This article will teach you how to make a backyard putting green. It starts with the basics, such as what materials you’ll need and how much wood you’ll need for your putter. You will then learn about some of the tools needed and see two different models that are easy to build yourself
The “diy backyard putting green kit” is a guide that will teach you how to make your own backyard putting green. The instructions are easy to follow and there are pictures to help guide you along the way.
So you want to improve your golf game but don’t always have time to visit your local driving range or country club? You may establish your own practice facility in the seclusion of your own backyard if you know how to design a backyard putting green.
Consider how many strokes you could cut from your average if you practiced putting every day after work.
Of course, you could practice at your workplace or on your living room carpet, but you’ll need a real practice green to acquire meaningful practice. So, how do you go about making one?
So, let us take you step by step through the full procedure.
Contents Table of Contents
Contents
Step 1: Decide on a location.
The placement of your putting green is the first thing you’ll need to determine before anything else. After all, you can’t figure out any other specifics until you know where you’re going. When picking a site, there are a few crucial factors to consider.
The first is the quantity of light that reaches the earth. If you’re using artificial turf (more on that later), this isn’t a big deal, but if you’re using natural grass, it may be a big one.
The slope of the ground, as well as the absorbency and smoothness of the surface, are the most important factors. A generally level land with a slope of no more than 2% is required.
When it comes to space, it’s also crucial to maintain a sense of perspective. While America is obsessed with the largest and greatest, it’s crucial to remember that the typical US golf course green is roughly 5,000 square feet, which is more than twice the size of the average suburban house and more than five times the size of the average city apartment.
Of course, not every putting green requires as much space. A little green is totally okay, but you won’t be able to practice longer putts.
Another issue to consider is if your putting green would limit property access or isolate you from a portion of your yard. The best spot is around a corner, ideally with some shade so you can keep cool on a hot day.
It’s also feasible to create up practice areas with wedges and short irons if you have a spacious yard. In addition to focusing on your putting, this will help you to practice your short game and enhance your wedge accuracy.
Of course, a full-length hole may be built in a large yard, but that needs fairway upkeep, which can quickly become difficult – and costly.
Before breaking the ground, mark out the area with chalk or lawn-safe marking paint. You may be amazed how seeing your idea drawn out in paint might help you put things into perspective. This is particularly crucial if you’re developing close to the property border, since fences and hedges may make even a huge green seem confined if it’s too close to the fence.
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Step 2: Select a Material
After you’ve determined where your green will be, the following stage in the planning process is to decide whether you’ll use genuine grass or artificial turf. Both materials offer advantages and disadvantages, so we’ll look at each one separately.
Green Grass
It’s difficult to argue against a true green from an aesthetic standpoint. When compared to the splendor of actual, natural grass, even the greatest artificial turf seems “wrong.”
However, they demand substantially more attention, so be prepared to spend both time and money in their upkeep.
Mowing is the most evident issue. A good putting green should be roughly the height of two quarters placed on top of each other.
In contrast, the typical consumer lawnmower is just around two inches tall. You’ll need a specialist reel mower to get down to an eighth of an inch, which may cost thousands of dollars.
The reason for this is because a conventional rotary lawn mower just has one revolving blade that cuts your grass. This approach is ineffective at extremely low altitudes. A reel mower, on the other hand, operates with a pair of blades that swing together like scissors. This enables low-level precision cutting.
As you may expect, this has an impact on the amount of variety your green can have. A reel mower may “bottom out” on even the smallest bump or dip, necessitating frequent maintenance with a lawn roller to keep your green looking fresh and healthy. Furthermore, the reel mower will require ongoing maintenance. Before each mow, you’ll need to calibrate the rollers on the bottom; dial calipers will assure exact accuracy.
You’ll also want to make sure your blades stay sharp, not simply file sharp, like a rotary mower blade. In addition to a bed knife, a reel motor has 10 to 15 different blades. For a precise cut, all of them must be razor-sharp, which necessitates the purchase of a set of specialty grinders. Just to chop your grass, you’ll need a lot of tools.
You’ll also need to maintain the fringe well-trimmed, which you can accomplish with the lowest setting on a conventional push mower if you don’t mind the “fringe” looking like ordinary golf course rough.
Many folks overlook the additional upkeep that is necessary. For starters, you’ll need to water on a regular basis. Every day, ideally early in the morning before the sun rises. Furthermore, weeds and crabgrass provide a persistent threat. On a weekly basis, check through your green with a fine-tooth comb, remove any troublesome plants, and fix any damaged sections.
