How do you decorate a golf-themed game room?

Where do you start?

With the wall people see first. One big piece sets the tone, and everything else follows it. Five small golf signs fighting for attention just looks busy.

Good statement pieces:

• A large framed print in clubhouse colors.
• A vintage-style course map or yardage layout of a course you love (draw it yourself, or frame a scorecard).
• A shelf with one good club, a ball from a round you're proud of, and nothing else.

What colors work?

Borrow from the course. Forest and golf greens, cream, warm gold, with navy or a pop of retro red. Two greens and cream will carry a whole room. Wood tones and brass hardware push it toward old clubhouse. White walls and black frames push it modern.

What makes it feel like a clubhouse?

Details that hint at a story:

• House rules on the wall. Every good clubhouse has them. They set the mood, and they're a little bit of a joke.
• A putting mat that actually gets used between rounds of whatever you're playing.
• A scorecard frame from a round worth remembering, or a hole-in-one ball if you've earned one.
• Real seating. Leather or canvas, deep enough to sit in for a whole evening.
• Warm light. One lamp beats one overhead bulb every time.

What should you skip?

Team flags, logo neon signs and anything with a famous course or tournament on it. They date fast, and they make your room look like everyone else's. Original art with no logos ages better.

How do you print it at home or at a print shop?

The download comes in several sizes, so start with your frame and pick the file that matches it. Sizes run from 4 x 6 up to 18 x 24 inches, in 2:3, 3:4 and 4:5 shapes plus 11 x 14, and A5, A4 and A3 for metric frames.

• At home: small sizes print fine on a home printer. Think 4 x 6, 6 x 8 or 8 x 10 on letter paper, or A5 and A4.
• Bigger sizes: take 11 x 14 and up, A3, and anything up to 18 x 24 to a local print or copy shop.
• Paper: ask for matte or satin poster paper, or a heavy cardstock.
• The file: every size is a 300 dpi file, with a full-size PDF too. Bring it on a USB stick or email it to the shop. Don't send a screenshot.

When a print fits, and when it doesn't

Our Clubhouse House Rules print is a $5.99 digital download in multiple sizes up to 18x24, which you print yourself, so nothing ships. It's an 18 x 24 design with a vintage crest (a flag on the green and crossed clubs) and five house rules, kindly observed:

1. Replace your divots.
2. Iced coffee before the front nine.
3. Phones face down at the 19th hole.
4. Sunday is for the race.
5. Leave it well kept.

It's forest, gold and red on cream, drawn in-house with no logos.

It fits if you want one statement piece that says golf without shouting it. Want a gallery wall? The Clubhouse Set of 3 adds the racing and coffee prints for $12.99.

Skip it if your room is already full of art you love. Add a putting mat instead.

Hosting game nights in the new room? The Christmas Party Games Bundle has 12 printable games for December. Planning the real thing? Read how to plan a golf trip with friends. For more on picking party games, see our holiday party games guide.

FAQ

What size wall art works best in a game room?

One large piece, like an 18 by 24 print, usually beats several small ones. Hang it at eye level on the wall people see first.

What colors make a room feel like a golf clubhouse?

Forest and golf greens with cream, plus a little warm gold or brass. Add wood tones for a classic look or black frames for a modern one.

How do you make a golf room look less cheesy?

Skip logo signs and novelty clutter. Use one strong piece of original art, a tight color palette and a few golf items you actually use.