Golf is one of the most popular sports for young and old today. That is not surprising since it doesn’t command a high level of fitness. Don’t get me wrong, you get a good workout as you walk the course, but you don’t need to be capable of running one hundred-metre sprints in under ten seconds to play.
Players are very proud of their handicaps and strive to improve it. The trouble is there can be weeks in between games. That is why many people are making their own putting greens at home. If you want to perfect your golf skills when you are off the course, here is how to do it.
Clear The Ground
Your existing lawn is not suitable. Remove the grass with a cutter that you can hire by the day from you local rental shop. You could do it with a spade, but that is hard work. Dig out any plants and bushes that are in the way and relocate them.
Landscape
You must landscape the ground by bringing soil in to create slopes and bumps. Not all greens on professional courses are flat, so you must try to cater for all conditions. Here are a few features that you must include in your design. They don’t need to be right next to each other, so try to space them out.
- Slope. You need to have an area where the ground slopes. Put a hole in the middle of the slope but make sure you have room to play from both sides. If you can do that it saves the need for another slope in the opposite direction.
- Mound. Make a small mound somewhere on the green.. You can practice putting the golf ball over it at a strategically placed hole.
- Dip. Include one or more dips in your landscape. It is a feature you will come across often.
You must work carefully. The features should have gentle sloping sides. To create a landscape, use soil to create the slopes and mounds, and dig some shallow dips into the ground. Working with the heels of your boots, step on every part of the soil to compress it. It is a time consuming job, but a necessary one. When you have compressed the ground, you might find that the features have changed. Apply more soil if you need to, and compress it again. Repeat the process until the ground is firm, and you are happy with the contours.
Grass
Rake the ground and cover it in grass seed. The seed is inexpensive, so cover the ground well. Rake it into the soil and water it.
While You Wait
Golf isn’t all about putting, so while you are waiting for the grass to grow, check out some golf mat reviews and buy one of your own. They are an ideal solution for practicing your drives, chips, etc. Most professional players use them at home.
Play
When the grass is ready, you can practice on it. You will find that your friends call around a little more often than they used to as well; there is always a price to pay. I hope that your new practice green helps you to improve your handicap. It worked for me.