Green Artificial
Green Artificial give you an easy experience that requires virtually zero maintenance. They won’t dry out during a watering ban, and they require no weeding; just use a leaf blower to clear away any debris that happens to fall on your green.
On a synthetic green, the only true maintenance you’ll have to do is check the edges once a year to make sure all the ground spikes are securely secured and haven’t rusted out.
However, excellent artificial grass may be costly. You will not be doing yourself any favors if you use a cheap indoor/outdoor carpet. Even if you’re legally blind and don’t use glasses, they play terribly and seem artificial.
If you invest in good turf, you’ll have a long-lasting putting green that you can use for years.
Finally, Green Artificial are suitable for any climate. So even if you live in a desert or a cold area, your green will stay, for lack of a better word, green.
Step 3: Landscaping and Grading
The first stage in the installation process is to make sure your putting green is correctly graded and has enough water drainage. To maintain your green free of weeds, you’ll also need to add a liner.
To do this, you must first clear any existing grass. You can hire a sod cutter for a reasonable price, but the same effect may be achieved with a shovel and some elbow grease.
Also, don’t forget to remove a fringe. A minimum of 12 inches is required, but up to 24 inches is acceptable if you desire a broader fringe. Fringe is more than simply a fashion statement. It also enables you to construct a retaining wall, which keeps grading materials in place, prevents erosion, and facilitates drainage.
The next step is to dig down deep enough for a gravel foundation, which will take around 18 inches. You can use a shovel again, but renting a small excavator for the day is more quicker and simpler. Make sure the bottom of your shape is level and flat. To establish a strong foundation, use a tamper and a long level, ideally 4 feet or longer. Fill soil may be required to build up one or both sides if necessary. To obtain a uniform foundation, be careful to damp down both the fresh and old soil before tamping.
Build your retaining wall around the perimeter of your form now that it’s been excavated out. This can be done with any sort of landscaping blocks and capstones, so look around for a color and form that complements the rest of your yard.
The next step is to keep weeds out of your green. The retaining wall will assist a lot, but a bed liner would help much more. Instead of using a plastic liner, use a porous landscape cloth. Weeds and shoots will be kept out, but water will still be able to drain.
After that, you’ll need a drainage foundation. You’ll need to put down a six-inch layer of 34-inch gravel for this. You’ll need a lot of this stuff, so don’t purchase it by the bag at Home Depot; you’ll waste a lot of money. Purchase it in quantity from a landscaping provider. Lay your gravel down in 2-inch layers, tamping and leveling as you go. A plate compactor will make quick work of this task, but if you want to save money, a manual tamper will do.
The gravel layer should then be covered with sand. Apply this in the same manner as the gravel: 2 inches at a time, tamping as you go. If you’re using dry sand, moisten it down with a hose before applying it. This provides complete and uniform compaction.
Finally, lay down six inches of good topsoil on top, two inches at a time, tamping as you go, exactly like you did with the sand and gravel. Do not use low-cost fill soil! To grow big and lush, your green needs proper soil. Note that if you’re using artificial grass, this third step isn’t required. In such instance, instead of digging an 18-inch bed, you may dig a 12-inch bed and skip the topsoil.
Add Drainage in Step 4
It’s critical to check that your putting green has proper drainage before finishing it. After all, it doesn’t matter how beautiful and clean the green is if it’s suddenly covered by a half-inch of water every time it rains.
Dig a trench beneath your green that goes through the centre and drains on both sides before installing the grass or carpeting. This ditch should be lined with pebbles and gravel, and slanted to drain entirely away from the putting surface.
As previously said, it’s also critical to line the whole installation with gravel. If you haven’t followed our instructions, please go back to step 3 and double-check your work.
Always seek guidance from a landscaper you know and trust if you have any substantial doubts. If you have a solid connection with them, they can frequently give precise advise for a fraction of the cost of a complete installation.
Step 5: Laying Turf or Carpet
After you’ve planted, lined, and tamped down your bed, the following step is to lay down the new surface. Whether you choose grass or carpets, you must ensure that it is properly placed.
We’ve previously discussed the advantages and disadvantages of carpeting over artificial grass, so we won’t go over them again. However, you’ll need a solid putting surface in any case.
Also, as previously stated, the fringe area surrounding the green should be at least 6 inches wide, if not 12 inches wide, to allow for optimal drainage. This section may also be used to account for excess slope along the perimeter of the grass, which helps accommodate lawns with unusual slopes.
