Who needs Augusta when you can have your own private putting green?

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LAURA MEADE KIRK. The Providence Journal.
Providence, R.I.: Jun 11, 2006. pg. J.02
Copyright Providence Journal/Evening Bulletin Jun 11, 2006

Synthetic Turf of New England can design and build a championship- quality putting green in your house or yard starting at about $8,000. Or you can buy individual 2-by-2 foot squares of "modular greens" to create your own for under $1,000.

Russ Maymon, co-owner of Synthetic Turf of New England, said he does all kinds of synthetic turf surfaces -- from playgrounds at child-care centers and sports fields to a synthetic lawn in front of a Johnston car dealership.

But putting greens are a big part of his business, Maymon said, noting that he installed about a dozen last year and already has orders for a dozen more.

Putting greens were his specialty when he created his business -- New England Putting Greens -- about four years ago. He was between jobs and looking to do something on his own. "I loved golf and had a little knack for landscaping and just thought this would be a natural fit."

He became a distributor for Synthetic Turf International and started building putting greens and other synthetic surfaces that look and feel like grass. Last year, he teamed with David Foy, another distributor, and they created Synthetic Turf of New England to expand their services.

Meanwhile, Maymon said, his putting green clients have included golf pro Brad Faxon, who has one in his basement, and the exclusive Carnegie Abbey Club in Portsmouth whose current designer showcase homes will be featured this fall in Coastal Living magazine. Most people who want custom-made synthetic greens, he said, have "traditionally been your high-end, exclusive country club type of owners - someone who's very into golf and has money to spend on it."

Maymon designs putting greens in all shapes and sizes, from "a little stretch" to fancy ones with contours, breaks and sand traps. Construction generally involves carving out a foot of dirt and filling the area with processed gravel and stone dust. The turf is usually nylon that is "specially made to act and roll like a real putting green" with 3/8-inch blades of grass. (For diehard golfers: Maymon said his greens offer a stimp, or roll factor, of between 9 and 11.5, as compared with 13-plus at Augusta National Golf Club versus 8.5 to 10 at a public course.)

The greens are virtually maintenance-free, Maymon said. They're designed so water will drain away from the green. Owners then need only to blow away grass and other debris. That's why serious golfers opt for synthetic, he said. "Do you want to play golf or do you want to take care of grass?"

Synthetic Turf of New England, 931 Jefferson Blvd., Warwick,
www.syntheticturfne.com, (401) 885-6374.

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Russ Maymon and his company, Synthetic Turf of New England, will install a putting green in your backyard, above, or in your house like the one in pro golfer Brad Faxon's basement.

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