How to Golf In Your Back Yard

You can easily knock strokes off your score in your backyard.  All you need are a few inexpensive training aids and a bucket of balls.  It is tough for me to practice every day with my busy work schedule, but I am able to practice the shots that count right in my home and back yard.  I was able to come up with a few small drills which helped me lower my score.  The game of golf strokes are lost from 100 yards and in, specifically around the green.  By practicing at home you can help build confidence needed when stepping up to every shot.

Think of Your Home as a Practice Green

We’ll start with something you can do when you only have a few minutes.  Putting is one of the most difficult parts of the game for some people.  To practice putting in your house, all you need is a 5 dollar practice cup and some golf balls.  Practice your 3 and 6 footers to build confidence so that when you get out to the course you can step up to that putt knowing you can easily make it.  Building that confidence in your living room really helps with limiting the amount of unnecessary strokes.

You can also practice your bump and run chipping techniques in your living room.  You would use the same materials as above.  Set the practice hole up and practice from various ranges.  These two activities help you get a feel for the putting and chipping so that when you’re on the course you feel confident when stepping over the ball.

Think of Your Backyard as a Chipping Green

Your backyard is a great place to practice different short-range shots that you could expect to meet on the golf course.  All you need is some golf balls, a wedge, and a basket (golf bucket, laundry basket. etc.). You want to give yourself a target to try to practice landing the ball.  What I like to do is pick a spot say ten yards away and place a basket in my yard.  I then practice chipping  golf balls into the basket.  The idea behind this is that if you can land your ball where you want to, then your fifteen and ten foot putts can suddenly become six and three footers.   

I also have an in ground pool in my backyard, and I sometimes practice chipping into it.  I have the same mind-set as chipping into a basket, except I aim for a float.  This is nice because your target can move around making every shot different, just like how it would be on the course.  It is also nice because on a hot summer day you can cool off after practicing by diving into your pool and collecting your golf balls. 

Think of Your Yard as a Driving Range

Through specialized golf balls you can practice your full swing right in your yard.  Companies make specialized practice golf balls that go a third of the distance.  This allows you to take a full swing in your yard without worrying about breaking a window.  Your mind-set here should be to pretend you’re at the driving range.  These training aids give you good feed back as to the flight of the ball.  You can see if your shot is slicing or hooking.  Instead of going through countless number of golf balls at the range, you can get the same feed back at home.  

These are just a few things do to practice when I have the time.  I notice I get the same results as if I were actually practicing at the range.  The mindset you want while practicing in your yard is to develop a feel for the swing.  This allows you to build confidence which will help knock off a few strokes off your score.