No matter how skilled you are on the green, all golfers can benefit from extra practice at home. One of the best ways to recreate a realistic golfing experience is by digging and filling a sand trap with bulk sand to master the art of overcoming these common obstacles. In the following article, take a look at how you can build your own trap for home practice.
5 Steps in Home Golf Sand Trap Construction
1. Determine Size and Location
When placing your sand trap, choose a relatively level area with at least 10 to 15 feet of space between it and your putting green. Then, use a rope, water hose, or other long, flexible item to experiment with various contours and configurations. Once you’ve created an outline to your satisfaction, mark the area with spray paint.
2. Remove Grass and Create a Slope
Using a sod cutter, remove the grass inside your spray-painted outline in strips. Alternatively, you can use a shovel, but this is much more laborious and time-consuming. Once the grass is gone, dig a slope into the trap with a drop of at least two feet from the perimeter to the center, or more or less, as preferred.
3. Dig a Drainage Trench
A drainage trench will prevent your new sand trap from becoming a soggy, permanent puddle. Dig a trench at least 10 inches deep along the entire length of the trap and fill it in with small rock or pea gravel until it’s flush with the bottom.
4. Apply Weed Killer
Before finishing your sand trap, spread or spray pre-emergent weed killer on the soil to prevent weeds from taking root. Then spread a weed barrier over the area and secure it in place with nails.
5. Fill the Trap with Sand
Finally, spread bulk sand over your sand trap. Finer silica sand is the preferred choice, as it’s less likely to negatively affect the surrounding grass and other plants.
When you’re looking for bulk sand to fill in your custom home sand trap, get in touch with L.P. Stewart & Sons Inc. Serving Lincoln, NE, and the surrounding counties for over 60 years, this trusted sand and gravel supplier offers bulk sand and aggregate suited to a wide array of projects, from paving to home golf course construction. Call (402) 423-5676 to place an order for delivery, and visit them online to learn more about their products.