How To Draw On Golf Balls For A Brilliant Fathers Day Gift

Struggling to find a Father’s Day gift that feels special? It’s hard to find something that truly comes from the heart.

This DIY Sharpie golf ball project is the perfect solution. It’s an easy fathers day craft that lets your kids create a sentimental present for dad that he’ll treasure more than anything from a store.

Decorating golf balls is a brilliant Father’s Day gift because it’s a fun, affordable craft that creates a personalized, sentimental keepsake. This guide will show you exactly how to make them, with tons of fun design ideas your kids will love.

Why Is a Handmade Gift for Dad the Best Idea This Father’s Day?

We’ve all been there, searching for that perfect, unique gift for Dad. But we learned the most treasured gifts aren’t bought; they’re made. When kids create handmade gifts, they’re not just giving an object; they’re giving a piece of their time, creativity, and love. This DIY golf balls for dad project is more than a simple present; it’s a fun family activity that builds a connection.

That personalized touch transforms a simple golf ball into a cherished memory. Every time Dad sees it, whether in his golf bag or on his desk, he’ll be reminded of the little hands that made it just for him. A sentimental present like this is a keepsake he will love far more than anything from a store.

Your Simple Checklist: What You’ll Need

Before you dive into this fun craft, let’s make sure you have all the right supplies. Here is a simple, scannable list of all the materials you’ll need. The best part? You probably have most of these at home already.

• White Golf Balls: New, clean balls provide the best canvas for your art.
• Multi-Color Pack of Fine-Tip Sharpies: Or any other brand of permanent markers will work great. A variety of colors makes it more fun!
• Isopropyl (Rubbing) Alcohol: This is the secret weapon for a smudge-free finish.
• Cotton Balls or Paper Towels: For cleaning the golf balls before you start.
• An Empty Egg Carton: This is our favorite experience-based tip! It makes the perfect free drying rack to keep the balls from rolling around and smudging.
• Optional: Clear Acrylic Spray Sealant: If you want to make the designs extra durable, an adult can use this for a final coat.

The 4-Step Guide to Perfect, Smudge-Free Golf Balls

Ready to get started? Decorating golf balls is incredibly simple when you follow these steps. This process ensures your designs are bright, clear, and last as long as the memories you’re making.

1. Prep the Surface: This is the most important step for a smudge-free finish. Before you hand the golf balls to your little artists, wipe each one with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol. This removes any oils or residue from manufacturing and helps the permanent marker ink stick permanently. Let them air dry for a minute or two in your egg carton.
2. Draw Your Designs: Now for the fun part! Use your fine-tip Sharpies to draw your creative designs. If you’re using multiple colors that touch, try to let each color dry for about 60 seconds before drawing the next one right beside it. This simple trick helps prevent colors from bleeding into each other.
3. Dry Completely: Once a masterpiece is complete, carefully place the finished ball back into your egg carton drying rack. Let the balls sit undisturbed for at least a few hours, or even overnight if possible. This allows the ink to fully cure and become much more resistant to smudging.
4. Seal for Durability (Optional): If you want to make sure Dad’s new treasures last forever, an adult can take the dried golf balls to a well-ventilated area (preferably outside) and apply a very light, even coat of clear acrylic spray sealant. Let them dry completely according to the can’s instructions.

9 Fun & Easy Golf Ball Design Ideas Kids Will Love

The best part of this kids handmade gift is letting their creativity run wild! To get you started, we’ve gathered nine fun and easy golf ball design ideas. We have something for every age and skill level, from the simplest toddler scribbles to more detailed drawings older kids can tackle.

1. Simple Toddler Scribbles & Dots

Pin this adorable toddler-made gift idea!

This is the perfect way for the littlest ones to get involved. A toddler made gift is all about the abstract art and bright colors!

Materials Needed:

• White golf balls
• A pack of multi-colored, chunky or jumbo-sized permanent markers (easier for small hands to grip)
• Your pre-prepped, clean golf balls and egg carton drying rack

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. Place a clean golf ball in front of your toddler on a protected surface.
2. Show them how to take the cap off one marker.
3. Encourage them to make scribbles, lines, and dots all over the ball. There are no rules!
4. Help them switch colors to create a vibrant, abstract masterpiece.
5. Carefully place the finished ball in the egg carton to dry.

Don’t try to guide their hand! The beauty of this design is in its pure, chaotic, toddler-driven creativity. Embrace the imperfection.

2. Family Stick Figures

Save this sweet and personal gift idea for Dad!

This family portrait craft is an easy but incredibly personal gift for dad from kids. It’s a sweet way to put the whole family right on the golf course with him.

