Putting Green in Your Backyard

This article is your guide to know how to build backyard putting green. If you have enough space in your backyard, you can very well turn your dream into reality and get your dream putting green in your backyard. Location, slope, soil mixture, type of grass, drainage, irrigation are important factors that help in building putting green in your backyard. To cut down the maintenance cost, you can opt for synthetic grass. This will also keep pests and weeds away.

Putting green in your backyard is a great alternative to your personal golf course. And you would be surprised to know that you can lay the golf turf on your own. If you are a golf enthusiast, read on to understand the tips to build putting green in your backyard. 

Know How to Build Backyard Putting Green

Your love for golf would certainly encourage you to know how to build a putting green in the backyard. With a putting green in your backyard, you can practice your short game without having to pay the golf course for the same. Building a putting green can certainly be an enjoyable activity. When you learn about the concept of how to build a putting green in your backyard, you will come across many factors that must be considered to go ahead with the process, such as slope, soil, exposure, location, type of grass, and much more.

Essentials Factors to be Considered to Build Putting Green in Your Backyard

Before you actually start building your putting green, you must have hand digging tools, plastic pipes, probe, planers, irrigation tubes, soil, and seeds. Besides, type of home turf, grass, type of movers, climate, and terrain are also key determinants.

Location

·         High elevation – The putting green must not be located in a depression or low area. Building the putting green above the ground level will ensure proper drainage of water.

·         Sunlight - The putting green requires adequate sunlight for the optimum growth of the turf.

·         Aeration – Aeration is essential to keep the putting green healthy and in good shape. The air holes in the soil help the roots to breathe, thus preventing the burning of the putting green. For a golfer, air holes in their favorite golf course are a frustrating sight, but these disappear within two weeks of the aeration process.   

Construction

 A proper drainage system will ensure that no puddles will appear to make the green unusable. The green should be built above the ground level so that water is able to run off quickly. It is even better to build the putting green in a sloped fashion.

·         The root of the putting green must be sandy and be able to withstand the foot traffic. It will ensure that water will not sink into it and can withstand the regular traffic.

·         Soil selection is important for the putting green construction. Though any type of soil is suitable for building a backyard putting green, a sandy loamy soil is ideal. For root zone mix, the soil must have about 60 percent sand and 5-20 percent clay. Well drained and slightly sandy soil is ideal for laying down a putting green. Fine gravel, very coarse sand, medium sand, silt, clay are important particles for the soil of the root zone.

·         Creeping bent grass is the best variety of grass recommended for putting greens. Its denseness and mowing qualities have made it the most extensively used grass for putting greens. With a fine texture and thick density, bent grass is deep green in color and known as one of the luxury grasses of the cool season.

Maintenance

·         Mow your putting green at 3/16 to 1/4 inch more than four times per week.

·         Fertilize your putting green with 0.5 lb nitrogen every 1,000 sq. ft.

·         Water the green in the early morning, especially when the green shows signs of drought.

·         Produce a dense grass so that it is no longer vulnerable to pests or insects.

·         Apply a layer of 1/8 inch thick topdressing of screened soil above the putting surface.

·         Use a synthetic grass preferably in order to cut down the need to maintain the greens. Though it will cost more in the beginning, it will save you enough time and money on maintenance. It will also prevent decaying and pest problems, which are common in case of any real grass.

Cost

If you are seriously interested to know how to build a putting green in your backyard and its cost, then you will be happy to note that you do not have to spend much. About 1,000 square feet of grass green will cost you a few hundred dollars only.

How to Build Backyard Putting Green Procedure

·         Mark the highest spot where the putting green must be built.

·         Use a shovel or bobcat to ensure that the putting area is free from poor soil, lumps, stones, and shrubs. If the area is not cleared properly, it will impede your shots. 

·         Lay an inch of layer of fresh soil. If you prefer starting with a layer of soil for better drainage, lay out the top soil thereafter.

·         Provide a good irrigation system, as the grass in the upper layer of soil needs water to grow. Do ensure that you water the grass regularly, for putting green grass requires much care.

·         Consult a greens keeper, who can regularly suggest how to take care of your putting green, particularly the chemical treatments required in this regard.