How amazing would it be to have your own backyard putting green? If you’re like most golfers, it would be a dream come true. Paired with an outdoor hitting net or golf simulator in your garage, your game will become unstoppable from daily at home practice.
But for most golf enthusiasts, the dream of having a backyard putting green dies when they see the price some companies charge. Depending on the design, it might cost a few thousand and some companies will charge up to $5,000-$10,000 or more.
Financially, it’s just not in the cards for most people. Luckily, we have a solution to make your golf dream come to life.
We’re not here to sell you anything but instead, help you learn how to build a putting green at home. If you’re a handyman, this is the tutorial you need for sprucing up the backyard and making your golf buddies jealous.
So, how do you make a professional putting green?
How to Build a Putting Green in Your Backyard
Before diving into the step-by-step process, it’s important to compare real grass vs. synthetic turf. First, real grass is a ton of work; while you might want real grass so it feels exactly like a golf course, it will require constant upkeep.
According to this Golf.com article, “Greens typically need to be mown at least once every three days. Without that regular tending, they become overgrown. Getting them back up to speed is tough. Sometimes it’s impossible, and the entire putting surface has to be reseeded, and you’re looking at least two months before they’re ready for play again.”
Unless you want to mow your putting surface every three days, “fake” turf is the way to go. Plus, depending on where you live, you will have to deal with weather issues too such as mowing your lawn.
For the sake of simplicity, we’ll base this article on synthetic turf as it’s almost maintenance free and something you can buy at Home Depot or Lowes. Plus, you won’t have to act like a greenskeeper every few days, making it a more enjoyable experience.
Alright, let’s get into how to create a DIY putting green; this YouTube video does a great job of breaking down some of the major steps if you want to watch afterward.
Step 1: Map Out Your Area
The first step is assessing the area (likely your backyard) to figure out where your putting surface will be located. You want to find a level location as building it on a hill with slope will require a lot more work to get it flat. It’s also a good idea to place it in an area where you can ensure proper drainage to cope with winter weather.
Additionally, before deciding on the location you want to think about if you’re using it for putting or chipping too. If you plan to chip or pitch, you want to position accordingly, so a bad shot won’t damage the house or go into a neighbor’s property. You don’t want to put it next to a retaining wall as it will limit the space to hit chips into the green.
Once you have the location, map out the size and shape of the putting green with an old hose. As the YouTube video shows, a kidney shape is pretty traditional for DIY putting greens, but this is your design so make it whatever shape you want!
After you confirm the shape and size, use spray paint to outline the green and remove the hose. This will give you a good visual preview of what’s to come and establish the foundation of your new DIY putting green.
Before preparing the area, here are two things to consider:
- Chipping Area: To make your putting green even better, it might be a good idea to dig out an area close by for chipping and pitching section. This way you can add an outdoor mat to chip from and not damage your grass.
- Bunker: Additionally, if you want to really take your outdoor green to the next level, you can add a bunker too. This is pretty easy as you just need to dig out room near the green (deeper than the green – about 1-2 feet deep) and get the right type of sand. If you have an avid junior golfer at home and enough room, I suggest making it happen. Just remember, Phil Mickelson had a bunker in his backyard growing up and he’s arguably one of the best bunker players of all time. Plus, we could benefit from a little extra bunker practice.
- Drainage: Please note, the site for your green is another big thing to consider before you start buying gravel and lay down any manual labor. Besides finding an area in your yard with good soil, you want to make sure the drainage situation won’t create puddles and will be able to withstand the weather each winter.
Step 2: Prepare Your Area
Once you have the putting green outlined in a good area, it’s time to clear the site and surrounding area. If you’re replacing grass, you will need to remove the sod with a sod cutter. And eliminate rocks, weeds, and anything else getting in the way underneath your green.
If you don’t have any real grass to replace, you will need to dig out a small area of dirt for your putting green. You don’t need to dig too deep – about four to seven inches or so will do. It’s also not a bad idea to spray weed killer in that area to ensure your green is good for the long-term.
