Have you ever had the thought about having a golf green in your back yard to practice your putting any time you want?What a dream! In reality you can have one with a little work. Having your own green in the backyard would make it easier to practice golf in your free time.
However, keep in mind that a real one might require constant attention, extensive labor, and a lot of money. From choosing a location and creating a design to purchasing proper materials and tools, there are many steps involved in this process. To make everything simpler, we have created a step-by-step guide to show you how to make your own golf green.
1. Choose a green location
Ideally, you should choose an open area in the backyard with a lot of sunlight for your green. It should also get enough airflow, without being blocked from trees, bushes, or buildings.
Avoid low spots which poorly drain. After selecting the right place, the next step is to create an overall sketch of the green, which includes planned measurements. Keep in mind that a larger green will require more effort and money to install and maintain.
2. Test your soil
The next step on how to make your own golf green is to evaluate the condition of the soil. While most soils can be ideal for grass’s roots, the ideal composition should be sandy loam. If the soil features a high clay concentration, the turf would suffer significantly, and wouldn’t grow well to putt.
To check for clay, you would perform a percolation test. Firstly, dig a 2-inch deep hole and fill it with water. Wait a day for water to drain and then fill it again with water. If the hole drains in no more than 12 hours, the soil might have a good percolation rate that supports plants.
3. Access the surface drainage
The contours of the green should allow easy and quick water drainage. That’s why it is better to avoid low areas that collect water. Try to create various drainage routes to prevent your grass from getting waterlogged. Also, you could enhance drainage conditions setting up drainage tiles under the green’s surface.
4. Construct the green
Tear up original sod in which you make the green, then rake rocks and debris to create optimum seeding conditions, aeration, and drainage. Doing this with a tiller would aerate and loosen the soil better, thus enhancing soil consistency and growth. The best time for constructing a green is spring.
Next, use a plastic lining to separate the green from other parts of the backyard. This is important in protecting against weeds. Use a rake to spread the soil evenly and ensure the whole area is smooth and level. Use the bulb planter to make a hole that is slightly bigger than the golf ball.
5. Plant and maintain the grass
Mix some grass seeds with sand, then sow them evenly around your green. Ideally, 1 pound should cover around 2,000 square feet, but there might be some variations, depending on the type of grass you choose. Similarly, there are many fertilize options to choose from.
Do careful research to choose the best option for your grass. Keep in mind that newly grown grass can be very thirsty. That’s why it is important to water heavily, at least twice per day. If possible, syringe the green, particularly in hot days.
Option use artificial turf
You can buy artificial turf and install it in place of grass.
Once the grass has grown more than 2 inches high, perform the first cut with a mower. Make sure to be careful and walk behind the machine with flat-footed, gentle steps since the top layer is still loose. It is advisable to cut 3 times each week to maintain a perfect height. Do not forget to fertilize on a regular basis to provide enough nutrients for grass growth.
6. Complete with accessories
By now, you might understand how to make your own golf green. But to complete it, consider adding some necessary accessories. For example, add a putting cup to give your home made golf green a more realistic look. This can be done easily with a golf-hole cutter or a jigsaw. Also, you can plant the golf flag to complete your homemade green.
The bottom line
After reading this guide, we believe that you would learn how to make your own golf green at home. With a lot of planning and preparation, it is not that challenging to incorporate a green into the overall landscape of your backyard and enjoy its recreational benefits. It is about enjoying the sport we love! Have fun making your own golf green.
If you enjoyed this post you can view other great posts on this website:
- How to increase your golf swing speed.
- Instructions on improving you golf swing mechanics.
- Golf Putting Lessons on how to improve your putting game
