Thinking about gifting Dad that putting green he’s been wanting this Father’s Day? With a few skills and a little planning, a putting green is a do-able DIY project for the handy. But like all jobs, having the right tools and tips makes the job easier. Here’s some DIY putting green supplies that you want to have on hand before you start the installation.
Sod Cutter
Once you’ve marked out your putting green area and your artificial turf has been delivered, it’s time to get to work. One of the hardest jobs is removing the old turf. Hardest if you do it the old-fashioned way with a manual sod cutter.
A manual cod cutter looks a bit like a shovel. You shove it into the turf like a shovel. Creating a grid pattern, you cut the sod into intersecting lines that make squares. Then you lift the squares. Sweating just thinking about it?
The better way is to rent a gas powered sod cutter. Walk behind this piece of equipment and let the machinery do the work. You’ll get cleaner cuts and work faster. If you are transplanting the sod, the even edges made by the sod cutting machine go together neater and result in a nicer finished product.
Big Box home improvement stores rent sod cutters and most equipment rental companies will have sod cutters available too. Renting this tool will make getting started so much easier.
Plate Compactor
Your putting green is only as good as the sub-base. And the sub-base is only as good as the compaction. You can achieve proper compaction with a hand tamper, but it is work.
Like removing the sod, compacting the sub-base can be done the easy way or the hard way. The hard way takes arm muscle and a hand tamper. It’s effective for about a 24 inch square of area. Anything more and you’ll need multiple strong people and hours of work. Lots of ibuprofen afterwards too. The easy way is to use a gasoline powered plate compactor.
Like the sod cutter, this machine is easily rented for a day or just a few hours. They harness the power of an internal combustion engine to literally pound the sub-base into submission. If your design includes intricate curves and bends, you may still need to do a few small areas by hand. Otherwise let the plate compactor and sod cutter be your dynamic duo of DIY putting green supplies and do the hard work.
Wonder Edge
That absolutely fabulous putting green must come to an end at some time. How you edge your putting green can be the difference between hours upon hours of backbreaking trenching or just a small amount of time spent hammering some spikes.
If you want to spend hours trenching, then use bender board to edge Dad’s putting green. If you want to get it done, use Wonder Edge. It’s not motorized like the sod cutter and plate compactor, but it is one of those DIY putting green supplies that can cut your installation time by 90%.
Wonder Edge goes down using your turf spikes. Just hammer it it. Once you lay your turf, make a rough cut along the edge and tuck the edge into the Wonder Edge slot. How easy is that? No digging, no trenching, no cussing. It’s truly a wonder. It looks good too!
DIY Putting Green Supplies for Maintenance Too
Once Dad’s putting green is in place, you’ll need a few supplies for maintenance.
Debris Removal. Leaves, branches, and other debris will blow onto the green. Remove them with a broom or leaf blower. If you use a leaf blower, keep the blower at about knee height and not down next to the turf. The blowing action can remove the infill that keeps your turf looking good and performing well. If any turf is laying flat, push it back up with the broom.
Dust Removal. Keep a hose handy for rinsing down the turf. What a broom or leaf blower won’t remove, a gentle spray from the water hose will handle.
Power Broom. About once a year, you’ll want to go over the turf with a power broom. Like the sod cutter and plate compactor cousins, this tool is powered by a motor. This motor powers the broom bristles to make the turf stand up and and deep clean the blade. It also redistributes the infill.