You shouldn’t need to make any modifications at this stage if you’ve set your pavers section by section, piece by piece, consistently re-measuring the level. You should make sure your stone caps are lower than the green.
This is due to two factors:
- A rubber lip or retainer will be required for the green (even if the green is artificial and requires no water).
- Even if you don’t have a lip, your green has to be well-drained. Water may pool up after a rain if the stone caps are higher than the green and the wall is adequately built, converting your putting green into a mud hole.
Assuming you’ve followed this advice as well as the guidance from the previous part, you should be ready to install the green’s surface. Thankfully, we’re going to provide you some tips on how to go about it.
If You’re Growing Grass on Your Own
Before watering, cover your grass seeds with hay before planting. These seeds will attract birds, and if the birds eat your seeds, you won’t see much growth.
The criteria for bare grass are straightforward. As previously said, aerate periodically, roll the green with a weighted grass roller, and use a good mower.
If You’re Making a Man-Made Green
Place the full piece of outdoor carpet or Astroturf in front of you before you begin. Make sure your target region is covered by the full profile.
This is because it is quite simple to overestimate space outdoors. When it comes to actual measurement, it’s a good idea to add 10% to each dimension to guarantee there’s enough material to go around.
Of course, anchoring a fake green need a diverse set of technologies. Non-galvanized spikes with a minimum length of 6 inches are recommended. In any form of bad weather, any shorter than this will be the end of your garden liner and your plants. On the plus side, 6-inch spikes are reasonably priced.
However, after you’ve tucked the Astroturf in, your work is over. There will be no more maintenance needed.
If you’re putting down rolled natural turf, here’s what you should know.
You’ll need to plan ahead for your cuts, just as you would with carpeting. After all, most tasks call for more materials than you anticipated. Lay everything out first, just like you would with artificial grass, before making any cuts.
After you’ve measured your area, you’ll need to measure the measurements using a chalk line. After that, use a grass cutter to cut the ground. A long razor knife can do the work if you’re attempting to save money, but be prepared to replace blades regularly.
By the way, knee pads are a fantastic idea if you’re working on grass. This may not seem required on the day of the job, but trust us when we say that if you don’t wear knee pads, you will be in a lot of discomfort the following day.
To enhance accuracy, go as slowly as possible when cutting the bed, and prefer large lengths over small ones. This guarantees that you do not cross the boundary of your property.
Step 6: Insert the Pin and Hole
At this point, you’re ready to set your putting hole in place. Many items, such as the Standard Golf Hole Cutter Guide, may help you with this.
Why should you restrict yourself to just one hole? It’s a good idea to make numerous holes to practice a variety of shots.
A pin may or may not be required. It’s just unneeded on most putting greens. A pin may be an excellent option if you have a vast property and are chipping or using an iron before hitting your green.
Golf Hole Cutter Standard Guide from
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Step 7: Finishing Touches
A backyard putting green, like a real golf course, is half the fun since it allows you to come outside and enjoy the fresh air. So why not add some flair with some decor?
Installing a garden seat or chair nearby, especially in the shade, is the most apparent thing to do. You’ll have someplace to sit and relax in the hot heat this way.
You may, however, be inventive. A tiny pond or sand trap may be used to replicate the hazards seen on a real golf course. These characteristics are not only appealing, but they may also assist you improve your short game.
You might just just buy one…
We realize if this all seems a little overwhelming. This is a time-consuming procedure that will need a few days of dedicated effort — as well as some assistance from family and friends.
There are, thankfully, alternative options for getting your own backyard putting green. You might, for example, hire an expert to do the task for you.
Many businesses, such as Pro Putt Systems, provide this service. Simply give them a photo of your site and the total square footage of your projected green, and they’ll respond with an estimate that includes both landscaping and installation costs.
It’s difficult to top in terms of installation simplicity. However, you will pay much more, but you will not be required to work all of the hours.
Conclusion
A backyard putting green offers several benefits. It facilitates your golf practice by bringing it closer to home and allowing you to practice on weekends.
However, it is also rather costly. That said, we believe we’ve covered all you need to know about building a backyard putting green. We hope we’ve been of assistance!
This is an easy guide to make a backyard putting green. This will teach you how to design and build your own outdoor putting green. The turf can be made from natural materials, such as sod or wood chips, or artificial turf. Reference: outdoor putting green turf.
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