Full flooring for a 10x10 area

[DeaconBlooze]

Hey all,

So I currently have a 5x5 mat with a DivotAction mat as an insert. It works pretty well, but I'm really interested in covering my entire flooring with the same material. My reason for that is aesthetics, but also to be able to get a better feel for putts. I find that putting off the end of a mat makes it really difficult for me to get a feel for the distance.

My current plan is to get a beefy subfloor, and mount some sort of a high quality turf to the top of it to serve as my "green". I plan to cut out a section of the sub floor to install an insert - I wouldn't mind getting a larger version of the DivotAction, but I want whatever is the most accurate or realistic on the market. I think the CCE is reasonably priced in their inserts, and I'm thinking of heading that way at the moment. I also saw people recommend the DuraPro 5-star model - is that what Martin Hall uses on his show, or just something he endorses?

Here is the type of subfloor I was thinking of getting:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Amdry-1-89-in-x-2-ft-x-4-ft-Tile-Insulated-R7-Subfloor-Panel-AMD0150MG/204399264

I figure I'll cut a section of that out for whatever insert I choose, and build it up a bit if necessary (1/2 ply, or whatever, cut to size should be sufficient, I would think).

Does anyone have any suggestions? Specifically..

- What type of turf should I use for the area around the insert? (Keeping in mind I'd like to use it to gauge putting distance, primarily.)

- What insert is most realistic and accurate?

I'm also hoping for an insert that will make the transition to the "green" surround well. I want a 4' putt to travel 4', or as close to that as possible. I'm also considering utilizing the entire area as a bit of a practice green, maybe even installing a cup or two out of the way. Having a mat that wouldn't disrupt putts going across it would be a bonus, but not a huge necessity. Money is not much of an object, I have a pretty realistic expectation of what this would cost on the high end.

Thanks for any and all input! I'm really excited to get my flooring solidified!

Dave

[aja]

I'm trying to think of a way to be diplomatic with what I am about to write, but I'm not sure that it's possible.

You did ask for any and all input - unfortunately I'm going to play 'Devil's advocate'.

I'm not sure that it's worth investing any significant outlay in an indoor putting set-up other that one that is fully contoured, sand-filled synthetic turf. And that is a whole lot of money.

OK. Spend the money. Install whatever you were planning to install. Do you really think that will improve your putting? I don't think it will. At best, you will become very adept at putting on your own little putting set-up. I'd save my money.

I used to own a 9 hole portable 'mini-golf' set-up that I ran for one Summer commercially. My oldest boy set the course record. Think he was 12 at the time. Sorry, can't quite remember if it was 11 or 12 strokes. That's on 9 holes. Was he a great putter? Don't think so. He just learned to putt on those particular holes with those particular contours.

Don't think you will find many advocates of indoor putting practice being of real value on a real golf course.

Maybe it's just me, but I have 3 authentic cups in my home sim's floor. I don't even bother to practice with them, because I know on which particular cup the floor is crooked this way so aim here... I didn't choose to invest in a special golf type flooring, but, what would that have changed.

Sorry.

[m3w]

I think it really depends on what your main problem with putting is. If you have trouble reading greens, then indoor practice won't help at all. But I've played with guys who hit a 3 foot putt 20 feet past the hole. So, for them, putting to a quarter on their living room rug would help them a great deal. And putting to a real cup in an artificial green in their basement would help even more.

[mthunt]

I have an expensive indoor putting surface and thinks it's hugely beneficial. Decreasing the amount of putts inside 15 feet is a benefit. I don't agree with you.

[afmilboy02]

aja... you didnt come across too bad or non-diplomatic lol. i agree, i have friend that played a certain 18 hole course over 500 times and knew it like the back of his hand, but if you took him to a brand new course his game was complete crap. this is speaking from a whole game standpoint and not just a putting piece, but i agree that repetition leads to memorization and that leads to solid strokes, but not on one certain surface. you have to expand and contrast for ultimate swing consistency.

[DeaconBlooze]

Let me clarify a little.. My main purpose is to get a feel for distance while playing some sim golf. Right now I roll a put a foot or two at most before it rolls off the mat and bounces around my garage floor. It's hard for me to get any sort of a feel for how hard I'm hitting it. I know I won't be able to rule the PGA with the putting ability I gained from my simulator, but I am hoping to get a bit more speed control, or at least add to the immersion factor a bit. My hitting area is about 6.5' from the screen, so I'd like to be able to know that if I have a 5' putt, I at least have a distance to aim at. If I have a 10' putt, or a 30' putt, my hope is that I'll be able to learn enough watching the ball roll over those 6.5' to make those putts a little more ingrained. Obviously the longer stuff is going to be harder to get a feel for.

My point about it doubling as a green is simply a bonus. I don't plan to use it as such very often, but I think it would have a use in giving my daughter some putting lessons, etc, so I still feel it would have a use to me in some regard.

What I don't want to do is go "cheap" and get some indoor/outdoor carpet that's spray painted green. I'm just looking to make my tiny little corner of the sim world a little bit more realistic. I want to have a pleasing aesthetic, as I use it for more than golf - poker nights, sports viewing, the occasional video game, etc. I want to have a level and mostly uniform area throughout to avoid having to figure out how to balance a leg of a chair on a hitting mat, etc.

Some hyperbole in the above, but hopefully that helps to explain what I'm going for.

