A Southern Homeowner's Dream Green

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This is my favorite article we have done so far. Jim Eddins, the homeowner/putting green owner in this article, provided great insight and great photos as well.

These photos will give you a really good look at a residential putting green installation from start to finish.


RPGM: How long had you planned to put a putting green in your backyard?

Jim Eddins: Approximately 2 years. basically, as soon as we finished the house. The back yard, as you will see from the pictures, needed to be leveled by a retaining wall and to be truthful I had already started the green as a natural grass green prior to getting the suggestion from my wife and a friend that I should investigate an artificial green.







RPGM: How much research went in to choosing the installer?

Jim Eddins: After the suggestion by my wife and the information from my local golf course superintendent concerning the equipment cost and time requirements of maintaining a natural green and let alone the fact , that in our area, watering of private lawns is on a ration basis.

My wife and I started an internet search for information on greens and installers.

I wanted an installer that was relatively local so that if anything went wrong I would have some professional help. After talking to four installers, I decided on TourGreens in Atlanta.

I contacted Mike gross from a number that was in one of your articles and it was one of the best calls I’ve made.

Mike invited me, my putter and wedge, down to see and feel an actual installation.
I suppose I spent 30 to 45 minutes in all types of shot positions and was very impressed with the feel and the trueness of the roll and stopping feel of the wedge shots.

After our actual tour we agreed that Mike would come to our location to view the actual placement and give me an estimate of the cost and time to completion.

RPGM: Tell our readers about your project. What was important to you as a homeowner? Size, location, playability of the turf, etc.?

Jim Eddins: I wanted the green to fit into the complete scheme of the back yard that my wife had envisioned. She is a gardener and this green had to compliment the gardens and not be the focal point.

From our back yard we have about a 20 mile view for almost 100 degrees and the green could not be built, such that it detracted from either the view or the gardens. The location was my choice but the landscaping was my wife’s decision.

I plan to put a chipping area below the retaining wall and I wanted the green to accept wedge shots with a feel close to that of a real green. Mike accomplished this very accurately and with the exception of the speed, ( very fast) which can be adjusted by sweeping or rolling, it is very close to the same action on the greens at my course.

Mike and I chose the locations that would allow longer and shorter fringe shots and then he contoured the green for beauty and undulation.

RPGM: What was the budget for your project?

Jim Eddins: I had no budget in mind when I started, and was concerned with the price quotation that Mike gave me until I did the full research on the cost of installing and maintaining a grass green.

A good power operated green mower with catcher and back rollers at my cost, and I have contact in the mower industry was over $800 (used) and the fringe could be cut with a hand reel mower and catcher at a cost of $230.

My superintendent told me that I would have to cut the green every other day, without fail, if I wanted to insure that the grass would prosper and grow properly. This make Summer vacations tough unless you have a neighbor who is willing to cut the grass while you are gone.

The biggest sales feature of the artificial green appeared when my wife ask where I intended to keep the mowers when they were not in use. I said under the deck and that was a mistake. I have plenty of room in my barn, but that was going to mean that the every other day mowing was going to be a 35 to 40 minute project 20 minutes to cut and 20 minute to haul out equipment.

I decided I did have another life, regardless of how small, outside of my love of golf, and when all the figures were in, my wife and I decided that the $19,000 price was a bargain and would allow us the freedom to go as we pleased and still have a top notch practice facility.

RPGM: Was landscaping an important part of your project?

Jim Eddins: Landscaping was a very important part of the project.

As I stated before, my toy had to fit in to the whole picture and with a little forthought you can have your cake and eat it too.

I put underground piping under the backyard so that each flower bead has its own spigot for watering. This is all fed from our grey water system that catches shower and washing machine water as well as roof down spouts to provide unobtrusive irrigation of the back yard.

Mike took all of this in stride as he designed the drainage for the green.

We have heavy rains, when we get any rain, and we have never had a puddle form on the green.

RPGM: How long did the project take beginning to end?

Jim Eddins: Mike and his crew took 4 ½ days start to finish for the green and I hired his crew for another half day to complete the spreading the decorative stone and mulching the flower beads.

The green has an 8-12 in base of crushed stone that was compacted by a road roller not a vibrating compactor so we have never had any change in the undulation of the green.

This method takes longer but if you want to have next year what you had when you finished, there are no short cuts acceptable.

RPGM: How has your new green changed the time you spend at home?



Jim Eddins: This is an unfair question since my wife ad I are kind of home bodies any way but it has provided the opportunity to get 30 minutes of practice in 35 minutes rather than an hour and a half with drive time to the golf course.

I think for the average golfer that tries to practice once or twice a week you will probably save two to four hours a week and if you are a country club member you will probably save a lot of money by not being tempted by the local gin game.

Do your research and choose a truly reputable installer like Tour Greens and you will be very pleased with your decision to have your own practice facility.


My wife and I are both thrilled with the addition it has made to our home.

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