Artificial putting greens

[Blade]

I practice in my back yard all the time. Usually from 110 yds in. I have room to back up and get 220-230 yd shots without knocking it out of the yard. I've been thinking of setting up several greens and even a sand trap or two, and making two or three tee boxes for each green. If anyone has heard me complain about the weather in New Mexico, over the last few years we don't get any, except for wind. It's the worst drought I've ever seen and planting the kind of grass that takes a lot of water over a large area is really out of the question.

 

I'm considering artificial greens. I haven't checked into any specific types to know how they are installed, how durable they are, or how realistic they are to putt on even. Has anyone installed one?

 

I'm also wondering how they would accept full wedge shots with a ton of spin. Would that tear them up? Do they hold up to the sun over time? How about 2 feet of snow if we ever get any again? Not sure if anyone here has experience to form an opinion on those questions. If not, has anyone used an outdoor artificial green to know how it compares to real grass?

 

If water wasn't such an issue here, real grass would be great. But then the maintenance and mowing might get away from me. That could be a lot to keep up with.

 

Anyway, just looking for experiences and opinions.

[Matt Saternus]

My godfather has a green in his backyard. I'm not 100% on which company it was, but I can check if you'd like.

 

The main selling point for him was that it accepted wedge shots like a real green. It has a rubber fill that has to be replaced every now and then, but other than that it's pretty much no maintenance. Obviously, Chicago is not New Mexico in terms of sun, but it definitely deals with snow just fine.

[sai-jin]

My friend owns Birdie Ball company and he released several sizes putting greens.

 

Go to their website and give them a call, they are very friendly and will take good care of you.

[Mrs.Manbearpig]

These guys built the green on the longest putt competition for the Vancouver Golf Show that myself and Manbropig volunteered at a month ago. It rolled pretty true and I got to chatting with the guy and he showed me some swanky huge houses up in the west side, that they recently did. The grass was pretty nice for artificial stuff. They are a Canadian company but maybe they can recommend a US one.

 

Precision Greens

[Maverickping]

These guys are very good and have used their product http://www.synlawn.ca/ many times here at my friends place (for picture) http://www.moderngolf.ca/

[JBones]

I don't remember what it's called, but my cousin has the one that Jim Furyk was pitching a few years ago. He has had it for about 6-7 years and it is in great shape.

[ZenGolfer]

There a par 3 course in my area that has artifical greens and I cant stand them. They were lightning fast and I couldnt get even a lob wedge to stop on them. Not a fan. I talked to the owner of the course about them (interviewed to be a bartender/assistant greenskeeper at the course when I first moved to Ohio) and I dont recall what brand they were but I know he spent a small fortune on them, I think he said combined they cost $100K.

[The Dansome]

Just find out who did Pelz's

 

http://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/5987-dave-pelz-amazing-back-yard-golf-course/

[Blade]

Just find out who did Pelz's

 

http://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/5987-dave-pelz-amazing-back-yard-golf-course/

Wow, I forgot all about that thread. Wouldn't that be cool!? I'm not that rich tho!

 

Thanks for your ideas everyone. I will probably topo my whole property and design some stuff and see what it would take. Been thinking about it for a long time. I have more important projects to do first. But maybe someday.

 

Just PM me if anyone wants to donate to the project! Haha!

[JMiller]

Just as a word of warning from Bruce Rearick (Burnt Edges Consulting) on the subject of indoor putting greens / surfaces:

 

"Do not make the mistake of grooving a stroke that uses one back swing length. I suggest to all my clients to practice multiple length strokes starting the ball on line. Making 100 ten foot putts on a carpet is a nice indoor goal, but when you get outside and all putts are different distances, that 10 foot practice will work against you, not for you."

[whiskey golf]

Just as a word of warning from Bruce Rearick (Burnt Edges Consulting) on the subject of indoor putting greens / surfaces:

 

"Do not make the mistake of grooving a stroke that uses one back swing length. I suggest to all my clients to practice multiple length strokes starting the ball on line. Making 100 ten foot putts on a carpet is a nice indoor goal, but when you get outside and all putts are different distances, that 10 foot practice will work against you, not for you."

 

I've thought about this and I can definitely see that happening. So if you practice 10 foot putts constantly and when a 15 footer comes, you'll be short.

[JMiller]

I've thought about this and I can definitely see that happening. So if you practice 10 foot putts constantly and when a 15 footer comes, you'll be short.

 

Exactly not to mention the speed of the indoor putting greens is rarely going to match the speed of the greens you play on the course unless you somehow managed to match them up pretty well. So even a 10 footer at a given stroke length my not be actually a 10 footer based on course speed of the greens. So the carpet green at home is say a 10stimp, if you get on a 6 stimp your 10 footer is short, you get on a 12 stimp it's long.

[ANGRYGOLFHULK]

My friend owns Birdie Ball company and he released several sizes putting greens.

 

Go to their website and give them a call, they are very friendly and will take good care of you.

 

 

I have a birdie ball green and I cannot say enough good things about it. John at birdieball is awesome and will do anything to help you customize it to your needs.

[RookieBlue7]

I hate to link to "that" site on here (I'm a member of both sites) but its fitting for this post. I've been following this guy's build for a long time and if you're wanting step by step, recommendations, directions, etc, he's got it in here:

 

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/185323-update-to-my-backyard-greenbunkerteebox/page__fromsearch__1

[RookieBlue7]

Just as a word of warning from Bruce Rearick (Burnt Edges Consulting) on the subject of indoor putting greens / surfaces:

 

"Do not make the mistake of grooving a stroke that uses one back swing length. I suggest to all my clients to practice multiple length strokes starting the ball on line. Making 100 ten foot putts on a carpet is a nice indoor goal, but when you get outside and all putts are different distances, that 10 foot practice will work against you, not for you."

