Backyard Golf

By David Smigelski, Mail Tribune

If you are serious about your golf game, or if you're looking for a way to make your backyard into a playground, you might want to meet Doug Norby.

Norby owns a Grants Pass business called Home Country Club that installs putting greens, courts and athletic fields for homeowners, businesses and anybody else who wants a piece of playful sod nearby.

Norby, co-owner of Dutcher Creek Golf Course, has installed about 150 artificial greens in the Rogue Valley since he started his business in 1999. "We've been busy enough here that we have a crew that works full-time from March to November," he says.

"We opened Dutcher Creek Golf Course in 1994, and this business spun off of that," We had people saying they wanted putting greens, and I told them they didn't want to become greens keepers because they are difficult and expensive to maintain."

Norby's greens, made of synthetic turf that mimics bent grass greens, don't require mowing, watering, fertilizer or a background in horticulture. He describes the turf as similar to a shag carpet made of polypropylene fiber that is filled with sand. His crews measure and cut the turf, spread sand over it, then broom the sand until the shag is filled nearly to the tips of the fiber. Then they roll it out. The more they roll it, the faster the ball will roll.

The shag goes over top of a gravel base that can be shaped to give homeowners as many undulations and breaks as they desire.

"Most people like their greens fast," Norby says. "We can make it break any way they want. We did one for a guy in Merlin who wanted a Disneyland hole, where the cup was at the top of a three-foot mound so you'd have to hit it perfect to get it in."

Because of Norby's golf background, the company started out doing nothing but backyard putting greens. Over time, they have branched into all sorts of uses for synthetic turf, including athletic fields at Grants Pass and Roseburg high schools, nine-hole putting courses at retirement centers, parking lot median strips, and synthetic lawns for people who don't want to deal with watering and mowing the grass. Home Country Club now installs about four times more synthetic lawns than putting greens, he says.

"People have a tendency to think that synthetic turf is not eco-friendly," Norby says, "but it is actually very environmentally friendly. You don't waste water. You don't use fertilizers that wash into the water system, and you don't use mowers, which are very polluting."

At $12 to $14 per square foot to install a synthetic green, the initial cost is about four times more than natural grass, he says, but the savings in water and maintenance reduce the cost over time. The greens come with an eight-year warranty for UV degradation, but Norby says you can expect the greens to last for 15 years or more.

Article excerpted from "Backyard Golf" published in the May 2007 issue of the Medford Mail Tribune's HomeLife Magazine. Copyright © 2007 Mail Tribune.

Costs for a synthetic turf green are from $12 to $16 per square foot complete with materials, labor, and shipping. Additional charges occasionally apply depending on access to the area and existing materials onsite. Please call us at (541) 479-8258 (within Southern Oregon) or toll-free at (866) 720-4653 for a free onsite evaluation or tour of local putting green installations.

 

Is this AstroTurf?

No, this is not the old "Astroturf" that you may be familiar with. Synthetic lawn technology has improved dramatically over the years, resulting in a product that looks and feels amazingly like real grass.

How is the turf installed?

First we remove and dispose of any existing sod or materials. Next we prepare the sub-base for positive drainage. Then we cut the turf to fit into your landscape and stake down the edges. We then "infill" the turf with sand or Cryogenic Rubber to make sure the turf fibers stand up and to add ballast to the lawn.

What is the "infill"?

We use either sand or cryogenic rubber as our infill material, which is then power-broomed into the fibers to make sure they stay standing-up. This also serves to add ballast to the synthetic yard.

What is the maintenance required?

Very little. Occasionally blow-off, rake, or pick-up any leaves or other debris. You can also use a hose to wash any foreign waste that lands on the turf. That's it! No mowing, no watering, no fertilizing, no re-seeding. Save hours upon hours of time normally spent doing yard work. Just sit back and enjoy your lawn.

Are pets OK on the turf?

Yes. In fact, we've installed synthetic lawns specifically for kennels and dog runs. The turf is pet-friendly and will not stain. Simply pick-up waste like you would on your current lawn and use a hose to wash off anything else.

How long will it last?

With proper care artificial lawns should last 12 to 15 years or more depending on usage.

How many synthetic lawns and artificial putting greens have you installed?

In the 9 years Home Country Club has served Southern Oregon and the Rogue Valley, we have installed over 200 lawns and putting greens.

Do you offer any warranties?

Yes, there is an 8-year manufacturers warranty on the turf, as well as a 2-year workmanship warranty. Home Country Club is located in Grants Pass and is at your service as needed.