My Indoor Putting Green Project

With the help of a golf buddy I got a good start on my basement indoor putting green since it was snowing all weekend here in Colorado. Here's the space I have for the green in my basement next to my net and Optishot simulator setup:

I did a bunch of research on putting surfaces and decided on the Pro Putt System turf. It is very highly rated, but pricey. A big reason I chose the Pro Putt System's pre-cut turf is that it comes in 3', 4', or 5' widths and 15' lengths which is perfect for my space. In order to keep my simulator and net setup as is I went with the 4'x15' size which is the same size as my green will be aside from the small cutout to accommodate where the wall and drain pipe sticks out.

To build the base we just used 2x4s, in total about 12, and built the frames in 2 separate pieces using 3" course threaded drywall screws. We were careful to make sure there wouldn't be any 2x4s blocking hole locations - I'm going to put three holes at the end of the green, 12-18 inches from the back edge to get some roll out. My buddy had the brilliant idea of adding a small 3" practice hole somewhere so I'm going to put that in the dead corner coming back.

We bolted the two frames together after they were all assembled in the basement. The two pieces can come apart if I ever need to move the thing.

For the top of the frame we used 1/2" MDF from Home Depot. With the base having multiple cross-braces, 1/2 feels plenty sturdy and the MDF, while pricier than plywood (about $25 per 4'x8' sheet), is very smooth and flat which is obviously important.

Where the two MDF panels meet the seam turned out really good with no skips or hops over it even without the turf in place. It also rolls pretty dang straight too.

The whole thing is 4" tall so I found some 4" deep cups on Amazon that will sit below the surface of the turf nicely.

I've also ordered some heavy duty leg levelers from Amazon that I'll install to be able to lift the whole platform off the ground slightly to keep it level or add some break/up/downhill slope to the putt. I don't plan on doing anything permanent between the turf and MDF to create bumps or break and will probably keep it level 90% of the time.

I'm also going to put a 1x6 border (something affordable like poplar or pine) around the exposed edges to keep any putts from rolling off the left side and to just get a nicer finished look. I also got a Robocup for ball return.

I've got the turf and leg levelers coming tomorrow so I'll update with more pics after I get those installed.

Thats awesome! good work!

Why the Tennis ball? Is the ceiling high enough for full shots, I think I would take that light out

Why the Tennis ball? Is the ceiling high enough for full shots, I think I would take that light out

Tennis ball is because I've been working on keeping my weight more balanced during my backswing - I used to have a bad head dip at the very top of my backswing and if I set up with the tennis ball near my head it keeps me more stable and off my toes at impact.

I'm 5'8" and can swing 3 wood comfortably down there - 9' ceilings. The light isn't in the way of the swing plane, luckily!

Suggestion, put down the turf then put a 1x6 fascia board around the outer edge. It will give you a nice finished look

Nice work....looking forward to updates

Suggestion, put down the turf then put a 1x6 fascia board around the outer edge. It will give you a nice finished look

Thanks. Definitely planning on doing this. Especially because I don't think I'm going to glue down the turf so it will also keep things in place. Will probably use pine or poplar as it is affordable and sold at home depot.

I'm very jealous of your set up. My next house (I've cleared it with the GF) will have a basement with 10" ceilings so I can put a net up and hit balls. Like the idea of the mini practice holes too. My course use to have them and thats the only thing I would do to practice (not before a round because no one wants to see all those lip outs).

Please keep us updated. How fast the thing going to roll ya think?

Looks great, I've been wanting to try something similar at my house

Hey guys, I've made some progress on this project.

The leg levelers work great and were easy to install and are easy to adjust. $20 for 4 on Amazon and I got 2 orders. I couldn't find them at any hardware store, but they would probably have them at woodworking stores. I installed the levelers on the inside of the 2x4 base so I could eventually add a finishing 1x6 to the outside of the platform.

You can see I had to drill some holes in the top of the MDF platform to allow access with a hex wrench to adjust the levelers since they are hidden inside the platform.

And a full view of where I placed the levelers.

