Your Guide to Artificial Turf Putting Green Installation in Prescott, AZ
- Taylor silva
- 4 days ago
- 10 min read
Ready to perfect your short game without leaving your backyard? An artificial turf putting green is the ultimate solution for Prescott homeowners who want a tour-quality practice area without the constant watering, mowing, and maintenance of natural grass. It’s a smart, water-wise investment that adds value and year-round fun to your home.
If you’ve been dreaming of a personal putting green, you’re in the right place. At R.E. and Sons Landscaping, we solve a common problem for homeowners across Prescott, Prescott Valley, and Chino Valley: how to create a beautiful, functional, and low-maintenance yard that stands up to Northern Arizona’s climate. As a licensed (AZ ROC #300642), bonded, and insured local expert with over 2,500 projects completed right here in our community, we understand exactly what it takes to build a putting green that lasts.
This guide answers the real questions Prescott homeowners ask us every day. We’ll walk you through the entire process, from design to installation, so you can feel confident you’re making the right choice for your home and your golf game.
Why are homeowners in Prescott choosing synthetic greens?
More and more, we see local homeowners choosing synthetic turf because it's a practical, sustainable investment in their lifestyle and property value. This isn't just about looks; it's about finding a high-performance landscaping solution that works for our dry climate.
The global artificial turf market is projected to reach USD 11.9 billion by 2030, with a huge driver being water conservation. Switching to synthetic turf can reduce your landscape water use by 75% or more—a massive benefit for anyone living in Northern Arizona. This shift is detailed in market reports from sources like Mordor Intelligence.
Homeowners in the Prescott area often tell us their top reasons for choosing a putting green are convenience, water savings, and creating a fun space for family and friends. It turns an unused part of the yard into a hub of activity.
What are the main benefits of a backyard putting green?
An artificial putting green is much more than just a place to practice. It’s a versatile upgrade that enhances your entire outdoor living space. The key advantages are clear:
Year-Round Playability: Unlike natural grass that goes dormant or gets muddy, your green is ready for a round of golf in any season.
Minimal Maintenance: Forget mowing, fertilizing, and aerating. Keeping your green pristine is as simple as using a leaf blower to clear away debris.
Increased Property Value: A professionally installed putting green is a unique luxury feature that makes your home stand out to potential buyers.
Here at R.E. and Sons Landscaping, our mission is to design and build a green that perfectly fits your space and playing style, ensuring you get decades of enjoyment from it.
How do you design a putting green for a Prescott yard?
A great putting green should feel like a natural part of your landscape, not just a patch of turf dropped into the yard. The design phase is where your vision meets our local, hands-on experience. At R.E. and Sons Landscaping, we focus on creating a plan that works with your home’s aesthetic, your playing style, and the unique conditions of your property. We thoughtfully consider how the green will flow with existing features like paver patios or garden beds to create a cohesive and beautiful outdoor retreat.
How do I choose the best location for my putting green?
Choosing the right spot is the single most important decision you'll make. It affects everything from playability and longevity to how much you’ll actually use it. Here in Northern Arizona, we have to account for intense sun and monsoon rains, making proper placement critical.
We look for a spot that balances a few key factors:
Sunlight: While our turf is UV-stabilized to resist fading, avoiding areas baked in the direct afternoon sun will extend its life. A spot with morning sun is often ideal.
Drainage: We always engineer a proper drainage base, but starting with a location that doesn't naturally pool water is a smart first step. We assess your yard’s natural slope to work with it.
Views and Access: How will the green look from your patio or kitchen window? Is it easy to get to? We want it to be an inviting feature that pulls you outside.
A common mistake we see in Prescott is placing a green directly under large pine trees. The constant battle with falling needles and sap creates a maintenance headache. We help you find that sweet spot that minimizes cleanup.
What is the best shape and size for a backyard green?
The shape of your green should complement your yard, not fight it. We almost always recommend organic, free-form shapes over simple rectangles, as they look far more natural and integrate beautifully with existing landscaping.
As for size, it depends on your goals. A smaller 200-square-foot green is perfect for casual practice on short putts. If you’re serious about working on long lag putts and want multiple hole locations, a green of 500 square feet or more is a better fit.
