From the Fairways

by Matt Sapochak, Golf Course Superintendent

Many people have asked me, “What do I need to build a putting green in my backyard?” I always say, “Not a lot if you have the money.” Greens are expensive to build correctly.

A green built to USGA recommendations starts with a shell and graded substructure—think of a pie pan. First, 4-inch perforate drainpipe with gravel is placed in the bottom substructure of the shell on 8 to 10-foot centers. Next, a four-inch layer of gravel is installed. To bridge the gravel layer, a 12-inch layer of compacted sand-based greens is installed. This prevents the sand from falling into the pour space between the gravel, and so the mix stays on top of the gravel layer. Now it’s time to grade the mix to your liking, plant grass, and grow your green.

Here’s some perspective on how much sand and gravel are needed to build a 1,000 square foot section of a green. You will need 54 tons of mix and around 16 tons of gravel. Currently, the price of greens mix in our area runs between $40 and $50 a ton and gravel is approximately $55 a ton. Rough material cost to do one 1,000 square foot section of a green comes to roughly $3,613 plus the cost of labor to install material.

The real deal breaker for installing a putting green in one’s backyard is working on it every day of the week for top notch putting. I guess that’s why people end up with a synthetic putting green in their back yard. Just vacuum and putt! Remember…keep your head down and take it back slow.