Tags: putting greens

Despite being a nation of sport lovers, Britain is not exactly renowned for its golfers - even with events like the Scottish Open being major fixtures of the golfing calendar.

But with American golfers slipping down the ranks and Brits scoring some key victories this summer - most notably Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell being the first Brit to win the US Open since Tony Jacklin 40 years ago - the time is ripe for young British talent to once again take home the big awards and live up to the England Golf Partnership (EGP) 2020 vision of recognition as the “leading golfing nation in the world.”

This week, the EGP announced a new coaching opportunity to help the UK’s stars of the future. This joint initiative with the English Golf Union (EGU) and English Women’s Golf Association (EWGA) offers a way for budding golfers aged 16 to 19 to fit golf coaching around their full-time education, as well as granting access to the much-coveted PGA Foundation Degree that could start them off in their dream career.

The England Futures project will not only involve training in the sport itself, but also see experienced PGA trainers teaching everything from putting skills to conditioning, psychological training and the science of golf. The initiative is part of the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE) programme, which has already produced rising stars such as Rachel Jennings.

Even as the summer weather fades into autumn and winter, there are still plenty of opportunities for hopeful golfing stars to practice their swing at local clubs and even in their own garden, when making use of artificial golf tee mats. These highly durable mats are ideal for municipal clubs and driving ranges alike, and capable of standing up to a high volume of wear and tear - much more so than natural turf.

Evergreens UK is the nation’s largest supplier of artificial grass and associated golf products, and offers super-durable 36mm nylon artificial tee grass, which can be bought off the roll to achieve the desired width of the tee area. Players can locate the tee anywhere in the grass’ surface.

However, if you’re keen to improve your game at home, away from the scrutiny of other players, putting greens can be an ideal choice for suburban gardens, and players can choose the surface best suited to their ability.

This weekend’s climax of the 2010 Open Championship proved that the World Cup and Wimbledon weren’t the only sport events to get excited about this summer - and as previously untouchable American players fell one by one against rising international stars, everything’s to play for on the world’s putting greens.

The success of the British Open has already inspired budding players across the UK to practice their swing in the hope of becoming the next Louis Oosthuizen or Jin Jeong, and artificial putting greens are an ideal way to practice and enjoy a leisurely round of golf in the comfort of your own garden, before braving the competition on public courses.

There are many advantages to choosing a synthetic putting green installation, not only in terms of the cost and time you’ll save on maintaining the perfect pile and density, but also making it easier to design the ideal course for your home or leisure facility, with a range of shapes and sizes available.

Synthetic putting green surfaces such as Evergreens UK’s Nylon Pro is perfect for both domestic and commercial use, with its super-dense 14mm pile making for a consistent playing surface to help you get into the swing of things. This density also means the surface will play better than most other putting greens, as the fibres won’t need time to flatten out, so your ball won’t be slowed by resistance in the meantime.

There are other options available to suit golfers of all levels, such as the Grass Park Junior putting green surface, which is well-suited to amateur players, and comes equipped with a rubber underlay shock pad to enhance the natural feel of the game.

Whatever putting green surface you choose, you can customise your playing speed by liberally applying kiln dry sand. By adding fringes and pathway surfacing to your home golf course, you’ll also be well prepared to practice short range chipping onto the green.