Key Design Decisions for Your Backyard Green
Use this table to weigh the most important design elements for your Prescott putting green.
Design Element | What to Consider | A Pro Tip from Our Experience |
|---|---|---|
Size | How much space do you have? Are you practicing short putts or long-distance lag putts? Budget is also a factor. | Most homeowners are thrilled with a green between 300-500 sq. ft. It offers plenty of variety without overwhelming the yard. |
Shape | Should it be a classic kidney shape, a free-flowing amoeba, or something more geometric to match your hardscaping? | Let your existing landscape guide you. A shape that flows naturally with garden beds or a patio edge always looks best. |
Location | Consider sun exposure, drainage, and visibility from your home. | Find a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade if possible. It's more pleasant to practice on and helps the turf last longer. |
Contours | Do you want a mostly flat surface for consistency, or do you prefer realistic breaks and undulations for a challenge? | Even subtle contours make a huge difference. We recommend adding gentle breaks to mimic a real course—it makes practice way more fun. |
Fringe/Rough | A taller "fringe" border allows for chipping practice and gives the green a professional, finished look. | A two-foot fringe is a great starting point. It's wide enough for chipping but doesn't take up too much extra space. |
How should the cups be placed for the best practice?
The number and placement of cups are what turn a turf patch into a real practice facility. The goal is to create variety and simulate the types of putts you'll face on the course.
We design the layout to give you a mix of:
Straight Putts: Essential for building a consistent, confident stroke.
Breaking Putts: Gentle left-to-right and right-to-left breaks to sharpen your green-reading skills.
Uphill and Downhill Putts: Critical for mastering your pace and distance control.
By sculpting subtle contours into the base, we can make even a small green play like a much larger one. For most residential greens in the Prescott area, 3 to 5 cups offer plenty of variety without cluttering the surface. At R.E. and Sons Landscaping, we map this out with you to ensure the final layout meets your exact practice needs.
What is the installation process for a putting green?
A professional-grade artificial turf putting green is a construction project where the foundation is just as important as the turf on top. At R.E. and Sons Landscaping, we approach every installation in Prescott and the surrounding communities with precision engineering, building greens that perform flawlessly for years and stand up to our unique Northern Arizona climate.
Step 1: Site Preparation and Excavation
The first step is preparing the canvas. We start by removing existing grass, weeds, and organic topsoil, excavating down several inches to create a clean slate. This is vital because it ensures nothing can decompose under your green, which would cause dips and an uneven surface over time. This foundational work guarantees the base we build will remain solid for the life of your green.
Step 2: Building a Stable, Permeable Base
With the site cleared, we construct the aggregate base—the structural heart of your putting green. Here in the Prescott area, we use a specific blend of crushed rock engineered for both stability and excellent drainage. We install this base in compacted layers, creating a sub-base that's firm like concrete but remains completely permeable. This is crucial for handling our monsoon rains and preventing pooling.
We often get asked about how these greens handle monsoon season. A properly built aggregate base is your best defense. It acts like a giant French drain, capturing rainwater and letting it percolate safely into the ground below, so you never see standing water on your putting surface.
Step 3: Sculpting Contours and Breaks
Once the base is solid, our craftsmen sculpt the subtle undulations that make your green unique and fun. This is a blend of art and science, where we hand-shape every contour to create realistic breaks that are challenging but fair. This is what gives your green its personality, turning it from a flat mat into a miniature golf hole.
Step 4: Laying and Seaming the Turf
With the contoured base ready, it's time for the turf. We meticulously cut and position the sections to fit the custom shape. The most critical part of this step is seaming—joining two pieces of turf together. Our technicians use specialized adhesive and seaming tape to create bonds that are both incredibly strong and virtually invisible, ensuring a flawless surface for a perfect ball roll every time. You can learn more in our complete artificial turf installation guide for Prescott homeowners.
Step 5: Applying Infill for True Ball Roll
The final touch is applying the infill, which is typically a rounded silica sand. This infill is essential because it helps the turf fibers stand upright, adds weight to keep the turf secure, and, most importantly, controls the ball speed (or "stimp") of the green. By carefully brushing a precise amount of infill into the turf, we can dial in the speed to your exact preference.
