DIY Network

Backyard Putting Green This private backyard putting green comes complete with sand trap and spectator seating. From "Grounds for Improvement" episode DGFI-306

Figure A

Sam and Lee Letsinger's children are getting older and more active, so a yard with weeds and a rusty swing set does them little good (figure A). Lee and his daughter Katie love to golf, so Dean Hill and Jackie Taylor develop a design that will allow them to golf right in their own backyard—complete with a putting green, a seating area for spectators and a sand trap. Mulch and plants round out the putting green design.

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Tools
shovels
rakes
wheelbarrow
trowel
sod cutter
hammer
compact utility loader
plate compactor

Installing the Putting Green

The first step in this backyard makeover is to clear the area and install the putting green.

Materials
landscape marking paint
17'x23' rectangular putting green
5.5 tons gravel
2.3 tons crusher fines gravel
sod staples or landscape spikes
5 (4") cups
5 (2') medallion flags

Figure B

The crew clears the area where the putting green will go. Hill uses a compact utility loader for leveling the ground (figure B). Next they mark out the area for the putting green using landscape marking paint.

After the dimensions are outlined, they begin installing the gravel base, raking the gravel evenly over the area (figure C) and tamping it down. A plate compactor makes tamping a cinch (figure D) and can be rented by the day. It's very important to not have any uneven spots so that the putting green will not collect water anywhere. The next layer to go down is very fine limestone, which acts as a leveling course, increases drainage and protects the putting green from the harder gravel below.

Figure C

Figure D

Next the crew spreads out the putting green over the gravel course as if it were a bed sheet (figure E), being careful not to step on the course. Putting greens come in all shapes and sizes and are completely put together, so there's no need to match the seams. They secure the edges to the ground using sod staples or landscape spikes, driven into the turf about every six to eight inches (figure F).

Figure E

Figure F

The putting green comes with several holes precut into the turf, but the crew has to dig out the base gravel before installing the cups (figure G). Each cup needs to be level with the turf. They place the medallion flags in the holes, and they're ready to putt (figure H).

Figure G

Figure H

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