Whether you’re finally starting on your dream of making your own minigolf course or just want to level up your putting skills, building a putting green at home takes work. Below, we’ll give step-by-step instructions to help you learn how to build a putting green with artificial grass at your own home and get the best results.
1. How to Build a Putting Green With Artificial Grass: Choose the Right Location
Because putting greens take up a significant amount of space, it’s important to take the time to plan and design what you want the green to look like.
You’ll want to choose a spot on your property that has good drainage and take into account any slopes or hills you might have to deal with.
You’ll also want to map out how your course will look and where the holes will go so that they’re not too close together or too far apart.
2. Prep Your Lawn
Mark the shape of your course on your lawn using spray paint so you can easily cut out the sections that will be eventually replaced with artificial grass.
Once marked, you’ll need to cut and remove the existing grass and rake up any grass clippings or debris.
Now that the area is clear, you can begin excavating the area. You’ll generally want to dig down about 4-5 inches. Following that, spray a good weed killer that will last for many years and install a layer of landscape fabric over the dirt to ensure weeds and grass don’t grow or will poke through in the future.
3. Set Up Where the Holes Will Be
The placement of your holes or cups is particularly important, not only for your course itself but also for drainage. Make sure there is adequate drainage from them so that your course doesn’t get flooded.
4. Start Construction
To make the base for the putting green, put crushed stone into the excavated area. Limestone is a great choice for this. We recommend using 1/4-inch to 3/8-inch unwashed, crushed limestone for the best results.
Spread the crushed rocks out evenly with a rake or shovel so that it forms a nice base layer. Make sure not to put any limestone where the holes will be.
Fill the cracks in the limestone layer with sand to form better drainage. Use a level to check that a 3-foot radius around each cup is smooth and flat. This will help the ball roll properly and prevent those frustrating moments when it curves away from the hole.
Finally, have your putting green artificial grass installed on top and you’re ready to get putting!
Don’t forget, your putting green will last much longer and give you better games and practice with regular maintenance. We put together a handy guide for taking care of synthetic turf, but the essentials to know are sweeping and hosing it off regularly (following the manufacturer’s instructions).