Indor Putting Green

[Ruari]

I am making a indoor putting green for my basement. I have received some samples of putting turf from synlawn.com and it is almost identical to the specific putting turf that my local menards sells, but it is $4.39 per square foot instead of $5.49 and I do not have to pay shipping.

Any one had luck putting in their own green? also any one have any design ideas for a way to make it have adjustable breaks so I am not always putting straight?

[mikelz]

I am making a indoor putting green for my basement. I have received some samples of putting turf from synlawn.com and it is almost identical to the specific putting turf that my local menards sells, but it is $4.39 per square foot instead of $5.49 and I do not have to pay shipping.

That shipping charge to Menard's may explain the price difference. Synlawn doesn't have the distribution channel cost. If your basement is like mine, the concrete won't be dead level. You will find breaks. It's poured to steer water to the floor drain. If you are not putting this down as carpet, I would just experiment with common items like a stack of paper where you could adjust the degree of slope. If you are putting it down as carpet, I think you are out of the adjustable business. A slurry coat below the carpet with build ups where you want undulation might help. I don't know how that's going to affect how the carpet lays. It might not be good.

[Ruari]

It is going to be elevated and on ply wood because I want a drop in hole and a ball return. I am going to try an mimic the dream green.

http://www.dreamgreen.com/dreamgreen...green-416.html

Just can quite figure out how the dream green works and how I am going to duplicate the adjustable breaks.

I want to be able to practice straight puts, the switch to breaking puts, then switch back to straight puts.

Any ideas are welcome.

[mikelz]

It is going to be elevated and on ply wood because I want a drop in hole and a ball return. I am going to try an mimic the dream green.

Sounds like the 'dream green' works like most other stuff: powered by money. The have a model that is capable of 3,000,000 variations of break. How much improvment can you afford? "Contained within the structure of an adjustable DreamGreen ™ is a trouble free mechanism which enables you to set four different elevations of break into the green at each of 2 to 16 break stations, depending on the model. The ends of the greens may also be elevated for uphill and downhill putts. This very simple procedure takes only a few seconds and can be done by hand or from a standing position with any cavity back putter. Simply raise the knob in the vertical slot while sliding the other adjustment knob to the desired A through D break elevation, D being the highest elevation. The cup is regulation, and the green speed was developed with input from PGA Professionals and instructors who predominantly recommended a true, tournament speed green."

[mikelz]

If I tried to do this it would look like a pile of boards and carpet remnants.

[klaymon]

Did you check the price on those?! Holy crap. The smallest one is over $2,000 and they go up to $8,000. They are really nice looking, but I'd definitely try my hand at making something. If you come up with a good working solution, I'm sure I'm not the only one here that would be interested in a write-up.

[mikelz]

Did you check the price on those?! Holy crap. The smallest one is over $2,000 and they go up to $8,000. They are really nice looking, but I'd definitely try my hand at making something. If you come up with a good working solution, I'm sure I'm not the only one here that would be interested in a write-up.

At those prices, I'm going with commercial carpet squares, some regular old practice holes and enough balls so I don't need a return.

[Ruari]

yes I saw the price tags, I will post a full right up with pictures when I am done. The turf is actually better than what they have on those, and feels much more real. Rolls at 10 on the stimp but you can get it up to 12 if you sand it. At $4.50 a sq ft its a little pricey but I think it will be better than cheap-o outdoor carpet.

[mikelz]

yes I saw the price tags, I will post a full right up with pictures when I am done. The turf is actually better than what they have on those, and feels much more real. Rolls at 10 on the stimp but you can get it up to 12 if you sand it. At $4.50 a sq ft its a little pricey but I think it will be better than cheap-o outdoor carpet.

Whatever you decide on, give yourself a big enough area to practice putts and chips up to 30'. I used to have a basement like that. My short game went to hell after the divorce

but I have more cash in my pocket.

[Ruari]

well i dont have 30 feet in the basement, only about 12 feet. But thanks for the advice. Any one have thoughts on the design of the moving parts?

[mikelz]

well i dont have 30 feet in the basement, only about 12 feet. But thanks for the advice. Any one have thoughts on the design of the moving parts?

I have a nine foot putting rug with a ball return.

The hole is elevated. If I putt from the left side, it breaks right. If I putt from the right side, it breaks left. After about 6 feet, it breaks too much to make the putt at that distance. How much practice on breakers do you need?

[Ruari]

Its not that I really need practice on breakers, I want to practice mostly on straight putts, BUT I like to gamble with friends on things like this and straight balls may get boring after a while. I really want it to be adjustable so I can putt straight ones then putt breakers too. Maybe I will post this on a Engineer Forum.

[pjsnyc]

I am making a indoor putting green for my basement. I have received some samples of putting turf from synlawn.com and it is almost identical to the specific putting turf that my local menards sells, but it is $4.39 per square foot instead of $5.49 and I do not have to pay shipping.

At that price, I may turn my entire apartment into a 9-hole putt-putt mini-golf ;)

[kregan]

If I was going to build this I would make a raised frame out of 2x6 and sheet it with 1/2" plywood.

I would then get a sheet of 1/2" homasote and cut it to fit the putting surface. Glue the carpet to it and lay the carpeted homasote on top of the base. Purchase a bundle of door shims and use shims around the edges to create the breaks. You would not be able to walk across the putting surface when shimmed up or the Homasote might rip/crack. http://www.homasote.com/about.html

well i dont have 30 feet in the basement, only about 12 feet. But thanks for the advice. Any one have thoughts on the design of the moving parts?

[Matt P]

One thing you could do...but may take time is look up the patent, "DreamGreen U.S. Patent No. 4,978,127". You might be able to order a copy of the patent application that has the plans and see their design.

[Ruari]

If I was going to build this I would make a raised frame out of 2x6 and sheet it with 1/2" plywood.

I need to be able to walk on it, I am filling an entire 8x12 area and will have no room to walk around the raised platform. I like your idea of shims, although I would rather have some sort of lever or adjustable pin design like in the dreamgreen.

[sandtrap]

When I had my basement finished I put in a 400 sq ft putting green on the unfinished side. I drilled and broke out the areas for the 5 cups. I then cemented cups in the floor. I bought a 15 ft wide roll of the green on the internet and had the carpet guys put it down. I got the padded back 10 -12 stimp. I would recommend the fastest you can find. Mines a little slow.
As for breaks, most basements have plenty. I had thought of putting sand under but was afraid of the friction of walking on it over time would wear through.

If you are going to do a platform green to fill a room don't forget about being able to open doors.

I found that 15 min or so everycouple of days does wonders for you stroke

[Ruari]

Sounds like we have the same turf. Glad to here you like it. I am definitely going platform style, but I want to have a standard straight putt, then adjust to a break, then be able to go back to a straight putt. So the standard breaks of the basement floor will do me no good.