Why controlling the flow of water is important to your backyard putting green construction.

The United States Army has a “Corps of Engineers” made up of approximately 34,600 civilian and 650 military members that, among other things, provide engineering services to manage the flow of water. Water flowing through the Colorado River created the Grand Canyon. What does the Army Corps of Engineers and the Grand Canyon have to do with residential putting greens, you might ask?

Well, let’s take a look.

My years of experience in this business have shown me that one of the most common causes of longer term problems with synthetic turf putting green installations is the failure of the installer to adequately manage the flow of water.

Homeowners and do-it-yourselfers are almost always guilty of this and you must make sure any professional you hire understands the concept.

While I am certainly not an engineer or hydrologist, there are some basic things about water flow you must be familiar with to successfully install a synthetic turf putting green.

The first thing you must know is that water flows downhill. Everyone already knows this, right? Maybe so, but I see putting greens installed where slopes and undulations are created that trap water on the green with no way for it to flow downhill and off the green? Besides the playability impairment, standing water on a synthetic green can give rise to mold and mildew problems down the road. I also see putting greens installed at the base of a rather large slope with no place for the runoff water from the slope to go but straight over the putting green, or worse, having it flow under the base, deteriorating it and causing grand canyon-type ripples in the green?

The second concept that you, and a putting green professional installation company, have to be familiar with is permeability. In other words, how much and at what rate water goes through, versus runs off, a particular substance like soil, base materials, geo-textile fabrics, and the turf itself.

A true installation professional might not know the exact measurements of permeability, but will understand the concepts enough to alter their construction methods based upon the environmental and site-specific factors that impact permeability.

Remember, you do not have to be an engineer or hydrologist to install a synthetic turf putting green. And, while the Grand Canyon took many years to create, you must manage the flow of water if you want to create a putting green that will give you many years of enjoyment.

Mike Gross is the CEO of TourGreens, a professional installation company based in Georgia. RPGM welcomes Mike as a contributing writer.

Editor's note: I can't stress enough how important managing water flow is to the longevity and enjoyment of your home putting green. If you hire a professional to take on your putting green construction...don't be shy about asking about their plan for water flow.

For the DIY crowd, please print this article and re-read it as a reminder before you begin your putting green construction.

A good putting green is like a good house...they are both built on a solid foundation!

From Putting Green Construction to an interview with Nicklaus Design in the RPGM Q&A Series.