'Golf is a very popular game, and has even been played in space.'

Suzanne Elvidge tees off with a collection of online golf games. Crazy golf anyone?

Small but important print: All games are free downloads or free to view online, and need the minimum of equipment. Some games require your browser to have a 'plug in' for Shockwave, Flash or Java.

To play a game, simply click on its name. If you are a parent, we advise you to try the game and the site it's on first before letting your kids play them, to make sure you're happy. When downloading games from the Internet, don't forget to keep your anti-virus and anti-spyware software up to date.

Golf is a very popular game, and has even been played in space. The aim is to get the ball into the hole with the lowest number of strokes. It has traditionally involved some very odd clothes and isn’t to everyone’s taste – the author Mark Twain claimed that golf was a ‘good walk spoiled’.

There is real golf on the BBC but if you prefer your golf virtual, try these ten golf games.

Mini Golf
The aim is to complete all 18 holes in as few strokes as possible. Select your character and use the mouse to aim the putt.

Change the strength of the stroke by moving the mouse closer to or further away from your character and then click to hit the ball. I got a hole in one!

Cat with Bow Golf
Use the bow and arrow to get the cat around the floating golf course and to the target.

Click near the cat and move the mouse around to aim the bow and decide the strength of the shot. Don’t go out of bounds. Strangely addictive once I got the hang of it.

Putt It In! The Garden Park
Choose your character, and then click the mouse to pick the initial position of the ball.

Moving the mouse selects the aim and strength of the shot – when you are ready, click to hit the ball. Use the barriers to change the direction of the balls and watch out for the water.

Disc Golf
Golf with a Frisbee. Click on the disc and then move the mouse to choose the strength and angle of the shot.

Use the map in the top right hand corner to see where you are, or click and drag to move the view. Different discs will throw differently, and watch out for bins and trees.

World Golf
‘Play a round around the world’. Click on the ball and drag the mouse to pick direction and strength of stroke.

Your arrow keys change you view and the mouse wheel zooms you in and out. If you ignore the camera adverts, it’s a crazy golf game with CGI sights round the world.

Matching Word Golf
Pick the ‘medium’, ‘hard’ or ‘really hard option’ and find words with similar meanings to help Molly with her game of golf – and watch out for the aliens when you get a word wrong.

Flash Golf
A more complicated one, this one, which includes backswing and downswing. Click near the ball to begin aiming – click again when you’ve chosen your direction.

Click on the swingometer and hold the mouse to set the power and then click before the indicator gets to the bottom to direct the shot, avoiding a hook or slice.

Golf Solitaire
Not sure how this is connected with golf, other than having to complete the round scoring as few points as possible.

Try to clear the seven columns by moving cards to the stack at the bottom, in ascending or descending order (e.g. 7 on 8, or Queen on Jack – deal a new card if you can’t make a move.

Buggy Racing
Get your golf cart round the course as quickly as possible – use the left mouse button to accelerate the move the mouse to steer.

The golf balls are two-second time bonuses around the course. Only seems to work on Internet Explorer.

Easter Golf
Play golf with Jake Rabbit – actually, it’s golf with a shade of pinball, but it’s fun. Click to position the ball, move the mouse and click for a rough aim and power, and then click again to make the shot.

Hitting eggs leads to extra points. Restart a hole by pressing ‘M’. Warning – annoying music!

And as an extra, try word golf, where you make one word into another by changing one letter at a time.

• More golf games
• Yet more golf games

Suzanne Elvidge is a freelance writer and Surefish Ethical Living Editor

Links

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