A putting green is a great practice tool. A putting green plus a real short-game area is a transformative one. Most strokes you'll lose on the course happen inside 50 yards, and a properly designed backyard facility lets you work on every shot in that range — pitch, chip, flop, bunker — without ever leaving home.

The chipping pad

The simplest and most-used short-game feature is a dedicated chipping pad — a separated zone of fairway-grade turf, set apart from the lawn, where you can hit consistent chip shots onto the green.

Key design principles:

  • Size. 8×12 feet is workable; 12×18 feet is generous. Bigger means more lies and more variety.
  • Multiple angles. Place the pad so you can chip onto the green from at least two distinct sight lines.
  • Distance variation. Set the pad 6–25 feet from the nearest cup, so you can practice everything from a bump-and-run to a longer pitch.
  • Stance area. Slightly oversize the pad so your stance is always on consistent footing.

Rough cuts

A subtle but powerful addition: install a band of taller, denser “rough”-grade turf between the chipping pad and the green. It changes how the ball reacts off the club face and forces real short-game decisions — carry the rough or run through it. We typically build rough zones 2–4 feet wide, with a fiber height meaningfully taller than the fringe.

Real backyard bunkers

This is the feature most homeowners think they can't have. Reality: a real, playable sand bunker is one of the most rewarding additions you can make. We build them the same way modern courses do, scaled down for residential use.

The build: excavated bowl with proper drainage, perforated lines under a gravel base, polymer or fabric liner to prevent washouts, and an angular bunker-grade sand sized for short-game work. Edge treatment can be soft-grass, hard-grass, or stacked-sod depending on the aesthetic.

The sand: golf-spec bunker sand isn't beach sand. It packs differently, drains differently, and behaves predictably under a wedge. Specifying the right product is non-negotiable.

Maintenance: a quick rake after use, occasional sand top-ups, and seasonal edge work. Less effort than a flower bed.

Pitching zones

If you have the room, a longer pitching zone — 20 to 40 yards from the green — opens up wedge play. It can be the lawn itself, ideally with a designed target area on the green and a clear, safe carry line. For homeowners on larger lots in Westlake, Prosper, or Flower Mound, this is one of the highest-value upgrades to consider.

Most golfers spend 60% of their strokes inside 100 yards and 5% of their practice time. A backyard short-game facility flips that ratio.

Design the green and the short-game area together

The biggest mistake in adding short-game features later is that the green was designed in isolation. The right approach is to design the green, the chipping pad(s), the rough cuts, and the bunkering as one composition. Sight lines line up. Stance areas don't fight each other. Edges feel intentional. The whole facility plays as a unit, the way it would on a real course.

Start with how you actually practice

Before you decide which features to add, take an honest look at where your real strokes are leaking. If you're a great putter who chunks chips, you need a chipping pad far more than a bunker. If you're already excellent inside ten feet, a bunker and a long pitching zone will move the needle most. The best backyard practice facilities are the ones designed around their owner's specific game.