Once the grass is cleared and a slight hole is dug, it’s time to fill it up with a road base. According to Synthetic Grass Warehouse, “If you are going to use type II or road base as your grading materials, I recommend placing one inch of 3/8 minus, chat, or decomposed granite on top and compacting it to complete a smooth surface. Type II and road base have too much aggregate (rock) and may cause problems with proper “ball roll”.
To get the base flat, make sure to moisten the road base with a hose and use a shovel to smooth it. Then, use a roller to make sure it’s perfectly flat across the entire putting surface. You might need to pat down with your hands and pick out additional rocks too.
The base is key to making sure you get a smooth roll and feeling like you’re on the actual golf course. While they might not be like tour greens on the PGA, creating a solid foundation without small bumps is necessary.
Don’t forget, the base layer sets up the rest of your project!
At this point, you can go one of two routes; buy an outdoor putting green or buy turf and do the installation yourself. If you want to buy an outdoor one that is already made, there are tons of great options.
The Boburn golf putting mat is an indoor/outdoor mat that comes in a variety of sizes (the largest is 5 x 10 feet). This green has a real feel with a stimp meter reading of about a 10 which is comparable to the speed of most public golf courses and some private clubs. Overall, a 10 is pretty good speed and a great way to help you hone your short game skills.
If you want to buy turf and install it yourself, keep following our step-by-step guide.
Step 3: Add the Synthetic Turf
Now that the area is prepared, it’s time to add the synthetic turf to your backyard putting green. There are tons of different types of synthetic turf so it’s all about finding one that matches your ideal look, budget, and green speed.
The putting green turf itself plays a monumental role so make sure to do your research. It’s based on price per square foot and varies greatly in the same way golf clubs do from brand to brand. Plus, they might not have quality turf in stock and need to ship it to your house so plan ahead.
Once you have the synthetic turf, it’s time to install it. If you buy a brand that recommends pre-shrinking it, make sure to follow instructions ahead of time. If you don’t need to pre-shrink the grass, you can roll it out of the putting green and begin this process.
Remember, the turf comes in large sizes so you will need to cut it once it’s laid out on top of the putting green. You can save any remaining turf or use it as your chipping area too.
Once the turf covers your outlined area and is cut, it’s time to secure it so it doesn’t move as you walk and putt on it. You can secure the turf with large nails or turf pegs around the entire green. If you opted to build a bunker as well, this is the time to fill it in with sand.
Finally, don’t forget to cut your holes too. Using a hole cutter, cut out the turf with a knife, then dig out room for the hole (which can also help with some drainage). Try to space them out so they aren’t too close to each other and allow different angle putts and chip shots.
If you want to test yourself even more on your backyard putting green, buy some of the mini holes that are about half the size of a normal hole. These will make your golf game even better and make a regulation size hole feel like a bucket!
Step 4: Add Other Landscaping Around the Green
Once the green and cups are installed, don’t forget to spruce up the surrounding area. This will make the green blend in more with your backyard and make it look like it’s been there for years (even if it only took a few days to install).
There are tons of ways you can do this, ere are some ideas:
- Add a border around the green. You can use small bricks or edging, so golf balls don’t go off the putting green. This kind of looks like a mini-golf area more than a professional putting green so you might want to add small plastic liners instead. It will essentially act as a weed barrier too.
- Add fringe. If you don’t want a border around the green, you can add a fringe to make it look even more realistic, like a typical golf course green. Just buy a different color and shape it around the green to make it visually appealing.
- Add dirt, rocks, or grass. To make the green blend in with the rest of the yard, add plants, bark, rocks, or real grass to surround the entire putting green. Adding some nice landscaping near the surrounding ground will make it blend in perfectly.
Step 5 – Maintain Your Backyard Putting Green
Once your green is done, don’t forget to follow the maintenance instructions to keep it looking great for years to come. With regular maintenance, you won’t have to worry about replacing the turf as often. You should also invest in a leaf blower so you can easily clean your green as you should not use a rake on it.
FAQs About DIY Putting Greens
Do you have more questions about making your own golf putting green for your backyard? If so, we’ll answer the most common questions below.
How much does it cost to build a real putting green?
