How Much Does a Backyard Putting Green Cost? [2024 Data]
Normal range: $3,500 - $9,000
The average cost of installing a backyard putting green is $4,300, but it ranges between $3,500 and $9,000, depending on the type of turf and complexity of the design.
Installing a putting green is a hole-in-one landscaping project for any golf enthusiast. For most homeowners, a backyard putting green costs between $2,500 and $75,000 or $4,300 on average. This works out to roughly $4 to $40 per square foot, but golf accessories and landscaping features will cost you extra.
Since backyard putting greens vary in size and features, this guide will help you understand which budgets are par for the course and where you can tighten your pockets if needed.
- Average
- $4,300
- Low end
- $2,500
- high end
- $75,000
Putting Green Size
Backyard putting greens cost between $4 and $40 per square foot, and size is one of the biggest cost factors for this project. Do you want a small, 100-square-foot green just to putt the ball around, or are you an athlete looking to improve your game on a larger green of 500 to 2,000 square feet? You may score a discount per square foot for larger greens, but, of course, your total is still going to be higher overall.
| Size | Average Cost (Per Square Foot) |
|---|---|
| Small (under 400 sq. ft.) | $25–$40 |
| Medium (400–2,000 sq. ft.) | $20–$30 |
| Large (over 2,000 sq. ft.) | $15–$25 |
Putting Green Installation Pro Costs
If you don’t want to deal with the fuss of DIY landscape design, hire a local putting green installation service. These pros are landscape designers with experience crafting this specific type of recreational area, which requires—at a minimum—landscape grading, land clearing, and artificial grass installation. Most landscape designers charge between $50 and $150 per hour, though they sometimes charge by the project.
Additional Pros to Consider Hiring
Depending on the design, you might need pros with additional expertise to build your ideal backyard putting green. The sky's the limit, and some homeowners install decorative grasses and mulching, ponds, other water features, lighting, or hardscaping. You may need to hire a landscape architect or structural engineer for significant backyard remodels.
Here are some pros to consider bringing in and their associated costs:
Landscaper costs: $50–$100 per hour
Hardscaper costs: $50–$100 per hour
Landscape architect costs: $70–$100 per hour
Electrician costs: $50–$100 per hour
Plumber costs: $45–$200 per hour
Excavation services cost: $120–$150 per hour
Structural engineer costs: $70–$250 per hour
Green Type
Are you planning to putt-putt on natural green, or do you want artificial grass that won’t require mowing and trimming? Artificial grass installation costs around $5 to $25 per square foot, depending on the type of artificial grass, while natural sod installation costs $1 to $2 per square foot. While artificial putting greens cost more up front, they tend to require less maintenance than natural greens, so they cost less in the long run.
You can also build less customized but more convenient putting greens with synthetic mats for between $460 and $1,360 or install a DIY putting green kit for $4 to $20 per square foot.
| Artificial Putting Green | Natural Putting Green |
|---|---|
| Higher up-front costs | Lower up-front costs |
| Lower ongoing costs | Higher maintenance costs |
| Easy to maintain | Requires daily care |
| Difficult to move putting holes | Easy to move putting holes |
Additional Costs to Consider
In addition to the size, green type, and pros you hire to install your putting green, there are some extra cost factors to consider. Preparing the land, additional features, and long-term maintenance costs will impact your budget.
Preparation
Land excavation costs about $50 to $200 per cubic yard, so account for this additional cost if your existing yard needs alteration. Before you can install the putting green, you may need to prep the yard to create a smooth, flat surface. Or, you may need the yard prepped with new hills and slopes to make your putting green more difficult to up your game.
Number of Cuts
More cuts of fringe and fairway, which allow you to practice different types of shots, can increase costs up to 10%. Anything above and beyond a borderless, standard green will push your costs higher.
Maintenance
Lawn maintenance costs between $50 and $220 per visit, and you could end up paying more if you need a specialty grass trimmed and manicured. You’ll need weekly or even daily services for a natural green, while artificial putting greens will cost far less in maintenance. Artificial turf still needs to be cleaned, so you may want weekly or monthly visits to keep it pristine.
Repairs
You may need to patch up the green or move a hole occasionally to keep things interesting. Patching an artificial lawn costs about $2 to $8 per square foot, while overseeding or reseeding sod costs $0.10 to $0.20 per square foot to get rid of bare spots. Adding or moving a hole will cost about $150 per hole.
Flagsticks, Holes, and More
Budget about $150 per flagstick and hole for the initial installation. The larger the course, the more holes you’ll need, so these materials can drive up your total costs quite a bit in some cases.
Even if you’re a serious golfer who just wants a standard putting green to practice, you might also want to consider the cost of obstacles to transform your green into a mini-golf course for kids or parties. These pieces can drive up installation costs but could make your green more usable and justifiable.
Common Putting Green Add-Ons
Extra features for your backyard putting green cost about $50 to $100 per hour to install, plus the cost of the materials, which varies based on the add-on.
But many of these bells and whistles can make your putting green more stimulating or will help improve your game. Hills, slopes, more cuts, and water features can all help your backyard putting green feel like a professional golf course. You may also want to add a storage shed to keep golf clubs and other game supplies safe from the weather.
