The most local your course has ever felt, from backyard holes to putting greens and launch monitors.
The idea to explore the golf at home setups across Australia was conceived several years ago, when Australian Golf Digest contributing writer and former deputy editor, Tony Webeck, immersed himself in the concept. Literally.
In 2016, Webeck set out to first create a DIY putting surface, and then report back, in his brilliant feature, “How I built my own backyard green for less than $800.” (You can find it on our website.)
Nine years later and I’m still obsessed with the concept of having a modified version of golf in your own backyard. So, in 2024, I purchased an artificial-grass putting green from the company PGM. It came in a single box, with the contents including a 2.8 x 1.3-metre rectangular roll of synthetic turf that had a hole cut out from two corners, a series of plastic squares that clicked together to form the base, two flags, two metal cups and a border. I rolled out the turf, snapped together the base, placed the border around the green and inserted the cups and flags. For about $380, it gave this writer the ability to putt in the courtyard of my apartment in Sydney’s inner city.
I guess that’s the beauty of golf at home. It can be marvellously democratic. Setups can range from an indoor practice putting mat in your lounge room for $50, or a courtyard putting green like mine, to a full-blown synthetic putting green install delivered by professionals. There’s also the simulator world, which has become more accessible and affordable due to technological advancements. There are simulators that can be used at home for less than $1,000, but there are also more premium sims that can cost tens of thousands of dollars – the type you build a home bar around and become the envy of your friends.
At the very top end of golf at home sits something we all dream of: a golf hole, or holes, carved out of property. We explored and spoke with a variety of golf-at-home experts and enthusiasts to get your creative and constructive juices flowing.
GOLF COURSES AT HOME
On the banks of the Murray River in northern Victoria, near the quiet town of Bearii, sits one of Australia’s most remarkable examples of backyard-golf ambition: the Clarendon Eyre property. Situated 352 kilometres north of Melbourne, the Miller family has spent the past 20 years turning their rural property into a destination that blends homestead charm with golf imagination. It’s the stuff dreams are made of.
When Ken Miller first purchased the 105-hectare property, his plan was simple: find a riverside retreat for camping, boats and motorbikes. But with a green thumb and a love of turf, Miller couldn’t resist experimenting with an existing handful of sand-scrape greens the property came with. It was a passion project for Ken and his son, Josh.
“We started to hit golf balls out into the bush, and we were buying boxes of golf balls from eBay when my old man said, ‘Let’s have just crack at building one green and we will chip to it.’ That’s how it all started,” Josh tells Australian Golf Digest.
One hole became two, then three and so on. Today, Clarendon Eyre boasts five holes grassed with pristine Santa Ana couch fairways wrapped around a striking white timber homestead. Each hole is complete with bunkers and finished with immaculate MacKenzie bentgrass greens. The centrepiece is an ornamental lake that gives the property the air of an elite Florida golf resort.
Clarendon Eyre starts with two par 3s before the first of two par 4s. It then continues with the fourth hole, another par 3, with a par 4 to finish. The course hasn’t yet seen a hole-in-one. There are options for multiple holes on each green while each tee is long enough to subtract at least one club from the front markers.
The Millers were teaching themselves the art of backyard golf course construction on the fly. But, as Josh says, it was all worth it. He and his wife, Australian fitness influencer and Keep It Cleaner health foods co-founder, Steph Claire Smith, have two children. Miller’s eldest now plays golf with Dad at every opportunity.
“We fell in love with the game of golf by building the course,” Miller says. “We weren’t avid golfers before doing it, but now we are. Watching my son, who’s now 4, fall in love with the game of golf and become good at such a young age has been really fun to watch.”
The Miller family has listed the property for sale as it is “time to pass this beautiful property onto the next family to enjoy it”, Miller says.
