Putting greens are a lot easier to set up than most imagine.
Almost every golfer would love to have their own putting green, but many assume it’s something that can only be achieved if you’re very rich. Actually, the truth is as long as you have a garden with a decent amount of free space, you can create an amazing putting green easily. Let’s take a look at how you can build your very own putting green.
With the right start and follow through, you can enjoy a backyard putting green of your very own
The first choice you’re going to have to make is whether you’re going to have a putting green with either artificial or real grass. There are benefits and drawbacks to each option and the choice you make will generally fall to personal preference and the requirements of your garden.
Youll want your putting green to be located in an open area in your backyard that gets plenty of sunlight. Your future green should receive plenty of airflow, without any blockage of wind from buildings, bushes, or trees. (Low spots in your backyard or areas that drain poorly should be avoided.)
After youve found the ideal place for your green, you should: Imagine the overall dimensions for your green. After you have a feel for the features of your soon-to-be putting green, take a piece of paper and sketch out the general design, including desired measurements.
Then, measure and stake out your planned putting green area.
Your next step is to get your soil ready. Take a look at the current soil in your garden – ideally you are looking for a sandy loam soil, but grass can grow in many types if soil. If the soil contains too much clay, however, this could be a problem. Remove any turf from the planned green location and rake away rocks and other debris.
The best way to ensure that your putting area stays sufficiently drained is to install vented plastic pipe.
Dig trenches that are roughly 24" deep and 12" wide and run from the edge of your green through the middle. The trench should slop downward away from the green to carry away any excess water.
To install drainage, you should:
-1- Place filter fabric around the bottom of your trench so it reaches up the sides. -2- Lay your perforated / vented plastic pipe in the trench. -3- Fill your trench with 12 inches of coarse, clean gravel. -4- Fold the ends of your filter fabric on top of your gravel. -5- Refill the remainder of your trench with soil.
Next, it’s a good idea to separate your green from the rest of your garden. This can stop weeds from growing in the green. The best way to do this is use a plastic lining.
ADD SOME CONTOUR
You’re not trying to replicate the greens at Augusta national. But you do want your putting surface to have a little lilt. If the ground doesn’t have any natural contours, you’ll need to add them. You can, in theory, do this job by hand, adding humps and bumps to the terrain.
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Now you need to add the putting holes. Cut out a hole that this slightly larger than a golf ball. You don’t need to add a cup or anything else just yet, this simply acts as a guide to the layout of the putting green. The rest of the work can be done later.
Now the soil is ready, you can plant your grass seed. It’s a good idea to mix the seed with a little sand to give it some cover. This could be very important if you get a lot of birds on your property, though if you notice birds feeding heavily on your seed, you may want to scatter extra.
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