[Godfather]

Google turns up a 10' X 10' option for $550 called Matzilla.

[DeaconBlooze]

Well thanks, I guess you're better at googling than I am! I'm going to give them a call on that.. from their image, it looks like it may be able to hold a tee, which would be a nice bonus. One of my concerns about a full "hitting mat" is that I've heard they can be a little "squishy" for your stance. I appreciate the lead!

I'm still taking suggestions!

[Yrrdead81]

If you are looking for sim help / distance feel here is a lower cost solution . Can pick them up on the bay for about $50 less than their own webstore. Won't do anything for aesthetics but will give you feedback on distance hit.

http://www.puttist-usa.com/

[mthunt]

Deacon, I used a similar underlayment, a CCE Matt and nylon putting green material which foam backed, not sand filled and far more money than sand filled putting surfaces. I shimmed the underlayment (DriCore) to get an exact hight match.

Pic attached.

[Thenatutal]

Very nice looking setup mthunt, what material are you using to surround your screen.

[mthunt]

It's funny but I looked at everything. I settled on Rubber Carpet runner cut into 5 inch strips to cover the bungee cords. It was super super cheap and works great. It looks good too.

The walls are pluwood covered with carpet tile.

[ForeLeft]

I am looking for something similar. I currently have a 5 x 5 CCE mat. I saw this at home depot (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Turf-Evol...PP50/203461353), but have no idea how good/bad it is.

[DeaconBlooze]

mthunt, Thanks, that looks to be exactly what I'm trying to do. It's encouraging to hear you think there's some benefit to a wall to wall setup like that. Do you happen to remember what green material you used and where you got it?

What thickness underlayment did you use?

[mthunt]

Guest, Thanks, that looks to be exactly what I'm trying to do. It's encouraging to hear you think there's some benefit to a wall to wall setup like that. Do you happen to remember what green material you used and where you got it?

What thickness underlayment did you use?

I used DriCore. The CCE sat on the floor. Google DriCore. The green is South West Putting Greens top surface.

[Mazenblue]

I agree with mthunt, I practice putting at home and at my club. I do get mad when they cut new holes on the practice green or change the pin locations on the course. I am also in the process of making my sim area one level for aesthetics as well as sim putting. Let us know what you come up with Deacon. I currently have the foam tiles under some artificial turf. Works ok, deadens the ball return.

[DeaconBlooze]

I sent out some emails to South West, StarPro (I have one of their practice greens, and I think I'd be happy with that), custom design golf, and I'm pretty sure one other one.. I'll be sure to post here with what I find out.

I took some measurements tonight, and I realize I actually have 10W x 12L. If I were to decide right now, I'd got with a CCE hitting insert of 20x36, but I still really need to find something decent to surround it, and it's just waiting to see what I hear back. I don't want to have to cutout the insert area myself, I'd much rather they cut it to avoid any stranding or other problems.

[cspin]

Hey, been looking into this myself, but for my garage. I already have a putting green in the basement with 4 cups saw-cut out of the concrete floor. Went with a thin layer of memory foam and then a high end nylon putting turf called NP50 from STI. I already have a stance mat that is 4x5 in the garage, and I went with the divot action from CDG. Planning to put down .53" EVA foam interlocking tiles directly onto the concrete. Sourced those from Sam's club by a company called Norsk. Then, on top of the foam tiles goes a 12'x15' section of PL306 nylon turf that has a 5mm foam attached to it from the factory. It is a STI/Grasstex turf and very good for putting, although not as nice as the NP50. The turf and tiles will be cut and the stance mat (and divot action insert) dropped into place. Putts will role right off the mat which will be flush with the surrounding built-up turf area. You can do the same and instead just drop in your divot action. I am not a fan of the thick and squishy CCE type mats. Want something solid to stand on and don't like how the club gets grabbed on iron shots by the CCE. The EVA floor tiles are solid, not squishy. A place you can get the turf online is Caldwell Carpet out of Dalton GA. They have good prices.

As far as realistic putting goes, that is what my basement putting green is for. There are no breaks in it to speak of, and that is the way I wanted it. I use a laser and work on my alignment and stroke on putts 15' and in. Practice over and over properly aligning things, as every putt is a straight putt until you introduce break. In my garage, I want something that looks and roles well, but it is not something that I am going to do legit putting practice on. It is for looks and sim play. I would not use Dricore or the other product from HD you referenced. Not sure what your subfloor is. But, you can cut a whole through the built up turf section and possibly into the first layer of your existing subfloor if wood, and counter sink a realistic 1/2 dimension putting cup. If you are going to build up a wood subfloor for a full cup depth, you might as well build a new subfloor out of plywood and 2x4's and then sink cups into that. My recommendation is portable in the sense that you can remove the foam tiles and turf if you ever needed to. I will likely sink one 1/2 depth cup in the location where a putt would drop for sim play.

Good luck!

[DeaconBlooze]

Thanks, cspin . My sim is in my garage as well. Funny enough, I also have the foam tiles covering my area, as well. It does alright to deaden bounces and provide a little bit better aesthetic than a bare floor, but I'm really hoping to make it much nicer.

Do you only recommend against the flooring options I mentioned because you assumed I had a subfloor already? The cups would be mostly an afterthought, and I'm more concerned about losing ceiling height (though I do have 10') than getting a realistic cup, so I don't want to build up more than about 2". Really, I only want to build it up as much as needed to match my hitting mat.