11 Backyard Putting Greens That’ll Make Your Neighbors Envious

You don’t need a membership at a popular golf club to improve your golf game—you can get better in the comfort (and privacy) of your own backyard while simultaneously making your golfer neighbors jealous! Whether you’re looking to build your own backyard putting green or purchase a premade green, you’ll want to consider a few things such as location, weed prevention, type of turf, and maintenance requirements.

For some serious inspiration, check out these 11 options that will make your neighbors envious.

First, you’ll want to choose your location. Have an open space? Then you have plenty of options. If you have lots of trees, know that you might need to get a bit creative but finding a spot for your backyard putting green is certainly doable.

Be sure to look for a level location with plenty of drainage so you won’t have to worry about flooding. Also, you’ll want to be sure to keep it a safe distance away from any structures to avoid damaging one with your swing or the golf ball.

Determine whether you’re going to go with growing grass from seed, use sod, or opt for artificial turf. Of course, this will very much depend on where you live and the outdoor elements, since different types of grasses fare better in various climates. Also, if you have lots of trees surrounding the green such as in this photo, you might want to opt for artificial turf; growing good grass in the shade can be more difficult.

Conventional grass will require more maintenance than artificial, and that includes watering, fertilizing, mowing, and weeding. Artificial turf can hold up to pet and foot traffic better than conventional turf, although it often costs more.

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If you have a pool or small pond at your home, you might want to consider a floating backyard putting green. This model makes it easy to transport and move, plus it will give you plenty of practice while you spend time by the water.

This model (available on Amazon) comes in two sizes and includes five floating golf balls.

Determine how many holes you want for your backyard putting green. If you have a small space, you might opt for just one. However, if your space is bigger, like the one seen here, you have the option to add multiple holes. Having more than one hole will give you plenty of options for different angles to practice your short game.

Don’t be afraid to add some landscaping to the edges of your backyard putting green, such as trees, shrubs, or a flower bed. Depending on its location, you also might want to add a fence. Rocks—whether large or small—can also help create a natural border.

This backyard putting green uses a fence with small trees for landscaping, along with a barrier with paver stones. The landscaping options are endless!

If you don’t have the space or just don’t want to build your own backyard putting green, try a plastic golf mat. This putting mat (available on Wayfair) can help you with your balance and rhythm from the comfort of your own home or office, since it can also be used indoors.

The putting mat features nonslip carpet and a plastic bottom, and an automatic return path. The green has two different size holes for various difficulty levels.

If digging up your yard isn’t an option, this artificial turf golf mat may be the answer. This 4.8 foot by 9.7 foot design (available on Wayfair) is an artificial turf mat that gives you the real experience from the comfort of your home. It can simulate various slopes and angles so you get a multi-angle practice experience. The mat weighs just over 22 pounds, so practicing putters can easily move it to different locations.

It doesn’t have to look like it’s a premier golf course, but you’ll want to add some contour around your backyard putting green. Make the green a bit more difficult by adding some small bumps to the terrain or having a section of the putting green slope. You can also go big by adding a sand trap or even a small water feature to really test your putting skills.

Those unsure about where they’d put a backyard putting green or worried about getting bored by having their practice space always look the same might consider an artificial turf mat. These mats also require no maintenance, so you can just roll it out and putt away. This mat is offered in various sizes from 1 foot to 13 feet and can work both outdoors and indoors (available on Amazon). Just measure the area where you want it to go for the right size.

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This putting mat allows for four speeds on just one mat along with multi-angle slope simulators to really test your skills (available on Amazon). In addition, you’ll be able to evaluate every putt, since you’ll see the exact path of your ball, which will allow you to perfect your distance and direction control. This is a great cost-effective solution for those looking to test and better their skills, and for those looking to challenge other family members or friends with friendly competitions. 

This backyard putting green has it all—contour, a sand trap, and rock landscaping that surrounds the space. It has two holes to let you practice various angles, and you can even set your ball down just outside the green to practice short chip shots onto the green.

Just remember that practice makes perfect, so it doesn’t matter how big or small your backyard putting green is, it’s just that you work on that swing!

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