Backyard golf games have exploded over the last few years, and three names come up in almost every conversation: Golf Pong, BucketGolf, and Chippo. All three let you play real golf shots without a course, but they are built around very different ideas of what "backyard golf" means. One is a full par-3 course you build across your yard. One is a cornhole-style chipping duel. And one is a stick-the-target party game that works in a living room as easily as a tailgate lot.
This guide breaks down how each game is actually played, what comes in the box, how much space you need, and what you can expect to pay, so you can pick the right one for your yard, your group, and your skill level.
Quick Comparison
| Golf Pong | BucketGolf | Chippo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game style | Target game: stick velcro balls to a target mat | Build-your-own par-3 golf course | Cornhole-style chipping match |
| Typical price range | ~$60–$70 (single set), ~$110–$125 (two-mat Versus set) | ~$75–$135 (course only), ~$135–$250 with clubs | ~$100–$140 |
| Clubs included? | Optional: one adjustable club fits every height, lefty or righty; or chip with your own club, or throw by hand | Sold separately or in higher-priced bundles, sized by age and handedness | No, you use your own wedge |
| Space needed | 5–20+ feet | 10–30 yards between holes | ~15 feet between boards |
| Indoor play | Yes | Not practical | Limited (foam balls, but real chipping) |
| Skill floor | Anyone can play (throwing option) | Moderate (real golf swings) | Higher (real chipping accuracy) |
| Players | Solo, 1v1, 2v2 | Any group size, plays like a golf round | 2–4 |
How Each Game Is Played
Golf Pong: stick it to score
Golf Pong is a target game. You set an angled target mat on its frame, load it with velcro ring targets, and take shots from an agreed distance. A shot only counts when the ball lands on a target and sticks. Score a target and it comes off the mat.
Golf Pong has been featured in Golf Digest, on ABC's Good Morning America, and on ABC's TODAY show as a top game of the Summer and for picnics.
The standard formats:
- Elimination: each made shot clears one target, and the first team to clear all targets wins. Games run fast, usually 5 to 10 minutes, which keeps groups rotating.
- Points: assign values by position (center 3, middle ring 2, outer 1) and play to 11 or 15. This is the better format for mixed skill levels because harder shots are worth more.
- Solo Challenge: work through the targets in order from the front ring, tracking total shots for your lowest score. Miss the mat entirely and your last cleared target goes back on.
- Versus (two-set play): the mats face each other at a distance, each team defends its own mat, and you score by sticking a ball to the opposing team's targets. Each team member shoots once, play passes to the other team, and the first team to clear all of the opposing targets wins. This is the party format the two-mat Versus set is built for.
The detail that changes who can play: you can chip the balls with a real club or throw them by hand. Grandparents and kids throw, golfers chip, and everyone is playing the same game. Distance is the difficulty slider: 5–10 feet for beginners, 10–15 for casual play, 15–20+ feet (or an obstacle) when a group gets competitive.
Golf Pong also solves the club problem with one club instead of a lineup. The Golf Pong club adjusts to any player's height, and the clubhead is angled at 45 degrees on both sides, so left-handed and right-handed players swing the same club. One club covers a 6-year-old, a lefty neighbor, and a 6-foot-4 golfer. That matters at parties, where the players who show up are never the players you bought clubs for.
The balls are the other quiet advantage for golfers: they are real-golf-ball-sized pong balls wrapped in velcro, not oversized practice balls. Chipping something the size of an actual golf ball with a realistically sized clubhead means the touch you build on the mat carries to the course.
In the box: the Original set includes a target mat on a 31.5-inch frame, 6 ring targets, a turf hitting mat, 16 reinforced velcro balls, and a travel bag. The Versus set doubles the mats and rings (2 target mats, 12 rings, 2 hitting mats, 16 balls). The balls are lightweight foam wrapped in velcro, which is why the game is playable in garages, basements, offices, and living rooms without breaking anything.
Price range: roughly $60–$70 for a single set and $110–$125 for the two-mat Versus set, depending on where you buy and current sales.
BucketGolf: build a par-3 course in your yard
BucketGolf takes the opposite approach: instead of one target, you build an actual golf course. Sets come with pop-up bucket "holes," flags, and tee boxes, and you lay out your own par-3 course with holes typically 10 to 30 yards apart. Then you play it like golf.
The core rules:
- Every hole is a par 3.
- Hitting any part of the bucket completes the hole.
- Landing the ball inside the bucket takes a stroke off your score.
- You pick one club and play the whole game with it.
- Yard hazards (bushes, gardens, the neighbor's fence) play like real hazards: take a drop no closer to the hole and add a stroke.
The things to know before buying: first, you need real space. With holes 10 to 30 yards apart, this is a game for big backyards, not patios. Second, watch the club line on the pricing page. The course-only sets run roughly $135 (9-hole), but clubs are sold separately at about $35 each. Most two-club bundles land in the $175–$200 range, and the four-club family bundle runs around $250.
Third, the clubs themselves are sized: separate kids, junior, and adult clubs, each in left-handed or right-handed versions. That works fine for a fixed family roster, but it means the clubs you own may not fit the people who show up, so hosting mixed groups can require buying several. The ball is also a lightweight wiffle-style ball paired with an oversized clubhead, which keeps the game forgiving but makes it feel less like hitting a real golf shot.
