01
Building an artificial putting green in a Cape Town garden
Start with the base. A putting green is a levelled, compacted, laser-checked surface with short dense turf on top, and the roll speed comes from the sand, not the grass.
- Minimum
- 25 m²
- Turf
- Short putting pile
- Infill
- Heavy silica
- Cups
- 2-3 typical
02
What a green costs
| Green | Area | Installed |
|---|---|---|
| Two cups, flat | 25 m² | R6 225 |
| Two cups, gentle break | 35 m² | R8 715 |
| Three cups with fringe | 50 m² | R12 450 |
03
Keeping the roll true
- Brush the surface weekly against the lean.
- Top up the sand once a year.
- Keep leaves off it, because leaf litter slows one line and not another.
Greens are built on the same base as a lawn. Read how the base goes in.
04
Putting green questions
How much space does a backyard putting green need?
A usable green starts at about 25 square metres. That fits two cups and putts of four to six metres. Thirty-five square metres gives room for a genuine break.
What does a putting green cost?
A 25 square metre green runs about R6 225 installed, using dedicated putting turf rather than garden pile. Contouring and bunkers are quoted separately.
Does a putting green need different grass?
Yes. Putting turf is short, dense and heavily sand-filled so the ball rolls true. Garden pile is too long and the ball wanders.