Conference 7.286::golf

Re: .-1
>                          -< I want a putting green >-

>	Has anyone ever done this?  

	For a humorous story about this exact subject see the current
	issue of Golf Journal (USGA magazine).  One of their executives
	did this and he recounts some of the "high" points.  Unfortunately
	it didn't deal with specifics.  I think you could contact the USGA
	for info on building a green.

	He found the mower to cut a green cost about $3K new.  If I remember
	correctly he found one used & fixed it up for about $1K.

	For that sort of money I'll content myself to putting on the
	carpeting in the rec room in my basement.  (Everything breaks
	away from the lolly columns!)

	Larry

    re:  < Note 311.1 by ENGINE::WARFIELD "Gone Golfing" >

    My father constructed a putting green in our back yard and enjoyed
    it for a number of years.  He found an old push-type greens mower
    and used it successfully.  If you were down here in Alabama, I could
    help you re: designing/constructing the green, but I know nothing
    about growing greens in your area.  The previous advise about
    contacting the USGA is good.  You might also contact a Greens
    Superintendent at one of your area clubs.  The biggest concern that
    we had with our practice green was the almost constant maintenance
    required.  It required mowing very regularly, else the grass became
    course and would turn brown when mowed again.  Otherwise, the cost
    of maintenance was low, and the enjoyment high.  Good luck.

    I worked at a country club for 8 years and have had experience in
    this area.
    
    Building a regular golf green (that is, one that you play to from
    the tee) costs about $60,000 for the soil, seed, labor, and various
    chemicals. Of course, the price will rise or fall depending on the
    size of the green itself.
    
    You really have to buy a greens mower if you want a quality green.
    They aren't cheap. The walking ones should be good for home greens
    because they are relatively inexpensive (and you may even get a
    used one at a great price). I will say that the Toro triplex
    (Greensmower III) costs about $8,000. But I don't think you want
    that for home use.
    
    The grass is no cheap date either. If you are in New England, then
    bent grass is your best bet. Getting the green started is the tough
    part.
    
    Many things to consider:
    
    1) The green really has to be mowed *everyday* or at least every
    other day. Otherwise, it will grow too high and when you do mow
    it, you will cut it too short for its current length and some of
    the grass will die. General rule of thumb is to not cut more than
    1/3 of the grass plant when mowing.
    
    2) If you are going to mow it everyday, then you are going to have
    to water it every night. This can be accomplished real easy with
    a sprinkler and a hose.
    
    3) In the fall, you may want to aerify the green. You may also want
    to get a thatching reel for your mower.
    
    4) Nothing hurts a green more than cutworms, chinch bugs and grubs.
    Pesticides are a must.
    
    5) In the hot summer days, and the cooler nights the green will
    have dew on them in the morning. Well, that is prime conditions
    for disease like pythium, red thread and various other damaging
    fungi. This can be cured with a fungicide (spray it on and it works).
    
    6) Gee, I almost forgot, you will have to get a hole cutter! Again,
    it is easiest to get a used one.
    
    When we built greens up at the country club I worked at, we required
    a gravel base (for drainage) followed by a layer of sand and then
    12 inches of top soil (when rolled). Nothing hurts your hole cutter
    more than drying to cut a hole and hitting a rock (it dulls your
    cutter amongst other things).
    
    In the spring, we rolled all our greens, in the summer we verticut
    them (with a thatching reel), we also sprayed lots of chemicals
    for preventative maintenance in the summer (boy, those monkey suits
    and fly masks are hot in 90 degree heat) and finally, in the fall,
    you aerified, top dressed and overseeded all the greens.
    
    As you can see, there are many hours of work that go into a golf
    green. However, since this is for home use, you can cut out a lot
    of the excess baggage (because you aren't looking for a 10 on the
    stimpmeter and if you are I wish you mounds of luck).
    
    I know of a former club champion who has a green in his yard and
    the only drawback that he claims is that he has to put in about
    2 hours of work per day on it. That's not too bad considering the
    benefit. But he also has a sand trap, "rough" and a collar around
    his green. It's also a pretty good size green.
    
    Mike, former assistant greenskeeper

    Last week, I got my latest issue of Golf Journal. This publication
    is mailed to all USGA Associate members. There was a very good article
    in it about someone who actually built a putting green in his backyard.
    It was a nice account of the various problems he encountered and
    all the nasty things that happened.
    
    His bottom line advice for anyone attempting the same is:
    
    "Do it right or you will fight a loosing battle against mother nature"
    
    He should know. He took some short cuts and it turned around and
    bit him later.
    
    Mike

There's an article in the latest Golf Australia on Australian woman pro Di
Pavich, who has a bunker in her back yard. I don't think that she had a putting
green as well though.

A bunker and a putting mat inside the house or garage would be a cheaper
compromise than a full on green. All you need to do for the bunker is go and
take a box trailer down to your local building supply place for a load of sand,
then start digging :-)

Lindsay

>All you need to do for the bunker is go and take a box trailer down to your
>local building supply place for a load of sand, then start digging :-) 

I knew someone that built his child a "large" sandbox & used to practice out
of it.  One day I was out chipping around the backyard while my daughter was
playing.  I have always been curious what it was like to play a ball out of
water.  Sooo  I dropped a ball in her wading pool & grabbed my sand wedge!
It's actually not bad if the ball is barely under the surface.  Feels just like
blasting out of a trap.  Unfortunately since then I've never had an opportunity
to use it on the course since I've tried.

Larry