Forget Field of Dreams. Think Green of Dreams!

Collinsville Herald
Written by Chad Morelli
Of the Suburban Journals
June 14, 2005

Local golf enthusiasts are now beginning to make those dreams into a reality. The appeal of replacing backyard gardens with a personal putting green, chipping area, or even sand bunker is starting to catch on.

"We're starting to get quite a few calls from people who are interested in doing things like that," said Collinsville landscaper David Wilby, owner of A Home Landscaping Company. "And some people are looking for some pretty elaborate setups."

Wilby said he has started specializing in building outdoor putting greens in backyards. It helps to set him apart from some of the other landscapers in the area and allows him to capitalize on a trend that is slowly catching on.

Bruce Richards, a Collinsville resident who is a self-described bad golfer with a terrible addiction to the game, installed an artificial turf putting green behind his home two years ago.

"For us golf fanatics, this is like the dream of a lifetime," Richards said. "Being able to step off your porch and onto a putting green, that's heaven."

Richards said he now loves putting around his backyard and having access to the green 24 hours a day. The convenience and extra practice has shaved at least a couple of strokes off his handicap, he said.

Other landscapers in the area are also seeing a rise in requests for unique backyard golfing paradises.

Dave Nimmo, president of Turf Visions, retired from his job as a mechanic to throw himself into the synthetic sports surfaces business. His company is based in Edwardsville and has installed everything from putting greens to artificial lawns.

"The types of turf that are available now, it's really amazing," Nimmo said. "We're able to use the same kind of stuff that professional golfers have in their backyards, turf that acts exactly like a real golf course green."

Many of the newer golf greens use tiny particles of sand coated in acrylic to make the turf react like true grass. Specialty greens allow golfers to hit chip shots from 150 yards away and land it on the chipping area, where the turf will be soft enough to hold the shot like a real green.

Nimmo, who installed a putting and chipping green at his own home, often spends time practicing golf shots in his backyard.

"It's just like practicing at a golf course, only you have all the conveniences of home," Nimmo said. "You don't even have to wear shoes."

Getting a green into your backyard isn't cheap, but prices are dropping and many golfers are finding it to be worth the time and effort. A standard putting green will cost around $4,000, though most landscapers can also install a variety of extras. Sand bunkers, water hazards, chipping mats, and undulating greens are just a few of the features some people are requesting for their backyards.

Landscapers point out that backyard golf greens dramatically increase the value of a home and are far easier to maintain than a garden. The artificial turf never needs to be watered, is impervious to the sun, and can be cleaned with a leaf blower.

Then there's all the benefits of becoming a better golfer.

"And for golfers like me, we need all the practice we can get," Nimmo said. "And golf in a backyard, it's the one place where you really can practice every day of the week."