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PuttTek against the Augusta National Team in Queens Creek, Arizona.

Dave Stockton Jr., the son of a former PGA Tour professional and legendary short game master, wants to open a green in his backyard in Rancho Mirage, California . His reason is not entirely related to golf: he is tired of ever-increasing water bills.

But he has a high standard for Hechengling. It must roll like real. He also knew what he didn't want-a concrete slab didn't respond as much as any green he had played in ten years on the tour.

He said that what he got "looks perfect all year round, even when the dog goes to the toilet on it."

With the exception of dogs, compared to real lawns, maintenance is a breeze. "Once or twice a year, I let the men out," he said. "After a few hours, they are done."

Stockton liked greens so much that he started working for the Post Nine Greens Company.

The creation of the last nine greens in Palm Desert, California.

Provided by Hou Jiu Green

The putting green got a pandemic boost. Trapped at home, people began to dream of installing a green or short game practice area. But in the history of DIY projects, it turns out that these greens are difficult to create. Designing synthetic green is no different from creating real green. It needs drainage, proper spacing, and someone who can lay the turf, so it doesn't look like a bad plastic surgery. People who try to do this at a cheap price may end up with lumpy, uneven and wet greens. This is also true for those who use real turf. Jack Nicklaus gave up a few years ago and chose Hecheng Ridge at his home in the Bears Club in Jupiter, Florida. He has his own golf course design company!

"He has a natural green, but he has to trim bentgrass every day," said Bob Hambrick, director of operations at Southwest Greens, who replaced Nicklaus Greens. Jin Xiong eventually became the company's consultant, not only helping to improve the rollability of the product, but also helping to increase its acceptance of shooting 200 yards away.

"Our greens will do whatever natural greens would do," Hambrick said. The secret is a sand base. The average cost of these backyard Shangri-La is difficult to calculate. The price of artificial turf is about $23 per square foot, which is cheaper in areas such as Arizona and more expensive in places such as New York and California. The average green area is about 800 square feet, so the turf alone costs $19,000. The challenge-and the added expense-is for someone who knows how to properly shape the contour and stitch the green to make it a reality.

Steve White is the founder of Tour Greens in Georgia and a former Clemson golfer. His handicap is still doubled. He created a series of ready-made greens. These greens can be purchased and installed at a fraction of the cost of fully customized greens. Two of the company's most popular options are Southampton ($5,375, tasting Shinnecock Hills) and Carolina ($3,450, tasting Pinehurst).

The company also offers custom greens with prices ranging from US$20,000 to US$250,000. Its most popular requirement is on the 12th hole of the Augusta National Team. "In order to make it look like more than just a stupid miniature product, it can cost as much as $200,000," White said. "The green itself is only 3,500 to 4,000 square feet, but there are bunkers and long grass, so it covers a larger area."

The annual maintenance of any of these composite settings is minimal. Stockton equates this to buying solar panels-this is a large upfront cost that you can make up for by saving lawn care over the years.

If a gold medal is awarded to a home practice area that does not belong to professional players like Tiger and Phil, it will be awarded to CBS broadcaster and Masters voice Jim Nantz (Jim Nantz). In the backyard of his Pebble Beach home, he rebuilt the stadium's iconic par 3 7 hole.

Nick Faldo, his broadcast partner and six-time Grand Slam champion, has surpassed Nantz's 7th place, as do other professionals. But not everyone invited by Nantz played well, so he asked tourists to play a limited-flying golf ball, which can fly one-third of the distance, but more importantly, it won't break the window.

Dominic Nappi’s company Back Nine Greens designed a practice paradise for actor Mark Wahlberg in Los Angeles, and recently redesigned Nantz’s venue, which he said he worked on It is the art of golf. "Your apron, your rough, your green - you want it to blend into the landscape in the yard," Nappi said.

Of course, some people have a wider practice area in the backyard than others. Take, for example, a wealthy real estate developer in Pontevedra Beach, Florida. He hired Michael Jordan Grove XXIII architect Bobby Weed to design him in a half-acre yard across the Atlantic Ocean. Practice area. Weed was responsible for refurbishing the nearby Ocean Stadium, so it was easy to complete.

Jim Nantz’s Monterey Peninsula villa has a nearby pebble beach.

"All our equipment is there," said Joey Graziani, design assistant at Bobby Weed Golf Design. "In the evening, when we finished the marine course work, we crossed the street. Our client is a good friend of Bobby, so it is very interesting for us."

What they did in that lot was similar to Mini Seminoles.

They set up a bunker, a large number of pitching areas and two greens-one for putting and the other for catching the ball. "You are trying to create as many different shooting opportunities as possible," Graziani said.

At the same time, in terms of slope and green speed, simpler is better. "You can overcook these things, but they won't work," Graziani said. "You can set up some great ridges and slopes, but if you try to work in your game, they won't help."

David Parks, a lawyer who works in the real estate industry, bought a house on the Hudson River in New York during the pandemic. The green is at the top of his list of upgrades. He sees its three holes as a welcome sign for his new home—albeit a welcome sign worth $30,000.

Does it make Parkes (index 8.7) a better putter on a real golf course? He believes there is.

"I was in a money game and all my bets at the age of 18 were lost," he said. "I hit the ball to 4 feet from 185 yards. I took a deep breath and pushed into the birdie putt."

Want Paul Sullivan to advise on everything related to golf in personal finance? Send your questions to moneymailbag@golf.com.

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