BYLINE: Lynn Underwood
CREDITLINE: Star Tribune
HEADLINE: Back-yard golf greens are right on par

The lush green turf in a back-yard golf green may be artificial, but the scenic landscaping possibilities are real.
That's what sold Mary Beth Snyder on the idea. When her husband, Ron, an avid golfer, proposed a home golf green, Mary Beth wanted to find out more. The Snyders worked with Golf Landscapes and Switzer's Nursery to design a 700-square-foot golf green, tee box (for chipping) and sand trap that also would enhance their small lot.
Over time, they added perennials, shrubbery, a patio, boulder wall and pine trees for privacy around the miniature green for a back-to-nature effect. Now Ron and children can practice putting a few steps out the door whenever they want. And Mary Beth considers the wooded golf green in their Apple Valley back yard a hidden oasis.
"Every year it gets more beautiful," said Mary Beth, who sometimes uses the green to tap in a few balls. "It looks so real, and when we have a mild winter, it's nice to look out back and see green."
In March, Ron and his son even shoveled off the green so they could practice chipping and putting.
"We gave up a kids' playground for this," said Ron, who regards the golf green as "our taste of Augusta," referring to Augusta, Ga., where the Masters Tournament is played.
Back yard golf greens will never duplicate the front nine on a real course, but they're right on par when it comes to honing your short game.
Golf pro
The founder and former owner, Mark Prince, of Golf Landscapes also had a growing family and couldn't play golf as often as he'd like. If he wanted a practice golf course in his back yard, he reasoned, other avid golfers would want one, too.
"This business had everything that was me -- it was about golf and it used my landscape, sales and marketing background," Prince said. His Chanhassen company also has been successful selling the nontraditional landscape aspect of a back yard golf green.
Prince researched the different synthetic putting green systems because he knew natural grass wasn't practical for the average homeowner because it required too much maintenance. In the mid 1990s, synthetic turf was introduced as an alternative to grass putting greens. In 1997, Prince installed his first project in his back yard -- a 425-square-foot putting green with five holes and a tee box.
Golf Landscapes evolved into a full-time business. The jobs range from 200-square-foot putting greens tucked into small city lots, to five-hole courses in large suburban yards, to a 3,300-square-foot course with two sand traps, nine tee boxes and holes on a Hudson Wis., property.
Golf Landscapes' turf of choice is the SofTrak system by United Turf Industries because of how well it simulates a natural golf course putting green. It's among a crop of new synthetic greens available in an industry that's growing fastest in the Western and Southern states.
The in-filled synthetic green is a combination of fiber and sand and looks and performs like real bent grass greens. A green can be shaped and sculpted so it has challenging undulations with uphill and downhill putts and also vary the green speed.
The in-fill greens hold a chipped ball like a bent grass green. The ball bounces and rolls much like it would on grass.
The turf's synthetic fibers look like a short, green shag carpet and feels silky soft. Silica is "groomed" into the turf to give it grass-like qualities for an authentic bounce and roll, and a decorative top dressing gives it a natural green color. The company says the fibers can't be damaged by sun, rain and snow, and it dries quickly.
Rich Jacobs, who owns Golf Greens Plus in Lakeville, uses ProGreen synthetic turf, and he said that companies keep improving turf technology, and consumers are more knowledgeable about it.
It takes a couple of hours a season to maintain a green by blowing off leaves and debris. Some turfs require occasional grooming with a stiff bristle brush and lawn roller.
Green fees
A little slice of golfer's paradise is a long-term investment. The average size putting green is about 500 to 800-square-feet with five to seven holes at $11 to $13 a square foot, costing from $6,000 to $9,000. Tee boxes, bunkers and target nets are extra.
For 300-square-feet or less, it's less than $4,000. The cost per square foot goes down as the green size goes up. Companies also offer do-it-yourself installation kits for a cost savings.
Landscape style
Back yard golf greens are custom built in a wide range of shapes and sizes.
Homeowners can blend trees, shrubs, flower beds, rock, pavers and other landscape elements around the green area.
Golf Landscapes doesn't want it to look like a rug was plopped down in the middle of the yard, great care is taken to make it look like it's part of the yard and the natural setting.
A well-manicured putting green can add unique greenery to a yard or become the focal point. Design examples are contemporary (a round green bordered by pavers and planters), dressed up (lots of landscaping and color around it), and natural (a traditional golf course green surrounded by grass).
Berms can be built around a chipping green to frame it and provide a nice backdrop. A back yard pond can double as a water hazard. Or a green may simply fill in an area unsuitable for grass.
Clients can work with the golf green installer or consult with a landscape designer or nursery, depending on how elaborate of a design they want.
Todd and Jane Champ have a curved 450-square-foot golf green that is the centerpiece of their open Champlin back yard. They can work on chipping accuracy from an elevated tee box encircled by boulders and landscape rock.
The Champs have planted bushes along the back of the green for privacy from a park behind the house. A stone paver with a picture of a golfer adds a colorful accent to the red mulch. This summer they plan to plant a tree and wrap flower beds around the putting green.
"We're both very into golf and saw it as an opportunity to help our sons become good golfers," said Todd, who is out there from April until November. "It's a way to spend time with them and have fun in our own back yard."
And they never need a tee time.