Materials Needed:

• White golf balls
• A black fine-tip Sharpie for the outlines
• Various colored fine-tip Sharpies for filling in clothes

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. Using the black Sharpie, draw the head and body of each family member around the golf ball. Keep them simple!
2. Add small details like hair, smiles, and maybe a tie for Dad.
3. Let the black outlines dry for 60 seconds to prevent smearing.
4. Use the colored markers to fill in the shirts, pants, and dresses for each person.
5. Add a little heart above the family to complete the scene.

Have your child draw the family on a piece of paper first to practice the spacing before drawing on the curved surface of the ball.

3. Dad’s Favorite Things

Pin this thoughtful idea for a truly custom gift!

Create a themed set of custom golf balls for dad that celebrate all of his unique hobbies and interests.

Materials Needed:

• A set of 3 or more golf balls
• Multi-colored permanent markers, including metallic silver or gold for extra flair
• A list of Dad’s favorite things (coffee, fishing, football, grilling, his car, etc.)

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. Brainstorm with your child: “What are Daddy’s favorite things?”
2. Assign one favorite thing to each golf ball.
3. Draw a simple icon or picture representing that hobby on each ball.
4. Example: A brown football, a silver fishing hook, a black coffee mug, a red heart.
5. Arrange the finished balls together in a gift box to present a beautiful, themed set.

If a drawing is too tricky, just writing the word works great too! A ball that just says “COFFEE” or “FISHING” is simple and looks very modern and cool.

4. Funny Faces & Emojis

Need a fun idea? Pin this funny face design!

This is a fun kids activity that results in some seriously funny golf balls. An emoji craft is modern, playful, and sure to make Dad smile.

Materials Needed:

• White golf balls
• A yellow permanent marker is essential for the base color
• Black, blue, and red fine-tip markers for the facial details

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. Use the yellow marker to color a large circle on one side of the golf ball. Let it dry completely.
2. Use the black marker to draw the eyes and mouth for your chosen emoji (winky face, heart eyes, sunglasses).
3. Add details like red hearts or blue tears.
4. Try making silly monster faces with googly eyes and zig-zag mouths.
5. Create a whole set of different emotions for Dad to use depending on how his game is going!

Coloring in a solid area with a Sharpie can look streaky. Embrace it! Or, do two light coats, letting the first one dry completely before adding the second.

5. Sports Ball Tributes

Save this clever idea for the ultimate sports-loving dad!

For golfing dads who love other sports too, transform a plain golf ball into a tribute to their favorite team or sport.

Materials Needed:

• White golf balls
• Markers in specific sports colors: orange, brown, red, and black
• Oil-based paint pens can work great here for a more solid, opaque color

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. For a Baseball: Keep the ball white and use a red fine-tip marker to draw the iconic curved stitch lines.
2. For a Basketball: Color the entire ball orange. Let it dry. Then use a black fine-tip marker to draw the lines.
3. For a Football: Color the ball brown. Let it dry. Use a white marker or paint pen to draw the laces on one side.
4. For a Soccer Ball: Use a black marker to draw the classic pentagon pattern on the white ball.

For the basketball and football, applying the color with an oil-based paint pen will give a much more even, vibrant, and less streaky finish than a standard Sharpie.

6. Sweet Messages & Thumbprints

Pin this heartfelt message idea for a gift Dad will never forget.

A handwritten message on a golf ball turns it into a precious keepsake. Adding a tiny thumbprint makes this sentimental gift idea from a toddler or child even more personal.

Materials Needed:

• White golf balls
• Black or blue fine-tip permanent marker
• A child-safe, washable ink pad (red, blue, or green)
• Wet wipes for easy cleanup!

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. For kids who can write, have them carefully write a short message. Ideas: “I Love You Dad,” “My Hero,” “Best Dad Ever,” “You’re Tee-rific.”
2. For younger kids, an adult can write the message and the child can sign their name.
3. Let the marker ink dry completely for a few minutes.
4. Gently press your child’s thumb onto the ink pad.
5. Carefully guide their thumb to press onto the golf ball, creating a thumbprint. You can draw legs and antennae to turn it into a love bug!
6. Clean their thumb immediately with a wet wipe.

Practice the thumbprint on a piece of paper first to get the right amount of ink and pressure. Too much ink will cause it to smudge.

7. Superhero Logos

For the Dad who is a real-life superhero, pin this idea!

Every kid thinks their dad is a hero. This superhero craft lets them put that feeling onto a gift he can see every day.

