Golf is one of the most popular sports in the world, from its native Scotland to the United States and Japan and beyond. Many golfers today regularly visit local golf courses to practice their swing and putts, and test out new clubs all the while. But for some golfers, the nearest course is too far to visit except for major events, or bad weather might ruin any chances of practicing out on the field. But golfers still need to get practice done, so they can make some alternatives at home. Today’s putting green kits allow golfers to create synthetic putting greens at home, and with these putting green kits, backyard putting greens can be made easily. Residential putting greens don’t have to be large, either; with these putting green kits, a golfer can make a putting area that fits in nearly any backyard. And if weather doesn’t permit that either, a golfer may invest in an indoor golf simulator.
Creating a Backyard Putting Green
When someone finds putting green kits for sale, they can prepare their backyard for the creation of a home putting green. This process starts by selecting where the green will be, how many square feet it will cover, and the shape of the putting green area. Landscaping tools can be used to level off the ground, since putting greens of any kind should be quite flat, unlike natural terrain. Once this is done, the excavated ground may have layers of material and fabric put down to help keep the soil from sagging during rain, and the surface may be gently sloped to help rainwater run off more easily. Then, natural grass or artificial turf can be put down, and real grass may have fertilizer put down to help it grow optimally. Real grass will have to be carefully mowed and maintained so that it is neat and tidy, just like the green at a golf course.
This putting green can be protected from wildlife using various measures. The homeowner may put up fencing or nets to keep rabbits, raccoons, and other animals from getting onto the green and leaving debris or digging holes in it. In some areas, gophers are a concern, so underground wire meshes can be installed to block them from digging under the green and compromising it. Or, sound systems can be rigged in gopher tunnels to scare these animals away. Unless local law permits it, however, gophers should not be actually killed.
Home Simulators
If a golfer does not have the room for a putting green, or if they want to practice their swing, they can build an indoor simulator. This involves choosing a large room to place it in, which ideally will have enough room for swinging golf clubs. The simulator program itself can be purchased online, and the right hardware is needed to run it. The simulator will need a laptop or a PC to run it, and this computer may be connected to cables that plug right into a digital projector. Such a projector can create a large, high-definition image on a wall, so there is no TV screen for the flying balls to strike and damage.
This simulator may also need some netting set up on either side. Netting helps contain the flying balls and prevents them from striking any other items in the room, and such nets also make it easier to recover flying balls. Meanwhile, simulator will also need a patch of false turf for striking the balls and placing a tee, and this can be set up anywhere it’s needed. The simulator program, meanwhile, can create realistic images of any golf course with different terrain and weather, such as wind or light rain. The simulator may also use cameras and sensors to track where and how the balls and clubs to move, so it can simulate how those balls would move on a real course. This is not a 100% accurate reproduction, but it may come fairly close. For many golfers, that may be enough so that they can test new clubs, and this allows them to practice in the privacy and convenience of their own home before an event takes place.