How much does a backyard putting green cost in Arizona?
When homeowners in Prescott ask about cost, the answer depends on more than just square footage. The total investment for a professional installation hinges on the project's size, design complexity, site accessibility, and the quality of materials used. At R.E. and Sons Landscaping, we provide transparent, detailed quotes so you know exactly what your investment covers.
What does a professional quote include?
A comprehensive quote from a licensed landscaper like us is a complete, turn-key price covering the entire construction process. This protects you from surprise costs. A professional quote for your putting green installation in the Prescott area will typically bundle:
Full Site Preparation: Demolition, haul-away, excavation, and grading.
Engineered Aggregate Base: All base materials, delivery, and professional compaction.
High-Quality Turf and Fringe: The putting surface itself, plus any fringe for chipping.
All Installation Materials: Seaming tape, adhesives, infill sand, cups, and flags.
Professional Labor and Equipment: The cost for our experienced crew to perform every step.
When comparing quotes, it's crucial to look at the type of base material and turf being proposed, not just the final number. A cheaper quote might be using inferior materials that will lead to a lumpy, poorly-draining surface in just a few years.
Why is quality turf so important?
The long-term performance of your green depends on the materials. We use high-quality, American-made turf specifically engineered for putting. This turf has a short, dense, non-directional pile that allows the ball to roll smoothly across the top of the fibers for a true, consistent path. This is completely different from standard landscape turf.
The demand for high-performance backyard greens is growing, with the golf turf market projected to hit over $1.6 billion by 2033. This growth is driven by homeowners who realize that quality artificial turf can slash maintenance costs by 70-80% compared to natural grass. You can learn more about these market trends and the rise of golf course turf.
How do you maintain a backyard putting green?
One of the biggest advantages of an artificial turf putting green is how little work it takes to keep it looking and playing great. It’s not "no-maintenance," but it is "low-maintenance." A few simple habits are all you need to protect your investment for its full 15 to 20-year lifespan. Our goal at R.E. and Sons Landscaping is for you to spend your time enjoying your green, not working on it.
What are the simple steps for routine care?
Keeping your green in top shape is straightforward. These tasks take just a few minutes but make a huge impact:
Clear Debris Regularly: Use a leaf blower to gently remove leaves, pine needles, and other debris. This prevents organic material from breaking down and slowing drainage.
Brush the Turf Fibers: Occasionally, use a stiff-bristle push broom (never metal!) to brush against the grain. This helps the blades stand tall for a consistent ball roll.
Rinse as Needed: After a dusty spell in Northern Arizona, a quick rinse with a garden hose will wash away dust and pollen and keep your green looking vibrant.
If you ever find a spot that feels a bit soft, the sand infill may have shifted. Simply brushing it back into place is usually all that’s needed. For more tips, see our guide on how to maintain artificial turf in Prescott, AZ.
Frequently Asked Questions About Putting Greens
As the go-to installers in Prescott, Chino Valley, and Prescott Valley, we've answered hundreds of questions from homeowners. Here are the most common ones we hear.
How long does the installation process take?
For most residential putting greens we build in the Prescott area, the entire process takes about 3 to 7 days. The exact timeline depends on the project's size, design complexity, and site access. We provide a clear schedule before we begin, so you know exactly what to expect.
Can you install a putting green on a sloped yard?
Absolutely. A sloped yard is often an advantage, allowing us to build in interesting and challenging breaks that mimic a real golf course. Our installation process includes professional grading and base construction, which ensures a perfect, well-draining putting surface regardless of your yard's original slope.
How realistic is the ball roll on artificial turf?
Modern putting green turf is engineered to perform just like a high-end golf course green. The ball roll is smooth, consistent, and true. We can also customize the "stimp speed" by adjusting the amount of sand infill, so whether you want it to play like a local Prescott course or something faster, we can dial it in to your preference.
Is artificial turf safe for kids and pets?
Yes, it’s completely safe. We only install high-quality, American-made turf that is non-toxic and free of lead or other harmful chemicals. It's incredibly durable and handles regular foot traffic from kids and pets. Plus, its excellent drainage means no more muddy paws being tracked through your house.
For more information, visit our complete frequently asked questions about artificial turf in Prescott.
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