The table below includes some costs for add-ons that home golfers may want to include with their new putting green.
| Putting Green Add-On | Average Cost to Install |
|---|---|
| Storage shed | $2,500 |
| Outdoor lighting | $2,000–$4,500 |
| Landscaping | $1,300–$5,840 |
| Water feature | $850–$4,500 |
The cost of landscaping can vary wildly, depending on the specific features you want to include in your putting green. Large stones used as obstacles, decor, or borders, for example, will cost more than bricks, individual plants, and other landscaping features.
Cost to Build a Putting Green Yourself
Many DIY putting greens cost between $500 and $2,000. Installing a backyard putting green yourself can cost as little as $400 for a small green on a flat landscape. You can even find DIY putting green kits for about $4 to $20 per square foot, but you’ll also need to factor in costs to clear the land and level it and the cost of ongoing maintenance, like watering, mowing, and repairs.
Keep in mind that installing a putting green yourself can be very labor intensive and take days or weeks, and that doesn’t include the ongoing maintenance required. Your labor is free but costs you a lot of time.
DIY vs. Hiring a Contractor
There are multiple pros to consider hiring for a backyard putting green, including landscape designers, excavation companies, and landscaping services. You can save about $11 to $20 per square foot or between $500 and $8,000 in total by DIYing, but your golf game could suffer with improper installation.
If you want to save money, consider taking on some parts of the project yourself, like making flagsticks or lawn maintenance. Call in a putting green installation company to handle more challenging and important aspects, like the design and installation.
Putting Green Cost Calculator
Calculations are based on the average square footage of a small home putting green, which is about 250 square feet, and 1 inch height. We converted these dimensions to 1 cubic foot. Calculations rounded to the nearest whole number.
| Quantity | Cost Range | |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial Grass Putting Green Materials | 250 square feet | $1,250–$5,000 |
| Installation Labor | 250 square feet | $750–$2,250 |
| Land Excavation | 1 cubic yard | $50–$200 |
| Total | $2,050–$7,450 | |
| Total per Square Foot | $8–$30 |
How to Calculate Putting Green Costs
To calculate the cost of installing a putting green, follow these steps:
Measure the area: Calculate the total square footage of the future putting green’s area.
Get quotes from putting green services: Shop around to at least three local putting green services to compare prices. If possible, request the price per square foot.
Multiply labor and materials cost by square footage: Once you have the putting green service’s price per square foot, use it to calculate the cost of materials and labor.
Calculate land excavation cost: You’ll likely need to excavate the land to prepare for the putting green installation. Convert your land’s square footage into cubic yards, and then calculate the cost per cubic yard.
3 Ways You Can Save Money on a Backyard Putting Green
A backyard putting green can save you money on the cost of visiting a mini golf course or becoming a member at a professional golf course. However, installation can come with a high up-front investment, so follow these tips to reduce the cost of your putting green.
1. Stick With Simplicity
If you’re not on a mission to improve your skills for your Saturday golf games on a professional course, you can save money by cutting back on extra hills and bunkers. Simpler greens with flat, level surfaces and fewer curves will reduce the project cost.
2. Consider Size
The size of your putting green plays a big factor in the project cost. Although a larger putting green will cost more, you can get a deal per square foot. Think about how much space you’d benefit from and factor in the discounts you can get for going big.
3. Take a DIY Approach to Accessories
You could save hundreds by making accessories, like the flagsticks that mark the holes. You could also save by tackling some of the more DIYable work, like installing outdoor lighting, while leaving the sod or artificial turf installation to the pros.
Does a Backyard Putting Green Increase Home Value?
A backyard putting green can increase your home value, but it depends on several factors. Not every potential buyer plays golf, but having clean and well-maintained landscaping can really make a difference. According to the National Association of Realtors®, an attractive lawn can have a 217% ROI, and regular landscaping maintenance tends to pay for itself.
To get the most value out of your putting green, focus on enhancing the landscaping surrounding it. Ramp up the curb appeal to make your home attractive to potential buyers.
How Angi Gets Its Cost Data
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We extensively research project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We rely on reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to costquotes@angi.com. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
Frequently Asked Questions
An ideal size for a backyard putting green is about 500 square feet to keep boredom at bay. But if you’re just looking to putt a few golf balls to start your day or take a break while working from home, even a small, 100-square-foot putting green will do the trick. If you want some variability and space to practice those long putts or convert your green into a mini-golf course, you could go the route of an oversized putting green, which can total around 2,000 square feet or more.
Most professionals can install some putting greens in between one day and one week, but it depends on the size of the project and complexity of the design. A small, simple putting green may take only a day to install, while a 2,000-foot-green with hills, slopes, and other challenging site features may take over a week. A DIY installation on flat, level ground will likely take a few days.
An outdoor putting green will last five to 15 years with proper maintenance. Keeping artificial turf clean or sod trimmed is essential for a long-lasting outdoor putting green, so expect to spend some time on upkeep. Although sunlight, rain, and snow can wear down the putting green, regular turf maintenance, like cleaning up debris and replacing worn-out sections, can extend the life of your green to hit that 15-year mark.