Materials Needed:

• White golf balls
• Permanent markers in superhero colors (red, yellow, blue, black)
• Optional: Small, flexible superhero logo stencils
• A very fine-tip black marker for outlines

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. Choose Dad’s favorite superhero (Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, etc.).
2. For an easier approach, use a small stencil to trace the logo onto the ball with a pencil first.
3. Carefully outline the logo with the fine-tip black marker. Let the outline dry completely.
4. Fill in the logo with the appropriate colors (e.g., yellow and red for the Superman logo).
5. Create a whole set featuring different superhero emblems!

If you don’t have stencils, print out a small logo from the internet. An adult can carefully cut out the inside to create a DIY paper stencil to trace.

8. Abstract Patterns & Rainbows

Save this bright and cheerful rainbow design!

You don’t need amazing drawing skills to create stunning, colorful golf ball art. A simple rainbow craft or other abstract patterns are easy and look fantastic.

Materials Needed:

• White golf balls
• A full set of vibrant, rainbow-colored permanent markers

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. For a Rainbow: Starting with red, draw a simple arc across one side of the ball. Follow that arc with orange, then yellow, green, and blue to create a beautiful rainbow.
2. For Zig-Zags: Choose 3-4 complementary colors. Draw a zig-zag line around the entire ball with the first color. Add more zig-zag lines right next to it with the other colors.
3. For Polka Dots: Simply cover the entire ball in dots of various sizes and colors. This is fast, easy, and looks fantastic.

When drawing lines right next to each other, like in a rainbow, wait 30-60 seconds between colors to ensure a crisp line and prevent bleeding.

9. The Keepsake Ball (2025)

Pin this idea to create a time capsule gift he’ll keep forever.

This is the most straightforward yet most meaningful design. It’s a way to make a golf ball keepsake that captures a moment in time, making it a perfect personalized present.

Materials Needed:

• One special, perfect white golf ball
• A fine-tip black permanent marker
• Optional: A single golf ball display case (a clear acrylic cube)

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. This is the simplest but most meaningful design.
2. Have your child (or do it for them if they are a baby) write their name on one side of the ball.
3. On the other side of the ball, write the year: “2025“.
4. You can add a small heart or their age as well.
5. Let it dry completely. For this ball, consider sealing it to preserve the handwriting.
6. Place it in a display case to signal that this one is a forever keepsake, not for the golf course.

This is a wonderful tradition to do every Father’s Day. Imagine Dad’s collection after a few years, showcasing how his child’s handwriting and name-signing skills have grown!

Key Takeaways: Your Quick Guide to a Brilliant Golf Ball Gift

Feeling ready to create the best Father’s Day gift ever? Here’s a quick summary of the most important tips for success.

• Always Prep First: Clean every ball with rubbing alcohol for a perfect, non-smudgy finish.
• Use Permanent Markers: Fine-tip Sharpies are your best friend for detail and control.
• Create a Drying Station: An egg carton is the perfect free tool to prevent smudges while the ink sets.
• Embrace Imperfection: The charm of this gift is that it’s made by a child. Let their creativity shine!
• Package with Love: A decorated egg carton or a small gift box elevates the final presentation.

People Also Ask About Drawing on Golf Balls

You’ve got the ideas and the how-to, but you might still have a few questions. Here are answers to some of the most common queries about this fun craft.

Can you actually use Sharpie-decorated golf balls to play golf?

Yes, for casual play or putting practice, they are perfectly fine! The thin layer of ink won’t noticeably affect the ball’s flight for a friendly round. However, they are technically not conforming for official tournament play, so serious golfers should keep them as cherished keepsakes.

How do you keep the Sharpie from rubbing off the golf ball?

The best method is proper preparation and curing. First, thoroughly clean the ball with rubbing alcohol before drawing. After drawing, let the ink dry and cure for at least 24 hours. For maximum durability, an adult can apply a thin coat of clear acrylic spray sealant.

What are the best markers to use on golf balls?

Fine-tip permanent markers like Sharpies are the easiest and most popular choice, especially for kids. They dry quickly and come in many colors. For more vibrant, solid colors, oil-based paint pens are a great alternative but require a longer drying time to prevent smearing.

How can I fix a mistake made with a permanent marker?

You can often fix small mistakes if you act quickly. Dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and carefully scrub the mistake. It may take a little effort and might leave a faint shadow, but it’s usually effective at removing fresh ink.

Final Thoughts

This Father’s Day, you’re not just giving a set of golf balls; you’re giving a story, a memory, and a handful of treasures he’ll cherish more than any perfect score. The real gift is the fun your family has creating something together and the love that goes into every line, dot, and scribble.

What special designs are your little artists planning for Dad?

Last update on 2025-12-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API