Putting greens are known for their beauty, suitability for golf, and consistency. Choosing soil type, grass or turf, and area can be a meticulous process.
Putting greens require sandy, well-draining soil and tough, dense grass that is frequently trimmed and free of any divots, slopes, hill, or obstacles to make it uneven. Turf is another possibility if the grass is too high maintenance, but it can be harder to repair and heat up the course.
Building a putting green may be particular, but it has the advantage of having a neat, consistent guide. The building of a putting green starts from the ground up and makes a beautiful field so you can enjoy a great game of golf.
What Does a Putting Green Consist of?
What sets a putting green apart from just another lawn? To put it simply, perfection. A putting green must meet high expectations, as it combines functionality with appearance and allows you to enjoy the golf course vibe.
Sandy ground supports short, thick, well-manicured grass blades, with no other plants that could disrupt a golf ball. To avoid giving golfers any advantages, the ground must be perfectly flat.
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To keep the ball rolling, both literally and figuratively, no divots or grooves can be present. While it may look simple, it takes a fair amount of lawn care, the right species of grass, and soil with the right texture and makeup to build a putting green.
What You Need for a Proper Putting Green
- To build a putting green, you’ll want to start at the bottom and work your way up.
- A good foundation is key.
- The soil needs to be even, with no bumps or divots.
- In order to support the grass for a good, clean putting green, it should drain well.
- Puddles are a pain to golf in, and root rot, which results from water pooling around the roots of plants, can kill grass.
The best solution is sandy soil, which promotes the correct drainage and is easy to smooth out. Grassroots are mat roots and don’t grow very deep into the soil, so your sandy layer doesn’t need to be any deeper than about a foot. Make sure there are no rocks, boulders, roots, or springs in the area you are preparing!
Once you have your ground laid out, move on to the next layer: the grass! There are a few species of grass used specifically for golf courses. They include creeping bentgrass, Bermuda grass, and Poa annua. These species of grass are suitable for golf courses because they are dense and sturdy.
Dense grass is important to make sure the field is as even as possible, as bald spots can slow down a ball or even stop it.
These grasses can also stand up to the constant mowing required to maintain a golf course. Mowing a putting green often is necessary to keep the green as even as possible, and make the grass grow denser than it might if left to its own devices.
The grass is also beautiful and fits the aesthetic of the putting green. It has a beautiful color, and the density makes the color stand out. Once the right grass is planted on the right soil, keep the grass watered, weeded, fertilized, and cut for the best putting green.
Turf vs. Grass
Keeping up the perfect grass can be a bit daunting, and make some putters consider turf as a more low maintenance option. However, there is a bit of debate over whether natural or man-made grass is a better option.
Both have pros and cons, so which you use may depend on your resources and environment where you’re building the green.
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Natural grass grows on its own, which is a two-edged sword. It has the advantage of growing back and repairing itself after being worn down by footsteps, drivers, balls, and the elements.
- The downside is that growing grass needs to be mowed.
- When used for putting green, it needs to be mowed extremely often.
- It also requires watering, fertilizer, and weeding to keep up that growth.
- It doesn’t always grow evenly and can thin out in the shade where it doesn’t get as much sun.
- What species of grass is used can also change depending on the climate the putting green is in, so different putting greens may have different textures.
On the other hand, turf may not necessarily be superior. Turf is easier to control, it is constant, and perfectly even across the entire field. Unlike grass, however, it doesn’t grow, so when it wears down, it needs to be replaced, rather than just repairing the damage itself. (source)
Not all turf stands up to outside pressures as well as grass does. It can break or thin from constant foot and driver traffic on the course. It can also melt or become brittle in severe temperatures. Another disadvantage is how it responds to sunlight. Turf has a reputation for reflecting back heat, so on sunny days perfect for a game, it may heat up intolerable temperatures.
Some golfers prefer turf and say it gives them an advantage when putting, but others prefer natural grass’s character over the artificial perfection of turf.
Putting Green Maintenance
Once your putting green is in place, keep it nice! Mow frequently takes care of the grass, but you should also be raking for loose sticks, stones, or anything else that may disrupt your green.
Keep an eye on shady areas of your green, because the lack of sunlight can make the grass thin out. If you have too much moisture in your green, or your grass rots, your soil may not be draining as well as it needs to. Wilting or yellow grass can indicate that it is not getting enough water.
Try to choose a grass breed that grows well in your environment, some grass grows better in colder areas, some in warmer. Sometimes, making small changes to your putting green can make it look just like all the other courses.
Now, enjoy your newly made putting green! It’s a great way to spend some quality time outside, and you can hone your golfing skills to your heart’s content or just enjoy looking at your beautiful grass.