Only a handful of backyard golf holes in Australia can rival Clarendon Eyre, but one in the New South Wales Southern Highlands certainly can. In fact, it’s a candidate for the most impressive backyard green in Australian golf – an exact replica of TPC Sawgrass’ famous par-3 17th. Originally built in 2018 by Sydney entrepreneur Craig Perkins, renowned course architect Bob Harrison and award-winning former Avondale Golf Club superintendent David Warwick with a team of surveyors, the group carefully mapped out Pete Dye’s famous island green over a dam with pinpoint accuracy. Nowadays, it’s part of the Woodlands Retreat, a private, 73-hectare property surrounded by wineries and restaurants offering the perfect getaway for guests wanting to experience the Southern Highlands in luxury – and a taste of the Players Championship.
SYNTHETIC GREENS
A growing trend in Australia for properties without the space for an entire golf hole is installing professional-grade putting surfaces. It has transformed gardens, rooftops and even the sides of family homes.
At the forefront of this movement has been synthetic turf landscaper and avid golfer Ed McCann from Hitech Synthetic. McCann, once a keen club pennants player in his spare time, oversees installations for clients across NSW and the ACT.
McCann estimates most installations can range from $110 per square metre for flat, relatively simple greens to $250 per square metre when the client wants a large green with multiple breaks and slopes, or even a bunker and fringes.
“We can make a green fit a variety of spaces, although how much you have will determine whether you’re going to be able to chip, or have a bunker, or longer putts,” McCann says. “We have squeezed plenty of greens into unusable spaces where people had stored rubbish and recycling bins or walkways up the sides of houses.”
So, what does McCann recommend golfers look out for when thinking about installing a green or choosing a company?
“In terms of choosing a synthetic turf company, pick someone who plays golf because anyone can be a grass layer but not everyone can build a good putting green,” McCann says. “A true golfer will know what a green shape should look like and how fringes should be cut. Or, how much break is too much.
“You also need to think about drainage: good greens never have water pooling in the centre because they should be contoured to allow water to run off. You need to factor in how much of a priority golf is in your family to determine how much space is available in the backyard. Then there are materials: cheap synthetic turf is available but premium materials will last longer and perform better.”
McCann took us through some of his favourite installations:
- Annangrove, NSW: “This was one of our favourite projects of all time because it was complemented by beautiful landscaping. It was practical but also acted as a stunning landscape feature.”
- Warrawee, NSW: “A perfect way to make a front yard into a more usable space that also provided a unique visual.”
- Ultimo, NSW: “This was an indoor green that required contours to be built from a mix of foam panels and rubber underlay to create a realistic green. This green was finished with an indoor simulator, and it’s located in a basement.”
- Catherine Field, NSW: “For golfers with a little more room to stretch out, Catherine Field offered the perfect blank canvas. This property allowed for a green, bunker and hitting net, with shots playable from up to 60 metres away.”
- Caringbah, NSW: “This was a great example of a smaller green that maximised a previously unused area. A great source of entertainment when hosting friends, particularly next to the pool.”
SIMULATORS AND LAUNCH MONITORS
Once reserved for tour pros and elite private clubs, golf simulators are now within reach of everyday golfers. Brands like Foresight Sports, Garmin and Voice Caddie are among a series of companies offering portable, easy-to-use launch monitors that bring accurate ball and club data to your living room, garage or backyard. Starting from less than $500 and increasing into the tens of thousands, these devices connect seamlessly with apps, nets and screens, allowing golfers to practise or even play simulated rounds without leaving home.
What is a launch monitor? It’s the engine of any golf simulator. Launch monitors attempt to capture ball-flight characteristics indoors via launch data such as flight, shape, height and distance. Depending on the model, a launch monitor can be used as part of a golf simulator or as a standalone device. Some launch monitors can also measure a clubhead during a swing, allowing them to see lie angle, face to path, swing path and angle of attack.
Here’s a selection currently on the market.
