GOLF coach Dave Pelz has built what has been dubbed the ‘world’s greatest backyard’, which includes four iconic golf holes.
The legendary coach has worked with some of golf’s greatest games, including Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed and as well as over 20 other major championship winners.
YouTube / Golf TipsLegendary golf coach Dave Pelz has rebuilt four iconic golf holes in his garden[/caption]
YouTube / Golf TipsThe garden spans four acres[/caption]
YouTube / Golf TipsOne of the recreated holes is the 14th at Augusta[/caption]
EPAPelz has taught golf stars such as Phil Mickelson on how to improve their short game[/caption]
Pelz is considered one of the best short game experts in the world and charges players £25,000 per day for coaching lessons.
The coach has written eight books on the part of golf, including one No.1 best seller on the New York Times best-seller list.
He has now built a four-acre practice are in his own backyard in Austin, Texas, where he can carry out lessons for the stars so they are fully prepared for the biggest stages of golf.
He revealed that he had the idea for the build after becoming “tired” of travelling to meet his students.
On Golf Course Architecture, he said: “I was tired of travelling all over the country to meet my pros and help them with their games. I had an idea that if I could create the perfect space for them to practice, they would come to me.
“I didn’t have the time or attention to take care of a full short game grass facility here at home, so I turned to artificial turf – maybe it was possible to get it as good as the real thing?
“Back then, artificial turf for golf was in rough shape, but I saw the potential.”
The garden includes replicas of the 17th holes at Pebble Beach and TPC Sawgrass as well as the twelfth at Augusta, which was requested by Mickelson.
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Pelz has argued that the facility will allow people to try “every shot you can hit on earth from 100 yards and under”.
The former NASA rocket engineer worked with SYNLawn to create bespoke putting and chipping turfs.
They are expected to last 20 years as the SYNLawns HeatBlock technology helps keep the turf cool, helping with realism.
Pelz added: “The artificial turf was no benefit to me if it didn’t play like a real grass green.
YouTube / Golf TipsThe surface should last 20 years[/caption]
YouTube / Golf TipsThis is due to HeatBlock technology keeping the turf cool as well as providing a realistic feel[/caption]
“That was the majority of our work, to create a subsurface technology I developed which sits under the turf called ShotStopper.
“That coupled with the turf and gave us the most realistic bounce, spin and putting performance that my pros needed to practice.”
The 83-year-old specialised in the short game of golf after realising that it made up over 60 per cent of all shots in any given round of golf.
He then focused his efforts on improving his short game, and saw that professionals with the best short game were typically the most successful.
YouTube / Golf TipsIt has been called the ‘world’s greatest backyard’[/caption]
YouTube / Golf TipsThere are also lily pad-like target greens to improve accuracy[/caption]
The creation led to it being called “world’s greatest backyard” by the Wall Street Journal.
Along with the replica holes, there are also lily pad-like target greens that are exactly ten yards, 20 yards, 30 yards and 40 yards from the shot spot.
These green diameters equate to the average PGA Tour pro accuracy from similar distances.
Pelz commented on the purpose of the greens: “If I can land the ball on each green each time, I’m doing better than the typical PGA Tour pro.”
YouTube / Golf TipsThere is a replica of the TPC Sawgrass island green[/caption]
YouTube / Golf TipsThe holes come complete with sand and water hazards[/caption]
YouTube / Golf TipsPelz believes that the better someone’s short game the more successful golfer they will be[/caption] Read More