The Pro Putt Systems turf is legit. There is a really nice rubber backing that holds the turf in place and makes it feel like you are standing on a real green.

The turf was already cut to 4'x15' exactly so I only had to cut the dead corner out of the turf. I used the MDF cutout from the platform top as my guide and a super sharp box cutter.

Once I got the turf in place, I did a lot of playing around with pin positions trying to decide where I wanted to place them. I bought three 4" deep, 4 1/4" diameter (regulation) practice cups on Amazon for $10 each. The ball falls about 2.5 inches into the hole and they have a nice sound. I wanted a decent run out on long putts so I put the middle hole 18" from the back of the platform. For the other two I wanted to maximize the putt distance so I put them 8" from the back and 8" from the sides. I used a 4 1/4" hole saw with a drill bit attachment to drill the holes, it worked great and the MDF cut really nicely.

In order to cut the holes in the turf, I first put some heavy duty velcro on the very back edge to make sure the turf didn't shift while I was cutting. I cut from the top down, and started in the middle of each hole and cut like a pie into 4 slices and then just kept my blade against the edge of the MDF to cut out each "slice." These cuts weren't perfect, but I added some white electrical tape to the outside of the actual cups so when I pushed them into each hole the fit between the MDF and cup was super snug and sort of pinched some of the turf and rubber backing, which made each hole look super clean and also stay aligned with the turf.

I did the same thing with a smaller 3" practice hole in the dead corner coming back. Semi-finished product:

The last thing I want to do is add a 1x6" pine or poplar edging to the outside of the exposed edges. This would extend about an inch above the entire platform to keep the balls on the surface and give it a nice finish.

According to the Pro Putt website, this turf rolls at about a 10. Here are some videos of it rolling and accepting chips:

I also got a RoboCup ball returner from Amazon but it doesn't work so I'm returning it for a new one.

All in I spent about $500 on this, but I splurged on the turf which accounted for $350 of that.

Nice Job.....Looks great..

Fantastic. You could use the extra piece of green to make a moveable chipping platform.

That is awesome! Love the idea of the smaller holes. Give any thoughts on even smaller practice holes? My course used to have 2-3 of the really small holes (like 2"-2.5" diameter) and they make a 4" hole look like a trash can. Could put a couple of those on the other end with the cut out and really focus in (only do this if you're OK watching 3ft putts lip out constantly, lol).

That is awesome! Love the idea of the smaller holes. Give any thoughts on even smaller practice holes? My course used to have 2-3 of the really small holes (like 2"-2.5" diameter) and they make a 4" hole look like a trash can. Could put a couple of those on the other end with the cut out and really focus in (only do this if you're OK watching 3ft putts lip out constantly, lol).

So far I like it. I know there are two schools of thought, one that says the smaller hole will really hone your short putting stroke, and one that says it's counter-productive to miss so many short putts. For a basement practice area it is perfect. I probably won't be hitting a bunch right before a round, but as disheartening as it is to lip out 5 three-footers in a row, it's just as rewarding to make 5 in a row into the smaller cup. That corner was dead anyways so I didn't have much to lose by putting it in and if I hate it I can just cut a larger hole and replace it with a bigger cup.

your pics aren't showing......

your pics aren't showing......

Thanks for the heads up - should be showing up now

Looks great! I want to do something like this in my basement, but until my youngest outgrows her inside trampoline, I don't have the room. Congrats on the new area!

Awesome work! I love seeing these home projects come together and how creative members get.

- Josh

Nice job!

So the robocup fit in that hole, it was deep enough?

This looks awesome! Nice job with this project. I am also jealous...

Nice job!

 

So the robocup fit in that hole, it was deep enough?

It does fit fully in the hole, but you can see it still.

Awesome set up you've got going on, I've heard that there is a certain fabric that can used that rolls the most true. Webb Simpson has it in house, there was a Feherty episode about it.

Awesome set up you've got going on, I've heard that there is a certain fabric that can used that rolls the most true. Webb Simpson has it in house, there was a Feherty episode about it.

He uses trunk carpet from a Toyota Camry, I believe.