Indoor/Outdoor putting greens - does anyone out there have one?

[SnazzyD]

I'm trying to get my kids into golf and having a putting green would be a good first step. I'd prefer to have something I can use outside and then take inside during the winter, like a Big Murph or similar well made putting surface.

If anyone has gone the DIY route in their backyards, I'd love to hear some advice. I'm also contemplating getting some heavy 4'x6' gym mats (the 100 pound variety), laying those out and then covering them with synthetic turf.

[SnazzyD]

Bumping with some cool photos since it's Friday. Lots of views but no replies so I guess I'm not the only one who'd love to have something like this...

[atomic]

I have a 16x4' birdie ball. Indoor only, but for the cost, it can't be beat.

[SnazzyD]

Sounds great. Is it for sale or are you just teasing me? lol

[SnazzyD]

I picked up a 6' x 8' indoor/outdoor carpet at Home Depot today for $24.99. It's a bit softer while being the same length as the astro-turf they sell on the roll - and at 1/3 the price. Tonight, I'll learn how to figure out the stimp of the green!

[kev_vaux]

Pictures of your progress required SnazzyD

[SnazzyD]

Wow, I've got people half way around the world interested in this! Starting to feel the pressure...

The 8' x 6' carpet from Home Depot ($25) is working very nicely, but it must be about a 15 on the stimpmeter! For indoors, it's great and my kids and I are having fun putting in the basement.

I am a bit delayed getting the heavy duty rubber mats from this one supplier, but I do have my Lee Valley sod lifter ready to go. I'll be sure to take pics along the way which will either document the awesomeness of it all, or serve as a cautionary tale for anyone trying to do something similar in future...

[SnazzyD]

815 views! Holy crap...

Two updates to share:

#1 Golftown has a sale on the original BirdieBall putting mats right now (the last sample photo in the first post). Right now, they're 10-15% off + an extra 15% off since they are categorized in the Savings Center. These are indoor units so it hasn't derailed my master plan for the backyward, but it might be a big upgrade to the basement putting zone.

12' x 2' model with bonus birdieballs ($100 after discounts)
14' x 4' model ($170 after discounts) but no mention of the bonus birdieballs, which look great


#2 The second thing I did was pick up a few of the Putt-A-Round thingies on sale right now during Kevin Haime's 25th anniversary ($25 instead of the usual $50). No need for a hole and you can putt in from a variety of angles - works exactly like in this video! Not as satisfying as having a real hole, but a whole lot more flexible.

http://annestone.com/

[SnazzyD]

Wow...999 views. Who'd have thought...?

I was crushed to see the Golftown sale on birdieball putting mats ended abruptly (or the extra 15% off promo, to be specific, since both mats are still $20 and $10 off respectively). I wish they'd have said how long the promo was running - I just noticed as I logged in to complete my order for one of each (was going to get the 12x2 one as well since it alone comes with the bonus dozen birdieballs*)

*Must see BirdieBall video --> http://youtu.be/pJDMGdJICFw

Best line comes right at the start "I don't always have the time or money to play golf" before he begins a round of birdieball golf on his manicured golf greens in back of his mansion.

[dlb]

those birdie balls look great .... I'm thinking of getting a bunch. I have a very large yard ... hahahha.

[SnazzyD]

I have a typical Barrhaven postage stamp sized yard, so lucky you! There's always the park down the street but I'd need a mat to hit off in order to keep the local nasties from hitting speed-dial to Bylaw Services lol

Even though the 15% extra discount ended Sunday, I may still get the 12x2 birdieball mat since it comes with bumpers and the free dozen birdieballs - two things the larger mat lacks.

[SnazzyD]

Coming up on 2000 views, so I thought I should update this thread. Picked up one of the thick rubber 4' x 6' mats I would be using for the base of the backyard putting green yesterday. I will eventually use this under my Bowflex but first I will test it out with some turf to see how well it works.

I'll be taking photos along the way to document the disaster, step by step. Stay tuned!

