The land around your home can be used for many things. For people who enjoy golfing, it is possible to build a putting green into your landscape that can be used for fun, practice and entertainment. Putting makes up about 40 percent of your golf game, so the best way to cut strokes off your handicap is to practice your short game. Where else is putting practice more convenient than in your own backyard?
Personal putting greens were once considered a luxury enjoyed by celebrities and pro-golfers, but now they are growing in popularity amongst homeowners and recreational golfers. Take a look at the beautiful putting green we designed and installed for a home in the Kansas City Metro area!
Installing a professional putting green can be rather complicated, so it’s a good idea to work with a qualified landscape design and installation contractor that specializes in constructing putting greens. They can advise you on issues including:
- Drainage: For a really smooth coating of grass, drainage must be perfect. The base beneath your putting green should be made of sand or soil mixed with a high sand content. To make sure the drainage works efficiently, it is a good idea to raise the putting green slightly above the rest of the area. The putting green lawn should be kept watered evenly and carefully weeded.
- Turf: To get the kind of lawn needed to surface a smooth putting green, you need to use special turf varieties that will grow the fine blades to form a velvety, even carpet. These are special grass varieties developed specifically for this use and are usually planted by sod, sprigs or plugs.
- Grading: Make sure the contours of the putting green surface are calculated by someone who understands how the ball will respond on its roll into the hole.
- Irrigation: Locate your putting green where it is in full sun and set up a limited, low-volume sprinkler system to keep the area well watered without waste or run-off.
Whether you are practicing putting, chipping, pitching or approach shots, your backyard putting green shouldn’t be a one size fits all. Also, no matter what type of putting green you design, landscaping around the green should be considered along with the installation of your putting green. Great landscaping will ensure that your home golf green looks as though it has been in your backyard all along!