Preparing Your Yard for a Putting Green

Space and sun

A useful two- or three-hole green fits in 200–400 square feet; more space buys longer putts and a chipping approach. Full sun is fine — we use UV-stable putting turf — but note where trees drop leaves and sap, because a green needs to stay clean to roll true.

Clearing and access

The area gets excavated several inches down, so irrigation lines, low-voltage lighting, and shallow utilities in the footprint need to be located and rerouted first. The crew also needs a path wide enough for a compactor and wheelbarrows from the street or side yard to the build area.

Drainage and contours

We grade a compacted stone base to a laser-checked plane, then build in the breaks and falls you want — those are designed, not accidental. Water has to go somewhere, so the base carries a subtle drainage fall you won’t feel underfoot but that clears rain and sprinkler overspray fast. Come to the design visit knowing which putts you want to practice; that drives the whole layout.