Golf is often seen as a sport for the rich. For some, it may seem like an impossible dream to make golf happen in their lives even though they want to play. But with a bit of creativity and hard work, you can turn any room in your home into your very own indoor putting green.
A putting green is an artificial turf area on which golfers practice the game of putting, usually indoors. Playing the game involves hitting the ball from a certain distance and getting it in the hole with the least strokes. This article will tell you how to make your indoor putting green.
How to Make an Indoor Putting Green – Follow These Steps
One of the most important things you need is putting green when it comes to golf. Below are some steps that can help you create an indoor putting green.
Step 01: Measure Your Room
Measure the room with a measuring tape to see how big of an indoor putting green you can make. You’ll want to make sure you have enough space for your mat, and for play.
If you want something that more than one person will use, make sure there’s enough space on either side of the mat so players have room to tee off.
Step 02: Prepare Your Plans by Drawing Them
Draw out a plan for the piece of carpet you want to turn into a putting green. A quick and easy way to do this is with graph paper, which can be easily bought from any office supply store. Draw the dimensions of your rug on top of the graph paper.
Step 03: Get All the Tools and Materials You Need
Get the tools and materials you need to make your putting green. Sheets of plywood, turf, frames made of wood, putting mats, hole handles, knives, screws, tape, carpet adhesive, saws, drills, and support beams are required.
Step 04: Construction of the Outer Frame
It’s time to build the frame for your putting green. The outer frame will be made from wood and should be as tall as your ceiling is high.
You can also use metal pipes as a frame if that’s more convenient. In any case, the important thing is that the frame should be higher on one side than on the other, so there is a raised edge around it for sinking putts.
Put supports at the bottom of the frame so it’ll stay in place and won’t topple over. It should look like a green swing set without the swings.
Step 05: Making the Inner Frame
Making an inner frame is similar to making the outer frame, but you’ll need to cut it shorter. This will be so that your putting green can fit inside it. Once this is finished, screw the two frames together so they form a larger frame.
Once this is done, center the mat within the frame and place heavy objects on either side of the mat to weigh it down and keep it in place.
Step 06: Prepare Plywood for Installation
Put in the plywood that makes up the base of the putting green. You can then place sod or artificial turf on top of that, according to what you prefer.
Place weights on the corners of the mat to secure it as you work. When you finish, cut the excess material from around the edges of your mat. Then, use carpet adhesive to adhere the edge of the room to the floor.
Step 07: Make a Cup Hole
In step 7, you’ll drill holes for cups and flags on the mat. This is important because it will give your mat a more realistic feel. Put flag stickers in the holes, so they show through. You can find these at your local golf store or online. Put cup holders in the holes so they can be used as cups.
Step 08: Attach the Cups to the Golf Mat
Install cups on the golf mat with adhesive. You can also add a bit of glue to the top of the cups to help them stick. The glue will melt and expand after you’ve installed the cups, giving everything a stronghold.
Step 09: Use Carpet Adhesive to Glue down Green
In step 9, cover the green with a carpet adhesive. You can use a roller to spread it out and press the adhesive down onto the mat.
Allow it to dry until it’s tacky. Then, roll over the mat once more with a weighted carpet roller. This will help you avoid any bubbles from forming between the adhesive and your green.
Step 10: Cut Cup Holes and Trim the Turf
In this step, you’ll cut the turf to fit around the edges of the mat. You’ll want to make sure you have enough to wrap around the entire perimeter.
Next, you’ll need to attach a cup hole next to each tee position on the putting mat. This will be done using a drill and a saw. Be sure to place a flag sticker in each cup hole so it’s easy for golfers to identify their tees.
Step 11: Add a Ball Stopper
You’ll need to put a golfball stop in the cup holes, so balls don’t roll out and get lost in this step. You can use different materials for your ball stop, but most people use PVC pipe cut to size and screwed into the ground.