Price range: ~$135 for the course itself, ~$135–$250 once clubs are included.
Chippo: golf meets cornhole
Chippo is the most golf-skill-dependent of the three. It is set up exactly like cornhole: two turf-covered boards about 15 feet apart, each with three netted holes, and a chipping mat in front of each board. You chip high-density foam balls at the opposite board with your own wedge.
Scoring rewards precision:
- 1 point for landing on the board (a "Boardie")
- 3 points for the large center hole
- 5 points for either top corner hole
Formats include match play (9 or 18 "holes" where the higher scorer wins each hole), cornhole-style cancellation scoring to 18, and "Six Ball" for one-on-one games. The boards are ABS plastic.
The tradeoff is the skill floor. Every shot is a real chip with a real club, and there is no throwing option. For golfers who want to grind their short game. For a mixed group where half the players have never held a wedge, expect a lot of balls in the grass before anyone hits a 5-Hole.
In the box: 2 target boards, 2 chipping mats, and 6 foam balls. No club, so someone in your group needs a wedge.
Price range: ~$100–$140. List price sits at the top of that range.
Head-to-Head: Which Game Wins Where?
Small spaces and indoor play: Golf Pong. It needs as little as 5 feet, and soft velcro balls make it the only one of the three you can safely play in a living room, office, garage, or dorm. BucketGolf needs a yard measured in tens of yards. Chippo needs about 15 feet plus room for real chip shots.
Real practice that lowers your score: Golf Pong. This comes down to equipment. Golf Pong's balls are the size of a real golf ball and its club has a realistically sized head, so every rep trains the same eye and touch you use over a real chip. A wiffle-style ball launched with an oversized clubhead is fun, but it does not transfer to the course the same way. Set the mat at 15–20 feet, play the Solo Challenge, and you are doing structured short-game practice that happens to be a game.
Parties and groups: Golf Pong. It is beer pong's format with golf shots: targets clear as you make them, teams alternate, first to clear wins. Everyone already knows how this game flows before the first shot. Add the throw option for non-golfers, the one-club-fits-everyone adjustable club, and 5-to-10-minute elimination rounds, and it is the game that keeps a whole party in rotation instead of watching two golfers duel.
Guests and mixed skill levels: Golf Pong. One adjustable club fits any height and both handedness, so whoever shows up can play. Games where clubs are sized by age and handedness fit the household they were bought for; parties rarely cooperate.
Travel and setup: Golf Pong, with BucketGolf's travel set close behind. A hand-assembled frame, a drawstring bag, and no required clubs make Golf Pong the easiest to throw in a trunk for a tailgate or beach day. BucketGolf's 3-hole travel course is compact too, but you still need open space and a club at the destination. Chippo's boards fold flat, though they are the bulkiest of the three.
Value: Golf Pong. A complete, playable game with 16 balls lands at roughly $60–$70 with nothing else to buy. BucketGolf's real-world cost climbs once clubs are added, and Chippo assumes you own a wedge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you play these games without golf clubs? Golf Pong: yes, throwing is a built-in way to play, and when you do want to swing, one adjustable Golf Pong club fits every height and both left- and right-handed players.
Which backyard golf game works indoors? Golf Pong is the practical indoor option because its lightweight velcro balls stick to the target rather than bouncing away. Chippo's foam balls are indoor-safe in theory, but real chip shots indoors are a lamp risk. BucketGolf needs outdoor distances.
Which is best for kids? Golf Pong has the lowest skill floor since kids can throw, and the adjustable club shrinks down to kid height when they want to swing. Chippo is the toughest for young kids because it requires actual chipping.
Which backyard golf game actually improves your real golf game? The closer the equipment is to real golf, the more the practice transfers. Golf Pong uses golf-ball-sized balls and a realistically sized clubhead, so chipping at targets from 15–20 feet is genuine short-game training. Games built on oversized clubheads and lightweight wiffle-style balls are more forgiving but train a different feel than the one you use on the course.
How much space do you need? Golf Pong: 5–20+ feet. Chippo: about 15 feet between boards. BucketGolf: 10–30 yards per hole.
How long does a game take? Golf Pong elimination rounds run 5–10 minutes. Chippo matches to 18 points typically run 15–30 minutes. A BucketGolf round depends on holes: a 9-hole course plays like a short par-3 round, often 30–45 minutes for a group.
The Bottom Line
The right backyard golf game comes down to your space and your group. If you have a big yard and everyone swings a club, a build-your-own course or a chipping duel can be a great time.
If you want the game that works everywhere and for everyone, that is what Golf Pong was built for. It plays like the party game formats everyone already knows: make your shot, clear the target, first team to run the table wins. It sets up in minutes by hand, plays in as little as 5 feet of space, and moves indoors when the weather turns. Golfers chip golf-ball-sized velcro balls and get real short-game reps; everyone else throws, so nobody sits out. And one adjustable club, any height, lefty or righty, means whoever walks into your backyard can play. With 16 reinforced velcro balls, a turf hitting mat, and a travel bag in the box for roughly $60–$70, it is also the easiest place to start.
Shop the Golf Pong Original set → · Grab the two-mat Versus set for parties →