Backyard practice green (artificial turf) in freezing climates?

fox88gt · November 28, 2017

The topic of backyard greens has been covered many times before (my apologies for bringing it up again) but I haven't seen any installed in a freezing climate (I'm in Wisconsin). Has anyone installed an artificial green in a cold/freezing climate? I'm considering this as a DIY project for next spring so I can enjoy using it with my son. Size would be about 8' x 12', or 10' x 15', depending on the turf. Just large enough for some 10-12' putts and short chip shots.

We typically get frost up to 48" below the ground surface here, and it seems like the green (and the compacted stone/gravel/sand base) would take a huge beating during the winter months. I have plenty of room in the yard with a favorable slope (just enough for drainage, yet mostly flat). This project would be part of a larger DIY landscaping project we are taking on next year (basically reclaiming an overgrown "wildflower" area the previous owners left behind) and turning it into an area with nicer plantings, stone borders, a paver stone walkway, mulch, decorative stones, etc.

Anyway, I don't have a large budget for this as Mrs. Fox has plans for a bathroom remodel next year. So, that rules out some neat systems such as the Dave Pelz GreenMaker system. Alternatively, I'm considering building this green on a wooden platform, sunk down into the ground, that could be removed for the winter and put in the garage if desired. Even if the wood frame needed replacing every couple of years, that would be no problem. My thought was that the wood frame could flex and move as the ground freezes, then settle back down once the ground has thawed.

So if you have any input, suggestions, or comments please feel free to share! Also, if you think this is a stupid idea, please tell me! You won't hurt my feelings!

Leftymoose · November 29, 2017

Good question. I'd be interested in finding this out myself

Jdubs77 · November 29, 2017

I live in NY and had a similar issue, although we have cold winters and sometime have our ground freeze i'm sure it's nothing like what you experience. About 10 years ago i purchased a really nice practice green and had planned to keep it indoors but that made chipping practice impossible. The green i have is 17 ft long (the first 2 feet is rough for chipping off of and the remaining 15 ft is putting surface) and 6ft wide.

After deciding that I had to put it outside I had basically 2 options:

#1 - the DYI or professional way you see on HGTV or online (digging out the area/pea gravel/paver base/tamper/sand/ etc)

#2 - building some type of platform to put it on

I went with #2, I basically framed it out in 2x4s a rectangle 17ftx6ft, like you would a wall in your house and ontop of that i put 3/4" plywood as the surface. I sprayed the entire structure with the same rubberized coating they use on undercarriages of 4x4 vehicles so they won't rust from the sand/dirt/salt driving off-road. Then screwed the mat onto the structure and cut the holes to finish.

Couple of things i learned and why i'm happy i went this route:

It was so much easier and MUCH less expensive to do it this way, it made a perfectly flat putting green, i can detach the green from it to store in the winter time (although i have a DYI poly greenhouse now covering this so i can use it in the wintertime, for an add'l $150 cost).

The #1 reason why i'm happy i went this way is that i feel that the flat green has helped me with my alignment and putting way more than practicing breaking putts. I have a friend with a very expensive putting green that was professionally installed, with breaks etc and i don't feel like the practice i get on that is the same as mine. Again just my opinion. My putting green is for practice, not for show and to look cool in my backyard (although i always get lots of compliments, especially when people hear that i did that all myself.

Hope this helps or at least gives you some ideas.

Lancj1 · November 30, 2017

Slight straying from topic but that’s a good point. Flat to practice technique rather than slopes etc as surely familiarity will ensure you know every break within a few weeks. Food for thought.

homergolf · November 30, 2017

My neighbor had a putting surface installed in his backyard. It covers most of the yard, and, since there are a lot of trees, grass growing is an issue, so it is a natural fit. Dirt or putting surface was his choice. We’re in the Cleveland area so it gets cold and snowy, but apparently that is not an issue for the green. If done right it’s feesable. Our frostline is nothing like 48” though, more like 12”.

fox88gt · November 30, 2017

Thank you all for the feedback! Jdub, that is an excellent idea with the rubberized coating to protect the wood frame. I'm glad to hear that the idea has been tried and you are having good results with what you built. That gives me some confidence to dive into this project after the winter. I also agree that creating a flat surface would be more beneficial for grooving a putting and chipping stroke than creating breaks.

smeech8000 · November 30, 2017

I live in NY and had a similar issue, although we have cold winters and sometime have our ground freeze i'm sure it's nothing like what you experience. About 10 years ago i purchased a really nice practice green and had planned to keep it indoors but that made chipping practice impossible. The green i have is 17 ft long (the first 2 feet is rough for chipping off of and the remaining 15 ft is putting surface) and 6ft wide.

After deciding that I had to put it outside I had basically 2 options:
#1 - the DYI or professional way you see on HGTV or online (digging out the area/pea gravel/paver base/tamper/sand/ etc)
#2 - building some type of platform to put it on

I went with #2, I basically framed it out in 2x4s a rectangle 17ftx6ft, like you would a wall in your house and ontop of that i put 3/4" plywood as the surface. I sprayed the entire structure with the same rubberized coating they use on undercarriages of 4x4 vehicles so they won't rust from the sand/dirt/salt driving off-road. Then screwed the mat onto the structure and cut the holes to finish.

Couple of things i learned and why i'm happy i went this route:
It was so much easier and MUCH less expensive to do it this way, it made a perfectly flat putting green, i can detach the green from it to store in the winter time (although i have a DYI poly greenhouse now covering this so i can use it in the wintertime, for an add'l $150 cost).

The #1 reason why i'm happy i went this way is that i feel that the flat green has helped me with my alignment and putting way more than practicing breaking putts. I have a friend with a very expensive putting green that was professionally installed, with breaks etc and i don't feel like the practice i get on that is the same as mine. Again just my opinion. My putting green is for practice, not for show and to look cool in my backyard (although i always get lots of compliments, especially when people hear that i did that all myself.

Hope this helps or at least gives you some ideas.

Sounds great! Pics? :nyam:

FairwaysToHeaven · November 30, 2017

My neighbor had a putting surface installed in his backyard. It covers most of the yard, and, since there are a lot of trees, grass growing is an issue, so it is a natural fit. Dirt or putting surface was his choice. We’re in the Cleveland area so it gets cold and snowy, but apparently that is not an issue for the green. If done right it’s feesable. Our frostline is nothing like 48” though, more like 12”.

not that it matters, but cleveland frostline is 42"