Tired of maintaining your lawn? Try a synthetic putting green or artificial grass

When you head out for yet another round of golf, are you seeing yet another look of disapproval on your spouse’s face? If you want to golf without the guilt, then bring the green to your own backyard.

Shaun Hunt and Scott McCartney will be happy to help. Not only are they avid golfers and sometimes caddies, they are the owners of Precision Greens in Langley, B.C. — a company that creates custom, synthetic golf greens for residential and commercial properties.

The seed for their business idea came when the friends were in Las Vegas, caddying at a high-end golf course more than 10 years ago. “We noticed lots of artificial grass and putting greens throughout Vegas,” says Hunt. “And we thought that this would go over really well in Vancouver considering golf is so popular here.”

They brought the idea back with them and got down to business.

“We resourced where to get the product from and asked a lot of questions on how to build these projects from the supplier,” Hunt says.

And the roots for Precision Greens were planted. “Scott and I learned a lot through trial and error in our first few years. We have now perfected our own construction method custom to Lower Mainland’s climate.”

The company started small, building one putting green in its first year of business. “The following summer we built three putting greens, and now 10 years later we are up to about 80 projects a year. It has been exciting building our company from the ground up,” says Hunt. “[When we started], no one had heard of residential artificial putting greens. We had to work hard to promote the idea. We have now built more than 375 projects.”

With their synthetic grass available in a selection of colours, yarn types, weight and pile height, it’s easy for the duo to help clients turn their backyard into a golfer’s oasis, but it’s not just for golfers anymore.

“Until this year, putting greens have been much more popular than artificial grass. However, artificial grass has been increasingly in demand and in the future will become more popular than putting greens,” predicts Hunt.

Common uses for Precision’s artificial grass include childrens’ playgrounds, play yards, dog runs and even mini-soccer fields and bocce and volleyball courts.

“The number 1 reason for installing artificial grass is still for people with mossy, shady, spotty grass who are fed up,” he says. “[Another reason] is to amend drainage issues. Because we remove all soil and sod, and install a rock base, artificial grass drains much better than real grass.

“And then there are the people who just don’t want to spend the time maintaining their lawn.”

But the question on everyone’s mind is “Does it look real?”

“The technology of these products has come a long way in the last decade, and the products today are very realistic,” Hunt says.

And since the colour stays green even in hot, dry weather, Precision’s clients never have to look to the other side for the greenest grass.

So their products are green … but are they “green” (i.e., eco-friendly)?

“Yes, our products are ‘green,’ says Hunt. “Not only can a lawn be maintained with no water, but, because of the rock base beneath the artificial grass, there are no weeds and so fertilizers and weed killers are never necessary.”

And best of all? “Lawn mower pollution is obviously a big contributor to air pollution — and our product never needs mowing.” BCHM