Jerry,

Sounds like a nice addition to your house.  I don't have any experience with those greens, but it would be great if you could take photos (before, during and after) and share those on the site.  I would like to hear, and see, how it all turns out for you.  I've thought about getting a green, so I'd like to get your expererience on the entire project.

JERRY S, I HAVE A SW GREEN. I HAVE HAD IT 4 YEARS AND I LOVE IT.

I LIVE IN THE HOUSTON,TEXAS AREA AND THE SW INSTALLER WAS/IS A TRUE PRO AT HIS WORK.

I HAD A VERY SPECIFIC SMALL AREA TO FIT MY FREEN INTO AND SW MADE IT WORK.

EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS I HAVE SW COME BACK OUT AND TOUCH UP THE GREEN AND RESET THE SPEED.

MINE IS ABOUT 12 NOW.

I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE SOUTHWEST GREEN.

Nice green Doug. 

Jerry, I've read alot on SW greens, seem to be the pro-ferred .

Enjoy guys!!

Deno

I too have a SW green.  I live in Austin and have had it about 3 years.  It's awesome.  I have some of the rough / longer grass around the edges for chipping.  Mine is approx 500sqft and sits in a corner in my back yard.  I'm out there about 3-4 times a week and even have it lighted for night putting.  I highly recommend SW green.  I have them come out yearly for the maintence and mine is running about 11.5-12.5 depending on the putt.  My biggest piece of advice if getting one would be to get it on the flattest piece of ground you have.  Mine has a very slight slope but even that makes down hill putting a little unrealistic.  Good luck

Thanks for all the tips guys.  Sounds like SW is the vote.  

I was planning to put some bumps and tiers in mine.  I'll have about 500-600 sq ft.  I'm planning to make it about 30x30 with one corner cut out for a sand trap.  If I make it a little slower that may help.  

thanks, Jerry

WOW you lucky. i wish i could have a green in my back yard. good luck!!

I'm not lucky.  I'm a hard worker.  But I have made some good choices in life...and some bad choices.  

I'm not rich, but I've made golf a priority.

I got rid of the wife and I'm raising two kids by myself.  The oldest one (10) is a golf nut. That makes it easier to justify the green.

I'll definitely post pictures.

--Jerry

Update.  4 dumptruck loads of fill material in the driveway, workers showing up this morning to break up concrete and fill in the pool. --Jerry

Congratulations, that's awesome.  I will definitely have a putting green in my yard some day.  That's awesome that your children will enjoy it as well.  Let's see some pictures!

Wish me luck. The plan is to move all the fill material and break up the concrete and tamp by hand, paying 3 local freelance landscape contractors to do it manually rather than paying to rent machinery.  I grew up working (carrying bricks and mortar for my bricklayer father and bucking bales of hay at night) and it has served me well.  I am in favor of manual labor.

Here are a couple of "before" pics. That is the first 40 yards of fill material.  may need a few more. --jerry

Progress...one day's work.  Hard labor is good for you. 

Jerry - that looked like a pretty nice pool.  Must have been a difficult decision to fill it in.  I thought about filling mine in as well, but I heard that the yard has a tendency to sink for a few years.  Where the guys installing the green worried about your yard settling after they install the green?

If you do it right, it won't settle.  I'm using a fill material designed to compact and compacting it with a reciprocating thumper every 9 inches.  it won't sink.  My latest estimate, from a guy whose work looks great and whose resume includes some pretty good names, always puts a 2" concrete slab under the green for insurance.  

935 am on the second day and we're almost through the first 40 yards (44 tons) of fill material. the concrete is broken up and we're filling like crazy.  Should be about done by nightfall.

--jerry

DID YOU SELECT SOUTHWEST TO PUT YOUR GREEN IN?

Good Luck.  you'll sleep good tonight.

Deno

Looking good so far!

Looks good Jerry,

What an awesome project, can't wait to see the next photos.  I am sure you kids (and you) will love it!!!

Steve

Sorry it has been so long between updates.  I've been busy selecting a vendor, making design decisions, taking my son to his golf tournaments, playing in a golf tournament (chalk up a win for Team Titleist at the El Camino Country Club member/member spring tournament), and practicing my father daughter dance with my daughter.  