Step 12: Test out the Indoor Putting Green
Lastly, you’ll need to test the putting green to make sure everything is working. This can be done by laying a golf ball on the putting mat and rolling it to see if it goes anywhere. You should also place a weighted golfball on the mats and wait five minutes before checking to see if it’s still there. If it is, this means your putting greens are safe for use.
Why is It Beneficial to Build an Indoor Putting Green?
A variety of benefits are associated with indoor putting greens, including:
Benefits 01: Satisfaction
Making your own indoor putting greens gives you a great deal of satisfaction. You know that it’s unique. You know that you made it. The hours you’ve spent putting around your house weren’t wasted. In fact, they’re laying down a foundation for a lifetime of enjoyment. Learning something new gives you an appreciation of what it takes to accomplish it and makes you want to learn more. You can bet that you’ll be spending a lot more time reading up on the subject of golf and looking into taking lessons.
Benefits 02: Great Family Activity
Making putting green together is a great activity for families. It brings everyone together and gives you something fun to do. You can learn more about each other while working on the project. Working together in this way creates a sense of unity and teamwork that’s pretty special. It can teach you how to work with others while also teaching you about yourself. Putting together your own putting green is a wonderful family activity.
Benefits 03: Save More Money for Other Things
One of the biggest benefits of making your own indoor putting green is that you’ll save money in the long run by not having to go out and buy one at a retail store. You can make it as elaborate or as simple as you like.
Benefits 04: Playing When It’s Raining
When it rains outside and you want to play, you can take advantage of your indoor putting green! Many people enjoy golf but don’t have the ability or the money to pay for a membership at a course or pay for gas to drive out there when they feel like playing. By making your own indoor putting green, you give yourself the freedom to play whenever you feel like it.
Benefits 05: Get Familiar with the Rules of Golf
If you’re going to have a putting green in your home, it only makes sense to learn about the rules of golf. It’s a great way to get introduced to a sport that can benefit your entire family for a lifetime. There are so many ways to take part in this wonderful sport and learning the basics can help you get started. You don’t need to be anywhere near a golf course to play when you have an indoor putting green in your home.
Benefits 06: Could Improve Hand and Eye Coordination
One of the great benefits of making your own indoor putting green is that it could improve your hand and eye coordination. It’s a great activity for any age and can help you become more adept at playing with an actual golfball rather than just on a computer or gaming console.
You’ll get a whole lot more satisfaction out of your putting green if you make it yourself. You can improve your technique and practice around the house without having to drive out and hit balls at a driving range. It’s much more convenient and less expensive than going out to play all the time.
Things to Remember When Building Your Own Indoor Putting Green
1. Make sure the rug you are putting the green on is securely taped down to the floor so there is no slippage when practicing your putting. If it does start to slide, look for an adhesive that will hold it in place.
2. Heavyweights are used to keeping the rug from moving around on the floor. You can find some at most department stores, but if you can, be any heavy items enough to keep your green from moving around.
3. Your indoor putting green must be the right size. If it is too big, you won’t be able to control your shots. Make sure that when you measure for the size of the rug, you leave extra room in case your ball falls off one end or another during playtime.
4. When making an indoor putting green, make sure to measure out both width and length measurements on the floor. This way, you won’t have to deal with any unnecessary pieces of fabric or carpeting that you don’t need.
5. Keep the material tightly stretched as you sew across it so there is very little give on either side of your rug and ensure accuracy of your putts by keeping the surface of the yarn flat and smooth without any wrinkles as you sew it together.
6. It’s important to keep the strings out of the way when you’re putting them so they don’t get in your way or cause you to miss the putt. Keep all the extra pieces and strings tucked away and cut them off before playing so they won’t interfere with your game.
7. When you’re making an indoor putting, try to use the same type of yarn that will be used in the rug for practice. Any typical carpeting material should work just fine if it’s not available.
Conclusion
If you’re interested in indoor golf but don’t have the time or money to go out and play all the courses, just make your own putting green. The process is much easier than it sounds. Hopefully, this article helped you build your indoor putting green.