The green cost varies greatly depending on multiple factors including:
- Preparing the site: This is where the cost can go up significantly if you need to remove a concrete base, add drainage, remove trees/bushes and more. If you only have to rip up old grass or dig up some dirt, it’ll be much cheaper.
- Size: The bigger the green, the more it will cost you but the more variety of putts too. Sizes can range from 500 to 2,000 or more square feet and is all about working with the open area you have available.
- Type of green: Each brand of turf will range as some are eco friendly, last longer, have different speeds, etc.
- Fringe and landscaping: If you choose to accessorize around your green, it can add a significant amount but usually looks better and is well worth it.
- Additional features: If you add chipping areas, sand, or other training aids to make your practice better this will add to the cost as well. But let’s get real, how cool would it be to have your own bunker in your backyard?
Are backyard putting greens worth it?
Yes, putting greens are a great way to practice at home, upgrade your yard, and have more fun with your family. Think about it, if you use your green daily for even 10 minutes working on 3-5 footers, your game will improve fast!
Plus, you can use it for chipping, hitting sand shots, and a great way to relax after a long day at work or running your business. Not to mention, a backyard putting green looks great by your patio and is easier to maintain than a lawn. Sure, it’s a good-sized project at first, but the green cost is worth it in our opinion.
Does a putting green add value to a home?
If you do a good job with the installation, it might (or at least attract more buyers who are potential buyers to come take a look). But if you use a company like Tour Greens, it will almost certainly add value as these greens costs thousands of dollars.
What is a good size home putting green?
This is a good question as square footage will change greatly based on the amount of usable space in your backyard. An average green on the course is 6,000 square feet but obviously you don’t need something that big for your home. Make one that is big enough to work on anything inside 15 feet but not so big that it’s an eye soar (or your wife gets mad at you).
How long do putting greens last?
There are a ton of factors including amount of use, size, drainage, weather, type of turf and more. But when I was researching this post, I found one at Home Depot that was turf specifically created for DIY putting greens that said it should last eight years. While the warranty is likely much shorter, with regular cleaning it should last you for quite some time.
While Tour Greens said, “The turf used in Tour Greens putting greens features polypropylene fibers that are designed to resist the harmful effects of rain, snow, ice, and sun. With proper and regular maintenance (once or twice a year), your green can last 15 years or more.”
Can I pay someone to do this instead?
Yes, there are tons of companies that will do the hard work for you but it will cost significantly more. Tour Greens is one of the most popular companies for residential and commercial putting greens.
As their website stated, “Every Tour Greens residential putting green is built to exact specifications, producing the most attractive, high-performance golf surfaces on the market today. Our revolutionary infilled synthetic grass system looks and reacts just like a real bent grass putting green, without the daily maintenance. Green speeds and contours are engineered to your preference for challenging practice and play.”
With Tour Greens, you get to make sure the speed, slope, and breaks are exactly as you like. They do all the hard work (dressing, remove the lawn, install the turf, etc.) of the site and can make your short game dreams come true.
What about putting green kits?
Tour Greens recommend a DIY kit known as XGrass which makes installing a green easy. As long as you have a relatively flat location (up to 3% slope) and follow the instructions, you will be all set.
After you assemble the panel system and place the pre-drilled cups, you’re ready to go. Plus, you can choose from a ton of different square foot designs that will go perfectly in your backyard green.
What makes a good putting green?
The biggest factor is making sure the ground underneath is relatively flat and smooth. This will create the best putting experience and feel almost as if you’re on the golf course. Additionally, having it big enough to chip and pitch (or hit sand shots) is even better.
Overall, it’s much cheaper than having one professionally installed.
Final Thoughts
Backyard putting greens are a great way to improve your short game and fuel your passion for golf. Golf greens are a great way to eliminate mowing the lawn and won’t make you feel like you have a second job by using real grass. Plus, unless you were a superintendent in your past life, mowing the green and fringe to the exact height is nearly impossible.
Synthetic greens with pea gravel or rock base are the way to go. While they aren’t going to be PGA Tour greens quality, we’re confident you will love being able to roll the rock in your backyard. It will make entertaining family and friends more fun than ever.
If you aren’t ready to create your own backyard putting green (yet), make sure you check out our best indoor putting greens too.
