Products to get you in the swing for another bumper summer of golf.
BucketGolf
There are two types of golfers: those who are happy to leave the game at the 18th green and those who will find a way to sneak golf into almost any situation.
I’m firmly in the second camp. So, when BucketGolf arrived, the idea of turning the backyard into a mini-golf course was always going to get my attention. The bigger question was whether my wife and two boys would be as enthusiastic. It turns out they were.
BucketGolf has gone gangbusters in the US, helped by an appearance on “Shark Tank”, and it’s easy to see why. The concept is brilliantly simple: grab a handful of buckets, stick them in the ground, design your own course, lay down your tee markers and start hitting!
It’s recommended the holes be set between 10 and 40 paces apart, which means the layout can be as easy or ridiculous as your backyard allows. We quickly discovered that putting a bucket beside a tree, behind a garden chair or in a particularly awkward corner makes for a much more interesting game.
Each player uses one club for the game, and every hole is a par 3, though not compulsory if you have space for a two-shotter. Hit the bucket and you’re done. Better still, if you can chip the ball inside the bucket, you knock a shot off your score. Add a few self-imposed hazards and suddenly you have a surprisingly serious competition happening in the backyard.
And this is where BucketGolf really works. It doesn’t try to be a watered-down version of golf. You still get full swings, proper scoring and enough skill involved to make the better golfer feel like they have an advantage. (Yes, I’m sick of my kids beating me at putt-putt with fluky shots!). But the oversized clubs and balls make it accessible enough that someone who has never picked up a golf club can join in without feeling completely out of their depth.
My boys were particularly into the fact that they could shape the course and immediately start challenging Dad. My wife, meanwhile, discovered the same thing every non-golfer eventually discovers: beating the golfer in the family is extremely satisfying.
The beauty is that you can make the game as competitive or casual as you like. A quick three-hole shootout works when time is tight, while a nine-hole course becomes a proper afternoon activity. The sets are also designed to be portable, so this isn’t something that needs to live permanently in the backyard. We took it to the beach and enjoyed proper links feels.
The other thing I liked was how quickly everyone got involved. There’s no sitting around waiting for someone else to finish. You hit, you walk, you pick your next shot and you’re straight back into it.
For golfers, there’s a bonus: you’re getting a few extra swings and plenty of walking in without realising it.
BucketGolf is not going to replace the real thing. Nothing will. But that’s not really the point. After a few rounds with my family, it has earned a permanent spot in the backyard. For anyone who simply can’t live without golf, BucketGolf might be the closest thing to bringing the course home. Equipment bundles start from $219. See au.bucketgolfgame.com for more.
Husqvarna Automower 312V robotic lawn mower
A perfectly maintained lawn no longer needs to compete with time on the golf course.
The Husqvarna Automower 312V uses advanced AI-powered vision technology to autonomously maintain lawns up to 1,200 square metres, delivering a consistently high-quality finish with minimal input from the owner.
Quiet, intelligent and designed for everyday convenience, it frees up valuable time for the things you enjoy most, like golf!
With more than 30 years of robotic mowing innovation and more than four million installations worldwide, Husqvarna continues to set the benchmark in robotic lawn care. RRP $4,499. See more at husqvarna.com/au/robotic-lawn-mowers/automower-312v/
