All Putting Greens

By Ben Nystrom

Diehard golf fans are a breed all their own. Many travel hundreds of miles and spend thousands of dollars to play in new, exciting locales. Others pay outrageous membership fees every year just to have a place to practice their swing. However, any avid golfer can create a private golf sanctuary right in his or her own back yard. All you need is some space, a few resources, creativity, and the correct landscaping techniques. Below, you’ll find ideas and useful tips that can help turn your plain old yard into the envy of every golfer on the block.

The first step in creating a backyard golf course is to understand your yard’s terrain. Figure out the size, shape, natural elevations, and the amount of sun and rain in the area you wish to turn into a backyard course. Check your city’s zoning laws to make sure your landscaping ideas won’t be in violation of any code. This may seem like a lot to consider, but doing so will only make your project that much easier to complete

Next, decide which aspects of a traditional course will fit on your property. Chances are, you won’t be able to fit eighteen holes. However, if you do have a few spare acres, you can easily create a one- or two-hole course. Choose the course features for your course. These may include: a tee-off area, a chipping area, a sand or a small water trap, a rough, and a putting green.

If your budget and space is limited, just include your favorite aspects of golf. Are you a fan of teeing off? If so, why not add a driving range to your property? Relatively simple to design and construct, driving ranges won’t disturb the neighbors too much, assuming you have enough space and the proper safety netting. Or perhaps you need a space to practice chipping? Chipping areas are another fairly small, easily landscaped choice. Design your chipping area with plenty of rough grass, mounds, or water or sand traps. Chipping areas don’t need to be immaculately manicured, either. Letting the area get a little overgrown will probably help your game even more.

Putting greens do require a bit more planning than other features, but they can be designed to fit nearly any space. Make sure your putting area is flat. Design and install a drainage system, and dedicate time to properly cultivating the turf. A grass green is a fairly long-term project, so if you are looking for more immediate results, opt for artificial turf. Artificial grass is quick to install and requires a lot less maintenance.

If you are restricted by size but still want a full course, try designing a mini-golf course. Mini courses can be a lot of fun, but they also a lot of work, especially if you want each hole to be different and challenging. Hiring a professional designer is probably your best bet when building a mini-golf course; however, that doesn’t mean you can’t be in on the design process.

Yes, golf fanatics around the world have started to build their own courses, holes or practice areas. And if you have the means and have done the research, there is no reason why you can’t have your own personal course as well.

~Ben Nystrom, 2009

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ben_Nystrom
http://EzineArticles.com/?DIY-Golf-Course—How-to-Build-a-Backyard-Green&id=2899212

Tags: Backyard Putting Greens, Build Your Own Putting Green, Outdoor Putting Greens, Putting Greens by rmvalles
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Many golfers use the “chip and run” as regular part of
their game; and those who don’t have at least seen others
do it. The chip and run shot is very similar to a putt,
but you play the shot from just off the green. Club
selection is vital for this shot, just like any other;
in this case, you will want to use irons.

The shot should be played with your legs close together and
the golf ball in line with your back foot. The club should
be held firmly in your hands ahead of the ball, which will
make the shot fly flatter through the air.

You should use only your arms to play the shot–just as you
would when you take a strong putt on the green.

When you are chipping uphill, make sure you carefully
consider your selection because you will need a club that
can keep the ball lower and help it roll up onto the green.

Conversely, when you are chipping downhill, you will need
a club that can create a lot of backspin, which will stop
the ball from rolling down the hill, causing you to gain
strokes.

Of course, when you are around the green, keep playing
the shot the same way if you haven’t had trouble in the
past; and remember to allow your club to do most of the
work.

The chip and run will either make or break your putting
position. If you get it right, you can confidently stroll
up to the ball on the green, make a simple putt, and then
move on to the next hole; however, if you can’t get a good
green lay-up, then you will be looking at a tricky putt or
another chip and run shot.

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Tags: Putting Greens by rmvalles
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By Glen H

Synthetic Putting Greens

All functionality of natural grass greens have been replicated (including speed, trueness of accuracy, shot holding capability and shaping characteristics) to the point where several courses around the world are already replacing natural greens with synthetic lawns.

However – the main area of interest are the savings achieved through reduced maintenance and water consumption. Imagine if you will a green that when being constructed requires minimal drainage, no need whatsoever for irrigation (water or plumbing) and never needs to be mowed. A synthetic green that always looks in perfect condition, acts as realistic as a natural grass green with virtually zero ongoing running costs.

A traditionally accepted model is that synthetic putting greens pay for themselves in as little as 7 years when compared to natural turf greens (based on normal maintenance costs of running a natural product) and when you factor that they have a lifespan of between 12-17 years, you will see the Return On Investment is quite substantial

Synthetic Target Greens:

For driving range purposes synthetic target greens provide an inexpensive long term opportunity to boost your image whilst providing a high class offering for clients. For the same reasons mentioned above, synthetic target greens offer you a cost saving alternative to that of natural greens. Made from slightly lesser grades of synthetic material, the target greens “behave” just as a natural grass green, with the same minimized ongoing maintenance costs.

Synthetic Fairway Lawn (Turf)

To provide the fullest level of reduced maintenance and water consumption, a fully synthetic “fairway” grass is available for use on driving ranges. In much the same way you would have natural grass in the field of play, we can provide for you an option of completely replacing all natural grass with specifically designed synthetic turf in the ball catchment area of the driving range. This product once installed would completely eradicate the need for watering, mowing, irrigation systems, machinery, weeding, spraying, etc… and reduces staffing levels dramatically. The fairway grass in conjunction with synthetic greens provides an always immaculate looking facility, with virtually zero maintenance. Ball collection can even be automated with careful design and construction.

Driving Range Hitting Turf

Throughout the USA and Europe, traditional driving range mats are a thing of the past. Enduroturf offers you Enduro Tee, a remarkable natural feeling and performing hitting surface. Customers can play a shot off a synthetic surface that acts and feel just fairway conditions.

A traditional golf mat requires you to hit the ball “off” the surface, which doesn’t replicate fairway conditions.

Enduro Tee allows customers to hit “through” the ball. With our unique sand and rubber filled synthetic system, customers can replicate fairway shots and even take a divot, all without the mess and hassle of re-turfing, watering and ugly brown patches.

Enduro Tee allows driving ranges to reduce the space needed for hitting bays, freeing up space for other uses and also reduces the overall operating cost through the savings achieved in maintenance, watering, re-turfing etc…

Enduroturf – Artificial Putting Green [http://enduroturf.com.au/content/view/34]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Glen_H
http://EzineArticles.com/?Synthetic-Golf-Course-Development&id=1088315

Tags: Artificial Putting Greens, Outdoor Putting Greens, Putting Greens, Synthetic Putting Greens by rmvalles
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