I selected Amazing Synthetic Greens, a local contractor. The owner used to work for Southwest Greens but I think has moved forward with some improvements.  He is a real artist who doesn't just install generic greens.  We've been working on the design together for over a week now.  He uses a different, woven material that depends a bit less on the sand fill and will hold it's speed better.  The SW greens that I putted on locally had gotten to a speed of about 14 with unpredictable grain.  I expect my green to be about 11 which is much more like my son will be seeing in tournaments.  

Here is a photo of the concrete pad that goes under the green.  Guarantees no settling.  ASG is the only vendor that includes this in their bid:

Here is a current picture of the backyard as of tonight.  The blue marks are the rough layout of the green.  note the large elevation change from back to front.  The right side front is a grass bunker. The left side front is a sand bunker.  Note the added railroad ties in the back left.

Oh yeah...I decided to do the front yard too.  I was just going to get synthetic grass and rock landscaping but asked him to quote a putting green too.  I couldn't resist so the front yard is getting a smaller green, probably something simple but I'll probably put a big break into it too.  It also has a flagstone patio, boulder, palm trees and a small tee box.  Here is a photo of progress on it:

Thanks for all the interest and words of encouragement.  I'll do better at keeping up with progress reports in the future. --Jerry

where is the rest of this thread?  There use to be three pages with more pictures of the construction process.  I can't find them.

BT

Thanks Mike . . . . I thought it was me!  You had me going in circles one night trying to find the rest of the pages.  It was kind of like Groundhog Day!  over and over again.

BT

Sorry for the delay in the updates. The putting green finished and of course I was behind in my normal duties because of all the work on the green. The golf season started for my son and I played in a few tournaments also.  the green has turned out great and it is really cool to have a practice facility in the back yard. Tommy (son) is enjoying the sand trap most right now as he loves to practice his sand game.  I've decided to make some changes to my putting stroke now that I have a place to practice every day and so I've actually gone a bit backwards but plan to be making a lot of putts in 2 weeks at the club championship. The green stemps about 12 and is very consistent.  Has some really tough putts and some easy putts for routine practice.  I still need to get decorative tee markers for the various chipping areas and I'm looking for a couple of cool flags to put on the full size flagsticks.  I'm still working on the grass in the natural turf chipping areas and plan to have some nicely shaved chipping areas by this time next year.  Overall, it is tuning out great.  here are some pics. Thanks for all of the compliments, supports, and interest.  It has been a lot of fun.  --jerry

Front yard, small green, river rocks, flagstone patio. Mostly decorative.  I'm looking to buy a sign for the front, small and reserved, that says something like "Stephenson National Golf Club, Members and Guests Only"

Amazing! That is my dream backyard. Thanks for sharing this with Team Titleist.

Wow!  That is awesome.   Are you renting any rooms in your house?  :)

WOW!  What a fantastic backyard!  I believe that it is safe to say that we are all jealous!

Looking good so far, keep posting update pics ...

Nice pics Jerry. 

Keep the progress pics comin'.  I see the tamper in there. Very thorough job.  Good idea.  I'm sure you'll do a nice brick edging somewhere.

Deno

SW makes great greens! I would go with them if I were you.

Hi Jerry.

Your project looks awsome. I'm very jealous, the best i can get in my back garden is a rota net but at least it means i get to hit full shots if i just get 30 mins spare.

I got my net from a firm called Huxley Golf , they also do all weather greens which while i understand the weather won't be a problem for you over there it solves the problems of divot damage if it's getting a lot of use. I haven't used one myself but our club pro has and he says that the ball reacts just like a natural green.

I think that they are a UK firm but it could be worth a look as you can alter all the slopes too.

Either way good luck. I'll be watching out for pictures of it finished.

Mike 

Jerry,

That setup is awesome!!!  I can't wait to see the finished project.  Seeing the project in the various stages is really cool.  Thanks for taking time to post and update us.

Steve

Awesome results Jerry

Deno

Shaping up well!  Could have left a small section as a water hazard...just kidding.  

