Tee-off in Your Own Backyard

Charlotte has no shortage of golf courses; in fact an avid golfer could probably play a different course everyday for months. Sometimes it's nice just to work on your putting technique without having to go anywhere. I know I practice on the living room carpet, others pull out those portable putting greens. Wouldn't it be great to have a private putting green, right in your own backyard?

If you keep it small, surprisingly, it's not that big of a job, but maintaining it takes a certain amount of commitment and discipline. Here are the steps for creating your very own putting green.

1. Decide if you will be doing the work or getting a contractor. It's more expensive to go with the latter, but someone else is doing the work, you'll get a quality result, and a warranty.

2. Choose between one of the synthetic grasses out there versus using natural grass. The climate, amount of sun or shade, and precipitation in your area will all factor in when deciding what type of grass to go with. Remember it needs to be mowed, fertilized, and maintained. Although synthetic materials have their own pros and cons, they are a lot less work.

3. Decide where the green will go, making sure you choose higher elevations that won't collect as much water. Avoid areas near buildings, bodies of water or trees. Also avoid close proximity to common pathways or play areas. Measure the space you've allotted for the green and obtain square foot measurements to get quotes from contractors or price out material if you plan on tackling the job yourself.

4. After enlisting help from your friends rent a bobcat or start digging with shovels. You need to dig out the entire area you've selected, removing any debris, rocks, weeds, etc. Get a soil sample while you're at it.

5. Plan your irrigation channels so that the water will run down hill and away from your green. Learn about the area, where the dry spots are, the shadows, where the low spots are, and where the sun shines on it. This knowledge will help you understand how to care for your putting green.

6. Research the type of grass that is best for your soil and conditions. It is vital when applying topsoil to elevate the green above the surrounding soil, and use a sandy loam topsoil for the root zone and a slope of about 1 percent for surface drainage.

7. Maintain and fertilize your green on a regular basis. You're working with a delicate balance and extremes in water, drought, fertilizing, or even excessive cutting can damage your lawn. Also, do not use the same types of fertilizer used on professional golf courses, they are highly toxic and may kill your neighbor's cat.

Have fun and don't forget to have a tee-off celebration with your friends when the job is done.