 

 

I'd hope anyone that's played golf for a while would realize that not all putts, regardless of distance, are created equal. I mean I can go to 3 different courses here with 10 foot putts that are perfectly flat and straight and ill guarantee you even with a robot with identical strokes, the putt setting for one course with a robot won't be identical at the next course due to green speed alone. Then there's grass type, grain, etc all to consider. Practice greens, even indoor ones, are good for working on your stroke.

[Blade]

Hey thanks Rookie! He's in New Mexico too.

[JMiller]

I'd hope anyone that's played golf for a while would realize that not all putts, regardless of distance, are created equal. I mean I can go to 3 different courses here with 10 foot putts that are perfectly flat and straight and ill guarantee you even with a robot with identical strokes, the putt setting for one course with a robot won't be identical at the next course due to green speed alone. Then there's grass type, grain, etc all to consider. Practice greens, even indoor ones, are good for working on your stroke.

 

If someone here wants an indoor putting green go for it, that person will likely fall into the loop of grooving a stroke from a single speed / distance of the putt they are practicing.

 

I think it's pretty clear we know the end result of that situation.

 

Different strokes for different folks on how to practice I guess, I personally don't find making X amount of putts in a row as good productive practice.

[Kor.A.Door]

So if what I am reading is true then putting on the practice green at the club doesn't help either, because I have yet to play any course where the practice greens are anything like the course greens. I think the idea of an artificial green for putting or wedge shots can be productive, but you cannot simply say that using them isn't worth it. I tell you what, I will practice on my carpet at home and work on making a good stroke, while you who think that's worthless don't practice at all, and then I will meet you somewhere and we can putt, and I will guarantee that I will putt better, just by the fact that I have been putting and you have not. I am not trying to be mean here, just pointing out that any type of putting, whether on carpet or artificial, or real grass, can be helpful. Not everyone has access to great places to practice, and when there is 4 feet of snow on the ground in some places you have to practice indoors.

 

You can't put down someone's way to practice, because you don't think it works, but I have been in both places, (snow and no snow) and anytime you can get a club in your hands, especially the putter, it is helpful. Is it ideal, no, but if its what you got you go with it. I say put in the practice greens and have fun hitting. It's gotta be better than not hitting.

[Blade]

All this putting talk in Sluggo's thread got me thinking about putting greens again.  I almost started a new thread and remembered I had one already.

 

I have improved in putting, but not consistently.  My lowest putts in a round was 29, which is good.  But that came from missing greens and great chips and pitches for tap-ins.  But those one putts were for par or bogey even, not for birdies.  But usually I'm at 35-36ish for putts.  When I'm hitting more greens, my putts go up.  However, I've only gotten in about 8-10 rounds of golf since May and I'm not close enough to a course to run over and practice on the green.  The closest is still almost 20 minutes away.  

 

I have a great outdoor area that was flattened out for a garden at one time that would make about a 1500-2000 sq. ft. green.  I could even build some bunkers to hit out of. And I have the room to hit shots from 120+ yds and in, to it.  I could make some contoured areas in it to make it more challenging.  That's a dream back yard for me.  I don't think building a real one would be a huge cost.  But maintaining it would be a challenge, especially the water it would take around here.  On the other hand, artificial greens are big money for a large area like that.

 

I'll probably end up getting something for inside.  The birdie ball greens do look like a good option.  Although, this looks good for inside too.  http://www.puttist-usa.com/ 

 

It simulates different length putts up to 45 feet they say.  I'm not sure how well that would translate to a real green though.  The feel for the length of a putt is directly connected to the visual you get standing there.  It's not like you make a calculation in your head for a 15' putt compared to 40' based on the numbers.  It's based on seeing it.  Has anyone tried one of these?

[Mr_Theoo]

You could do an artificial putting green and maybe have it over sand so it could have contours and stuff outside so you don't have to worry about the watering and cutting of the green? 

[Blade]

That's what I was talking about doing with an outdoor artificial green. To do it right it's a lot of money though. Who knows, maybe someday it can be at the top of my list of projects.

[RookieBlue7]

Big Moss makes an excellent indoor green too.

[McGolf]

I have an artifical green in my range and it is a great putting surface. no sand or rubber needed.

I also had a putting green in my back yard that needed sand and needed the sand worked into the fibers.

Both needed a crushed rock base compacted to the shape needed.  The backyard green was purchased specificially for pitch shots.

It was worthless for that and the speed of green only got faster as time wore on. REALLY FAST

The current green at the range will take a small pitch and bounce horribily on the first hop then calms downs well after that. I have a hard surface under the turf for durabilty, no doughnut rings etc. If using just the ground it might take a shot better.

While doing research for my green I found a company that promoted its product as being able to take a 150 yd shot.

Remember to consider drainage, warranty for color fade, this is directly related to the durability.

[wbealsd]

I've got an indoor practice setup that includes the Puttist. I've really just started using the Puttist this winter, so I can't evaluate how much it will help lower my score, yet. That said, I think it will be beneficial as it provides immediate feedback for the accuracy of the line off the putter. As for distance, I just try to visualize the distance before taking my stroke. So far, so good, but the proof won't come until spring... and it looks like its going to be a long, cold winter...