Obviously unless you live on a huge parcel of land and/or have won the lottery, you probably aren't going to be building an 18-hole course in your yard (as nice as the thought is). However that doesn't mean you can't incorporate a bit of your favorite game into your home.

Artificial putting greens are gaining in popularity as more and more golfers want to get in some practice time without having to head to the range. The trend is part of the move towards creating outdoor "living environments." And while you might not be able to drive your ball hundreds of yards in your backyard (your neighbors may have something to say about that), you can work on your short game by installing a putting green in your space.

You essentially have two options for achieving this. One option is installing your own putting green to save some money. Going the DIY route involves several steps. The first thing you need to do is decide on a location for your little green. If you just want a place to practice your putting, you may be able to set it up adjacent to your house, in which case you could consider elevating it and setting up a landscaping border to separate it from the rest of your yard. If you plan to include room for chipping and pitching, you should probably consider moving it away from the house (and windows). You can go as simple or as fancy as you like, depending on how much room you have and what you want to use it for. For an additional challenge, add a small bunker to practice with.

You'll also need to decide on the material you want to use. The climate in the area you live in will likely play a major factor in this decision. If you live somewhere warm, natural, planted grass may be an option, however keep in mind it can require significantly more maintenance, such as watering and mowing. If you live somewhere cooler, a synthetic turf is probably your best opiton. Synthetic materials mimic the look and feel of real grass, however their eco-friendliest benefit is that they require no watering, fertilizing, mowing or weeding. Make sure you research which material will be best for your environment and read user reviews of products to learn the reaction of others who have used it.

Once you've nailed down these aspects, the real work begins, including prepping the area, grading the site and actually creating the putting green. There are numerous steps involved in this process, which you can view after the jump.

If all that sounds like too much work for you, you might consider having your green profesionally installed. The downside to this option is that it's expensive - a lot more expensive than doing it on your own (think anywhere from $3,000 to $15,000 - and that's just one estimate!). If you can swing it (alright, that's the last bad golf joke for this week....maybe), the bonus is that hiring a company to install yours will ensure it's done properly and usually comes with a warranty in the event anything goes wrong.

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