Portable Putting Greens

When most people think of putting greens they don't think of something you can take around town with you. Visions of the beautifully manicured greens at Augusta National or Pebble Beach are what may come to mind. In this day of mobility though, putting greens have evolved into mobile objects. The island green, number 14, at the Coeur d'Alene Resort is a floating green that drifts on a daily basis.

Most portable putting greens are not 15,000 square foot floating islands. They tend to be neatly built synthetic putting surfaces. These putting surfaces can be rolled up or disassembled for easy moving. Smaller portable putting greens even come with their own handy carrying cases, bags that look like gym bags.

Aspects of a Portable Putting Green

There are two basic types of portable putting greens--single piece or multiple pieces. Single piece portable greens will generally be made out of a plastic based synthetic turf with a rubber and foam backing. The backing holds the mat together while providing a grip to the floor. The surface can be rolled up for easy storage and transportation. Portable putting surfaces with multiple pieces are generally larger than single piece greens. Multi-piece greens can be assembled and disassembled in a matter of minutes.

The size of the holes for a portable putting green will vary. You can purchase a portable green with regulation size cups--4 ½ inches. Or you can buy a portable green with smaller cups--say three inches. The idea behind the smaller cups is it will make putting to a larger, regulation size, cup easier. The size of the green itself can vary greatly; ranging from just 30 square feet to nearly 200 square feet. One common theme with portable greens is the contour capabilities they offer. Portable greens will have the capability to be shaped to create various breaks to the same hole location.