Well, we have talked about putting in a water hazard but it is too hard to maintain.

So the cups are in and the pad is down.  Currently installing fringe.

Here is a view from behind the Natural grass pitching area.  Topsoil and sod coming tomorrow.  The dead elephants buried just this side of the green get tiff bermuda too.  Sand will be the last thing added.  We put rr ties in the front of the bunker.

And here is the front yard.  Smaller putting green, more decorative.  A place to put while watching the neighborhood kids play.  This will be a tee box in the foreground, a large douple king palm goes in the hole and a flagstone patio goes on the left.

It's a lot of fun and when people ask me what it costs I tell them "A lot less than a kitchen remodel".  Sometimes it's nice not to have a wife.

--Jerry

Looking Good !!!

Awesome, I'm so jealous.  The only thing better than one putting green is two.  You're house is going to get a lot more popular.  What's next a beverage cart?!

Seriously though it's looking awesome.

What a great project.  Very impressive!  

Well, Bad news.  The Augusta National Simulated Green material has been delayed.  When we ordered it they gave us a delivery date of last Monday.  Midweek they were making excuses and on Friday we got an email that there is a problem and it won't be ready until April 13...I've decided not to compromise with a lesser product as this new green material is sweet. that is a swatch of it on the left side of the green in the photo above (from my son's bedroom window).  The fringe will be installed this week, the sand will go in, the Tee boxes completed, and then we'll wait.

The new grass on the left is Tiff Bermuda, overseeded with rye.  Now I need to go buy a reel mower.  There is also a Tee area out of the photo to the left that we made by elevating a flat area about 10 x 10 about 6" above the rest of the yard and sodding it with Tiff.  Looks great and lets me hit 30 to 40 yard pitches.  I'll get a photo of that next time.

Thanks for all the kind words.  And just remember, I'm getting the front AND back yard for less than a kitchen remodel. --Jerry

SWEET!  This is looking awesome.

Looks great.  Can't wait to see the finished product.

Hello Jerry,

This is your friend Jordan Garrett. 

 To everyone else, I own the company installing Jerry's Green.  Jerry is a pleasure to work for and I am so grateful that he contracted Amazing Synthetic Greens (ASG).  Please let me know if you have any questions regarding the process or the material involved.  Thanks

Jordan,

Today my son referred to you as "our new hero". 

For those of you considering a green in the SD area, Jordan isn't just a landscaper who does greens.  He knows golf, knows greens, and knows quality.  I highly recommend him.

We had a lot of rain in Carlsbad last night so no progress today except delivery of materials.

--Jerry

Jerry,

Thanks Tommy!  It's in the hole!

Hey Jerry, How about an update, Pictures? This is looking great :) 

-Doug

Thanks for the continued interest.  All is done except for the actual putting green and some shopping.  Unfortunately the synthetic material for the green itself is backordered for a week or 2 more.  It is covered with black plastic so not the greatest photo op.  I did plant 20 palm trees around the greens.  We have the flagstone patio installed in the front yard and a river rock border.  I need to shop for tee markers (4 pairs), a rake, a flagstick, preferably with my country club flag on it (just need to talk to the super), divot mix bottles, a sign for the front yard (Stephenson Nat'l Golf Club, Members and Guests Only), and maybe a ball washer and a Tee Sign.  Oh yeah, the new bermuda overseeded with rye is taking off so I'm also looking for a deal on a reel type mower and we're headed over to Sears in a few minutes to pick up the new Grill.  Planning to be putting chipping and grilling a lot this summer. Tommy's golf buds are invited any time.

Here's a pic taken quickly thru the screen before they covered it up:

Doug,

Very, very cool.  And it looks great so far.  I am jealous.

Looking GOOD !

You sir are living the dream.  That's looking awesome.  If you super doesn't give you a flag, invite him over for a little pitch n putt and BBQ.  That ought to win him over.

Is the house next door for sale?     GREAT job!!  The "in progress" pictures reflect the attention to detail better than one pic of the completed project.

Deno

Thanks.  yes, attention to detail is now slowing the project down but the proper green material is due in next week.  --Jerry

i canot begint o tell you how jealous i am. very nice!!