[bobblehead]

Hey Snazzy - GT has the 15% off promo again...ends today! I just picked up the 2 x 12 birdie ball putting mat.

[SnazzyD]

Thanks for letting me/us know. Decisions, decisions....I thought there might be some nice Canada Day sales this weekend, early next week and this extra savings ends today...

For anyone that has a birdieball mat, did it come with any of the contour wedges or do they have to be ordered separately. I would imagine something similar could be found in a crafting store, or could be DIY'd with various tools if not...

[SnazzyD]

I'm betting on a better sale for Canada Day...no triggers pulled today.

I've had a few responses from some local pros who could install a putting green in my backyard but the early estimates are predictably way over my DIY budget. I'd love to go all out, but I'm not sure it would help the resale value of the house if we decide to move on one day, plus I'm half Scottish...

Home Depot carpet with a birdieball mat on top with contour wedges beneath - that's the plan-du-jour. Pics to follow...

[SnazzyD]

OK, 5,000 views deserves an update or two:

1. the heavy rubber 4' x 6' gym mat I got is probably a bit too hard/thick to be any good for chipping. I may go with a cheaper solution and use the 4x4 mat sets you can get at Wallyworld for $10-$12 each (4ft x 4ft when put together) since they seem a bit softer. That said, I am basing this on the thin Home Depot $25 carpet I have on top of the rubber base, so I'd get a better surface for chipping onto with something that had some support/backing of its own....like a BirdieBall putting mat...
   .
2. I have both sizes of BirdieBall putting mats in my Golftown cart right now, still on a slight sale but with an extra 20% off due to the Canada Day sale that probably goes until midnight PST to be fair to everyone. I may settle for the 4' x 14' size in my backyard - the last photo in the original post. For a Barrhaven backyard, that's still a good chunk of land, sadly.

[SnazzyD]

OK, almost 7,000 views so an update is in order.

First, I ended up buying both BirdieBall putting mats during that GT Canada Day sale - couldn't decide which one, so I took both. Buy now, think later...

Secondly...I finally broke ground today! (and then soon realized how hard the ground is in Barrhaven...)

I used my Lee Valley sod lifter (greatest thing ever invented) and quickly cleared a 4' x 6' space in the backyard in which I would lay the massively heavy gym mat. At 110 lbs, I decided to use my lawn mower and its four wheels to assist with the relocation of this industrial rubber monstrosity from the front garage to the backyard. After patting myself on the back for my ingenuity, I started to suspect that took a year or more off the lawn mower's life expectancy.

The preliminary space is carved out, the rubber mat in place, and Home Depot test turf carpet #1 is in the shed waiting for its unveiling tomorrow in better light. A very modest start, but a start nonetheless. I've only just begun and I have newfound respect for landscapers.

Pics to follow...

[bobblehead]

I picked up one of those putt-a-round putting cups and my 2 year old loves it. Thanks for sharing

[SnazzyD]

Great - glad it's a hit. I've been tempted to put a pom pom on top of the flag in case our little guy falls "onto" the thing....

[SnazzyD]

I've listed the two BirdieBall putting mats in the Classified section if anyone is interested...

Update: both are sold

[Old Man]

Any updates on the project .

[SnazzyD]

I lost momentum with this once the kidlets got released from school, work got crazy, vacation trip, and a leak that forced me to redo the basement carpet underpad, etc. Now that the kids are back at school, I will try to get something done in September while the weather is still good and the ground amenable.

The other thing is that I concluded that simply flattening an area and laying down some rubber underpad won't cut it. I re-sodded the front of the estate (ahem) last summer and the clay base is swallowing up all my hard work, so I am determined to do it right this time. I have decided to go with a certain 8x6 carpet I found at Home Depot, planning on stitching together four of them to create a 12x16 surface. I got pretty handy dealing with the carpet in the basement and think I can stitch the four sheets together without much of a seam showing.

I just need to figure out how best to create a base that will last and not distort. Crushed rock and a "pounder" to flatten it all? Tips and trick will be appreciated...