Backyard Hangout

Hangout idea

Putting Greens

A short-game yard that still looks like a garden.

A putting green is the quiet sport court. It works at dusk, it works with a drink in hand, and it does not need a team. The trick is making it look planted, not like a rectangle of turf dropped on the lawn. Contour, fringe, and a path from the patio matter as much as Stimpmeter speed.

Design your hangoutAll ideas

Zone breakdown

  1. 01

    Practice green

    300–600 square feet, 2–3 cups, gentle breaks. Enough to actually practice, small enough to feel like landscaping.

  2. 02

    Short-game yard

    Green plus a chipping pad and a small bunker or waste area. Weekend games with a wedge, not just a putter.

  3. 03

    Full backyard courselet

    Multiple pins, a tee deck, lighting, and seating. A destination at the far end of the property.

What it costs

2026 U.S. residential ballparks, not bids. Site work, permits, and finishes can move a project a full tier.

Entry

$8k–$16k

Small synthetic green, basic cups, simple fringe. DIY-adjacent installs live here.

Mid

$16k–$35k

Contoured green, chipping area, better turf, edging that meets real planting.

Premium

$35k–$80k

Bunker or waste area, lighting, irrigation for surrounds, designed as part of the landscape.

Design tips

  • Tip 1

    Place the green where you already walk at dusk — off the patio, not isolated at the far fence.

  • Tip 2

    A 3–4 foot fringe of different turf or planting keeps the green from looking like a putting-green sticker.

  • Tip 3

    Two cups is a practice pad. Three or four cups with real breaks is a game.

  • Tip 4

    If you also want a golf simulator, put the green near the house so winter and summer share a ritual.

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