If you’re a golfer, you may dream of having a putting green in your backyard. Imagine how amazing it would be to pull out your putter and work on your stroke whenever you want, or being able to spend a lazy afternoon relaxing on your own putting green…
A backyard putting green will transform your landscape into pure luxury; a haven where you can practice your short game without ever leaving your house – or even changing out of your pajamas. While many people assume that a putting green is a landscape feature that is reserved for estates with ample acreage, you actually don’t need a lot of space to incorporate this feature into your outdoor living area.
Whether you have enough room to add a green that meanders through your property with several holes, or you are limited on space and can only incorporate a small, single hole putting green, if you’re a lover of the game of golf, you’ll love having this element in your backyard.
Once you make the decision to install a putting green in your yard, you’ll have to decide what type of material to use to create the feature: natural grass or artificial turf.
Which to Choose: Real Grass or Synthetic Turf?
While natural grass will certainly look wonderful for a home putting green, it does present a number of drawbacks. Some of the biggest disadvantages of a real grass putting green include:
- The maintenance. You have to make sure that the grass is mowed and watered, and you will have to pull any weeds that pop up to keep it looking great.
- It is prone to divots. Even if you are just practicing your short stroke, there’s still a chance that you could put too much power behind the putter, which could damage the grass.
- Water can be an issue for real grass putting greens. It can create puddles, which can take a while to drain, it creates mud, and it makes the grass more susceptible to damage when walking or putting on the surface after it rains.
- It can become damaged by pets that dig or eliminate waste on the putting green.
Given these disadvantages of natural grass, artificial turf is a much better option for a putting green. Here’s a look at some of the advantages of using synthetic grass for a home putting green:
- It’s much easier to maintain. You don’t have to mow it, water it, or worry about weeds growing through it (especially if you have a weed barrier placed underneath the turf.)
- It is incredibly durable, which means you won’t have to deal with any damage from powerful puts or the wear and tear that it is exposed to when the surface is constantly walked on.
- There’s no need to worry about mud, and if you install artificial grass that drains quickly, you won’t have to deal with puddles, either.
- It’s much more economical than real grass, as you won’t have to worry about maintenance, the cost of which can really add up over time.
- You don’t have to wait for to use it. If you’re installing sod, you have to wait until it settles, and if you’re growing grass from seed, you have to wait for it to grow.
- It doesn’t matter what type of climate you live in with artificial grass. Unlike real grass, it doesn’t require optimal growing conditions, such as soil, sunlight and temperatures, in order to flourish.
- It’s pet-friendly. If you have dogs or cats that will come into contact with your putting green, digging or elimination won’t be an issue with artificial grass (just make sure you choose a pet-friendly, lead-free synthetic grass material.)
- Synthetic grass offers an even, consistent surface to practice your strokes on. There won’t be any holes, clumps or divots, which makes artificial grass a much safer surface to play on.
- It is much more visually appealing than natural grass. While yes, real grass can look incredible if it is properly maintained, if it isn’t it can end up becoming overgrown, weed-ridden and burnt out. Since artificial grass doesn’t require any maintenance, it always looks great.
Given all of the benefits that artificial grass offers, it’s easy to see why choosing this material for your home putting green is a much better option than natural grass.
The Best Artificial Grass for Putting Greens
If you do decide to install a putting green made of synthetic grass in your backyard, you’ll find that there are a lot of options to choose from. With so many choices, it can be difficult to decide which artificial turf to use.
To help you find the best option, here’s our picks for the best synthetic grass for putting greens.
#1 Dean Premium Heavy Duty Artificial Turf
At a cost of $175.99 with free shipping (on Amazon,) you’ll get a 6’ x 8’ heavy duty artificial turf that you can easily use for your outdoor putting green. This synthetic grass is made of UV stabilized olefin artificial grass, which means it won’t fade in the sun. It’s pet-friendly and have great draining. Care is easy, too; just wipe it down with a mixture of bleach and water and your putting green will look great all year long. The edges of this faux grass are bound, so there’s no need to worry about fraying.
#2 All Turf Mats Professional Synthetic Turf Practice Putting Green
For the easiest installation, this All Turf Mats Professional Synthetic Practice Putting Green is the way to go. It’s 6’ x 15’ in size and made of nylon, UV protected synthetic grass. It is also made with 4 precut holes, so all you have to do is install the rug and you’ll be able to start playing. Backed by an 8 year warranty, this artificial grass putting green costs $257.99, with free shipping (on Amazon.) This All Turf Mats putting green is a golfer’s dream come true!