are affected by the slightest draught.
If you do not own a putter, a child's plastic golf set, a broom held upside down or a hockey stick used gently can all stand in. Whatever you use, set one indoor rule: putters stay below knee height. Full swings are for outdoors.
Clear the room, then build
Before building holes, spend five minutes making the room safe. Move anything breakable off low shelves and coffee tables. Close doors to rooms that are off limits. Pick up trip hazards such as cables and toys. Pets usually find indoor golf fascinating, so decide in advance whether they are spectators or banned from the course.
Next, look at the floor. Carpet and rugs slow the ball and make putting forgiving. Wood, laminate and tile are fast and slippery, so holes can be longer but need more walls. The transition from rug to hard floor is a natural "change of pace" feature.
Everyday objects that make great holes
- Cups: plastic tumblers or mugs on their side, a shoebox with a hole cut in the end, or a circle of painter's tape that the ball must stop inside.
- Walls: sofa cushions, rolled towels, books lying on their spines, and pool noodles.
- Tunnels: under chairs and coffee tables, between table legs, or through cardboard tubes.
- Ramps: a large hardback book or chopping board propped on a smaller book.
- Hazards: a laundry basket "lake" or a baking tray "bunker" you must avoid.
Painter's tape is the indoor golfer's best friend. Use it to mark tees, outline fairways on hard floors and hold obstacles in place, and it peels off cleanly afterwards on most surfaces. Test a small piece in a hidden spot first if you are unsure about a delicate finish.
A sample nine-hole house course
| Hole | Where | Feature | Par |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Living room rug | Straight warm-up to a mug on its side | 2 |
| 2 | Under the coffee table | Tunnel between the legs | 2 |
| 3 | Sofa corner | Bank off a line of cushions | 3 |
| 4 | Rug to wood floor | Speed change, tape-circle cup | 3 |
| 5 | Hallway | Long "par 4" with shoe slalom | 4 |
| 6 | Kitchen doorway | Book ramp into a shoebox | 3 |
| 7 | Dining chairs | Weave through chair legs | 3 |
| 8 | Stair bottom (not on stairs) | Towel-roll maze | 3 |
| 9 | Back to the rug | Laundry basket finale, any contact wins | 2 |
Keep all holes on one level. Stairs are a tempting feature but a genuine trip hazard, especially with children carrying putters.
Tips for younger players
For toddlers and small children, bigger targets and shorter holes are everything. A laundry basket on its side makes a generous cup. Let them push the ball with the putter rather than swing, and count every touch as "one" without worrying about the total. Older kids enjoy designing holes themselves; give them a roll of tape and a stack of cushions and let them build hole ten. Our guide to mini golf with kids has more age-by-age ideas.
Protecting floors and furniture
Soft balls and low swings prevent most damage. Also avoid dragging heavy furniture to make walls; use cushions and books instead. Keep liquids off the course. If you use cardboard ramps on wood floors, put a strip of tape under the edges so they do not slide and scratch. When you pack up, peel tape slowly at a low angle.
Quick setup checklist
- Breakables moved, cables tidied, doors closed.
- Soft or practice balls ready; putters stay below the knee.
- Tees and cups marked with painter's tape.
- Holes numbered with sticky notes.
- Scorecard and pencil on the coffee table.
- Tidy-up plan agreed before the first putt.
Need obstacle inspiration? Browse our DIY obstacle ideas; most of them work indoors just as well as outside.
Frequently asked questions
What balls are safest for indoor mini golf?
Foam or soft plastic practice balls are the safest choice around furniture, pets and small children. Ping-pong balls also work well on hard floors.
Will painter's tape damage my floors?
It is designed to peel cleanly from most sealed surfaces, but test a small hidden area first on delicate or freshly finished floors, and do not leave it down for days.
How big a space do I need?
One room is enough for three or four holes. Adding a hallway and a second room makes a full nine-hole course.
Can adults enjoy indoor mini golf?
Absolutely. Make the holes harder with narrower gaps, bank-only rules and trickier ramps, and add a challenge-card game for extra fun.
Play safe: swing low near people, pets and windows, and follow any posted course rules.
