Ok, so you REALLY want a backyard putting green...what do you NEED to consider?

I was pretty lost when I began thinking about getting a backyard putting green. And I started at the same place you probably did too...the internet.

You know, providing everyone interested in a green of their own with ONE place they can go and get the information needed to make a solid decision is why we started this online magazine!

Here are some of the initial things to look for as you begin the process...

1) How big is your backyard?

2) How large do you want the backyard putting green to be?

3) Where is the ideal spot for it?

Note: you need to think about issues like drainage when making your decision.

4) Do you just want to putt or do you also want to hit pitch shots (chip)?

Keep in mind that not all putting greens are made for the same purpose. There are putting greens that are made just for putting and ones made for putting and taking shots into the green from over 100 yards!

If you have a big enough yard...get a synthetic turf putting green that lets you take those short irons out of the bag...

5) How many holes do you want on the putting green?

These are all questions that you need to really think about so that you can have the best putting green for YOUR backyard.

Me? Well, my backyard slopes a bit in spots, so my putting green works better off the patio...so no 8 irons, but I still have plenty of room to take the wedge out and that is just great with me. Because of this though, I went with a green that worked well for chipping and putting.

Here is my outdoor putting green as it is being installed...

Take some time to walk around your backyard and visualize where you want the putting green to be and what type of shots you can hit from there. Keep looking at different scenarios until you get the one that you are happy with.

We will get a little more in-depth about these later... Now, let's take a closer look at backyard putting green shapes and how they affect the location of the putting green.