USGA Backyard Putting Green

[chopper]

If you have ever wonder how to build your own putting green, take a look at this turf website. It walks you through the whole construction process on green, tee box, and sod wall bunker construction. www.kinipela.ca

[iacas]

If you have ever wonder how to build your own putting green, take a look at this turf website. It walks you through the whole construction process on green, tee box, and sod wall bunker construction.

Thanks. That looks nice... and the biggest expense is the greens mower, I guess...

I hope you stick around. Welcome to the forum...

[flap]

To build a USGA specs green is extremely expensive and time consuming.My geen is 1000 sq feet and it was a LOT of work.

[chopper]

If it was easy, everyone would have one. It all comes down to what you want in a putting surface, you get what you give. You are right when you say it takes a lot of time to maintain healthy turf, but if you are into it, it's well worth it.

[mediaguru]

I'm going to probably do an artificial one next spring... Too much maintenance for a real one.

[Everardo]

I'm going to probably do an artificial one next spring... Too much maintenance for a real one.

I have an artificial one and I'm glad I didn't build a real one, I travel too much to baby a real one.

[flap]

Chopper;You can build your own by making a base of 80/20 mix 16 inches deep over a regular lawn that has been scalped.This will work well up to 1000sqft.The USGA digs down 3 ft and has multiple layers of gravel and sand and now even running water pipes.My green is L93 bent and rolls in the spring and fall at 12.5 to 13 on my stimp meter.

[Tech]

Hey Everardo,
How big is your putting green and what did you use for the putting surface?

[chopper]

Chopper;You can build your own by making a base of 80/20 mix 16 inches deep over a regular lawn that has been scalped.This will work well up to 1000sqft.The USGA digs down 3 ft and has multiple layers of gravel and sand and now even running water pipes.My green is L93 bent and rolls in the spring and fall at 12.5 to 13 on my stimp meter.

The root zone ratio and the depth is great to work with. I don't know about scalping the old turf then adding 16" of the growing medium on top. Think of the thatch and the root system of the scalped turf, it would create a layer effect and could create a drainage problem, not good. You are far better off to sod cut the old turf out, then put down your root zone mix. If you don't want to put in subsurface drainage make sure you have at least 1% slope on the surface of the green. This will ensure no puddles on the green after a heavy rain, the excess water will flow off. If you go to my website you will see the green cavity, the pea stone layer, and the root zone mix going in, then the Poa cores, the total depth is 18".

I don't know where you got your information about building a USGA putting green, but you don't have to dig down 3' to create the green cavity? I have never seen or heard of pipes with water in them running underneath a putting green, too much potential for something to go wrong i.e. broken pipe washing away the green or if you had to do a repair, you would have to dig up a section of the green to get access to the pipes. Irragation pipes will run around the outside of a green, but never underneath. Do you find it hard to maintain the health of your green keeping the stemp meter at 13 throughout the growing season, especially when the heat of the summer comes. I would be interested to hear about your Turfgrass cultural practices and if you use wetting agents. It sounds like you have a lot of fun with your green and that's important when you think of the time spent caring for it. Take care - Chopper.

[flap]

Chopper;I have posted pictures of my green on this site and have been using L93 bent pure with no poa for 6 seasons.I only cut it short during the growing season and not the heat of the summer as not to strain it.As far as the water pipes under the turf they use these to cool the grass in the summer at places like Pinehurst.Alot of the courses now din't even airearate anymore they have water airation machines that syringe massive ammounts of water into the root system and leaves no damage to the green.Here on long island they only core aireate twice a year with 90/10 top dressing,spring and fall.They then Water aireate twice more during the summer.I use a 4x8 sheet of plywood with 1 inch round 3 inch long wood screws spaced 4 inches apart as my core aireator.Just lay it down and pick it up and move on.I use Greens grade fertilizer 28 4 6 Twice amonth in he spring and once a month during the summer.In the spring I use Heritage as my main chemical as it is good for almost all ailments.It is 400.00 but well worth it.Over the Years Ive been hit with Pythium Blight,Takeall patch and dollar patch and have had to scramble to get the chemicals i needed to cure the problem.By now most of the local courses know me cause I have picked all of thier brains at one time or another.As far as how i got my info for the bed of my green the web site was Real Green .com from indiana they also sold me my first mower{push}.I now have a 21" Mclanes 10 blade greens mower from California.Its a lot of work but the Mrs and I love it so we work it together.