How to build a golf course
Many golfers set up a golf course in their backyard so they can practice and not have to travel far to golf courses and pay membership fees to golf clubs. You can make a golf lawn if you take care of the grass in your yard or plant fresh grass. But, if you want your lawn to meet all American Golf Association standards, you need to dig the course, get gravel, humus, and install irrigation and drainage systems.
Steps
1
Choose a location. Your site should be where there is sandy soil, plenty of sunshine, and good drainage. It should also be windswept so the grass stays fresh.
2
Excavate the area for the golf course to a depth of 20 inches (51 cm). Make sure to remove all old grass so you don’t have to fight weeds later.
3
Plan your golf course. It should have different hills to make it more difficult for you, most importantly the slopes should face the opposite direction from the center. that way puddles won’t accumulate after it rains.
If you want the site to be low-lying, you need to install a drainage pipe underneath it to divert water. This won’t help in places where puddles freeze in the winter.
4
Install drainage systems with 8-inch (20 cm) trenches to allow water to drain away from the center of the course. Duct tape the pipe joints and the pipes so they do not come apart or you will have to dig over your lawn later to fix the pipes.
5
If necessary, install an irrigation system. Keep in mind that you need to water your lawn enough and evenly to keep it healthy. It takes a long time to water a golf course with a garden hose and you can’t water evenly.
It is easiest to use your municipal water source. unless you live in an area that prohibits the use of water for irrigation during a drought. If you decide to use other water sources (let’s say rainwater, sewage, etc.), you will need to look more closely at how that water affects your lawn and irrigation system. Some water may clog watering nozzles or have undesirable chemical elements in it.
You can water your site with garden sprinklers or drip irrigation piping attached to special holders, but it will take you a long time to move them around the site. A buried sprinkler system with pop-up sprinklers can be made fully automatic.
Install a home sprinkler system instead of a golf course sprinkler system. A golf course sprinkler system sprays water at high pressure. And since you only need to water one small area, a home sprinkler system will suffice. Plus, it’s not that expensive.
6
Put a 4 inch (10 cm) layer of gravel on your patio. When you water your lawn, the gravel will trap moisture at the roots and during heavy rains, it will let water flow through quickly and keep the lawn from flooding. Tamp down a layer of gravel.
7
Add 2 inches (5 cm) of sand to the gravel layer and tamp it down again.
8
Spread 14 inches (35 cm) of topsoil on top of the sand. It should have 60 percent sand and no more than 20 percent clay. It’s best to buy and bring in soil, but you can also have your soil analyzed and checked to see if it meets American Golf Association standards. Tamp down this layer.
9
Sod or turf your course. Turfing usually makes for uneven lawns, so if you have the time and energy to wait for the lawn to grow, reseed it by hand. The varieties of grass you will use will depend on the climate of the area you live in.
10
Mark out the boundaries of the course by planting stiffer grass around the edges. Before you plant your grass, you can add a moisture barrier around the course to prevent water from seeping out of the surrounding area or to keep the area from absorbing extra water.
11
Buy holes, tees, and flags from golf equipment suppliers. You can also order a special device for the holes if you want to change their position. You will also need to buy a special mower to mow your new lawn every day.