Garmin Approach R10 ($999)
Garmin’s Approach R10 brings a home simulator within reach for Aussie golfers. At $999, this portable launch monitor goes from lounge room to backyard to range, tracking 12-plus metrics – club speed, ball speed, spin, launch angle/direction, smash factor and more – with dispersion charts and auto-recorded swing video. The included phone mount clips to your bag while the Garmin Golf app shows live stats and trends. Play virtual rounds on 43,000-plus courses and enjoy up to 10 hours of battery life.
garmin.com/en-AU/p/695391/
Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor ($499)
Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor (MLM) is a real-time swing replay with shot tracer plus data-driven feedback that sharpens weaknesses and optimises strengths.
rapsodo.com.au/products/mlm
Rapsodo Launch Monitor MLM2 Pro ($1,099)
Rapsodo MLM2PR delivers tour-style feedback for $1,099. It features dual optical cameras plus radar power 15 metrics (eight measured) including spin rate, spin axis, angle of attack and club path. Get simulation at 30,000-plus courses, two virtual ranges and Target Range Play with 72 distances and four fairway targets.
rapsodo.com.au/products/mlm2pro
Voice Caddie Pro ($999)
Voice Caddie has two options: at the top end, the SC4 Pro Launch Monitor with Alignment Stand offers professional-grade accuracy indoors or outdoors. Powered by a Doppler radar system and ProMetrics engine, it measures ball and club data from spin axis to dispersion, while linking with the VOICECADDIE S app for in-depth analysis, 3D driving-range visuals and simulator play. For a more affordable option, the Swing Caddie SC200 Plus ($399) delivers impressive metrics in a truly portable unit. Measuring carry distance, ball speed, swing speed and smash factor, it also features a new Practice Swing Mode – ideal for working on clubhead speed without even hitting a ball.
voicecaddie.com.au
The Sports Screen
The Sports Screen is a company with retractable and freestanding golf enclosures. The Vanish Series is the world’s first retractable golf studio enclosure, which has a sleek roll-up design that can transform a room from a professional golf simulator setup to open living space. There’s also the Parlour Series, a premium fixed solution for indoor practice.
thesportscreen.com/pages/sportscreen-golf-studio-freestanding-and-retractable-golf-enclosures
Full Swing KIT Launch Monitor ($7,999)
Tested and trusted by Tiger Woods, the Full Swing KIT is the ultimate launch monitor for golfers seeking tour-level accuracy at home or on the range. Using dual Doppler radar and a 4K camera, it tracks 16 key data points, from carry distance and spin rate to attack angle and club path. Video can be reviewed, saved and shared via a seamless app experience across iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and AirPods. With dispersion charts, averages and remote coaching integration, it’s a complete performance hub. It is sold exclusively in Australia and New Zealand through Drummond Golf.
drummondgolf.com.au/full-swing-kit-launch-monitor.html
Garmin Approach R50 ($8,499)
Garmin’s Approach R50 is a portable launch monitor with a built-in simulator for Aussie golfers building a home setup. Play full rounds – drive to putt – on 43,000-plus courses with Home Tee Hero. Train with dispersion charts and session comparisons, then take it to the range with the carry case. It works indoors or outside, features a built-in barometer and runs up to four hours.
garmin.com/en-AU/p/736810/
Foresight Sports Sim In A Box Play Oz ($19,995)
Foresight Sports’ Sim In A Box Play Oz – GC3 Fully Loaded is a full-size, subscription-free golf simulator. Powered by the GC3 Link-Enabled launch monitor, it delivers tour-level accuracy without permanent installation. Unpack, build and play – the tool-free enclosure is just 3.05 metres wide, with a full depth of 5.18 metres and height of 2.59 metres, so it slides into small spaces. Everything arrives in one box: a high-performance PC, FSX Play software with 25 premium courses, a Bushnell Golf Pro X3 Link rangefinder, projector, impact screen, hitting mat, side nets, sandbags and a computer cart. Expand your horizons with optional course packs featuring icons like St Andrews, Pebble Beach and Pinehurst No.2.
foresightsports.com.au
