Backyard Putting Green - Design Help

[Skiing_Esquire]

Hello everyone. I am putting in a 15x12 putting green in the backyard as part of our pool project. There is a chance I can make it slightly larger but this is what is currently In the design. I attaching a drawing I made of the green and the space it is going in (ignore the kidney shape). 
 

I was wondering how you would lay out holes, slope/break, etc. I keep going back and forth and am looking for some suggestions. Obviously would want some straight putts to work on form and stroke but would also like some break and other putts to work on. 
 

Thanks in advance. 

Edited July 6, 2024 by Skiing_Esquire

[iacas]

Having built several putting greens, I'd make something pretty simple:

I'd make the left slope 4% and the right slope 2%. Or make it a bit of a ramp from 4% for the 3', 3% for 3', 2% for 3', and 1% on the last 3'. I envision the slope as being high on the left, low on the right.

15' x 12' isn't huge, so I put four holes - you have about a 10' putt straight up the slope and a 10' putt straight down the slope. You have a 15' putt that breaks left to right and one that breaks right to left.

Do not underestimate the value of using ghost holes for awhile. If I were you, I'd not cut holes at first if you can — I'd putt to ghost holes and move them around and see what configuration you like. See what holes "get in the way" of longer putts, or your stance (feet) for putting to one of your straight putts… or something like that.

Then when you know where you like them (you can also use chalk circles or actual ghost holes), cut them and install them.

Plus, you may find that you like the ghost holes, and maybe you only cut two permanent holes or something, because you like to move them around.

[Skiing_Esquire]

Sorry for being uniformed or a pain on this, but is the below what you are suggesting? I have to give the landscaper a plan to work off. I actually ended up getting 15x17 to work with. I tried to leave a flat area as well. If I am envisioning this wrong, please help. This is my first time doing a putting green (and hopefully last lol). So I can use all The help I can get!!

[iacas]

No. I color coded it to try to help.

On 7/6/2024 at 6:12 PM, iacas said:

The left green slope is 4%, the right green slope is 2%. All left to right in the image, so the highest point is the whole left side.

You could also flip it so it slants right to left the whole way if that makes more sense.

From the ground level at the bottom of the image, it'd look like:

(If those were 4% and 2% slopes.)

 

 

[Skiing_Esquire]

Ok that makes sense. What about a flat area for straight, level putts to work on fundamentals? 

[billchao]

1 minute ago, Skiing_Esquire said:

Ok that makes sense. What about a flat area for straight, level putts to work on fundamentals? 

Putts won’t break if you putt directly up and down the slope. I don’t think you need a perfectly flat putt in terms of uphill/downhill as that’s more about controlling speed anyway and speed varies from course to course.

[iacas]

33 minutes ago, billchao said:

Putts won’t break if you putt directly up and down the slope. I don’t think you need a perfectly flat putt in terms of uphill/downhill as that’s more about controlling speed anyway and speed varies from course to course.

Right:

On 7/6/2024 at 6:12 PM, iacas said:

15' x 12' isn't huge, so I put four holes - you have about a 10' putt straight up the slope and a 10' putt straight down the slope. You have a 15' putt that breaks left to right and one that breaks right to left.