How Rickie Fowler Designed the Perfect Backyard Turf Installation With Southwest Greens

When a PGA Tour pro builds a practice setup at home, you know it has to be the genuine article. Rickie Fowler — known for his distinctive style and serious short game — turned to Southwest Greens to make his backyard vision a reality, and the results speak for themselves.

Here's a behind-the-scenes look at what went into this one-of-a-kind artificial turf installation.

TWO OUTDOOR PUTTING GREENS, ONE PROPERTY

The centerpiece of Rickie's setup is a pair of custom-built outdoor putting greens that give him a pro-grade practice space right outside his door.

The larger of the two greens covers approximately 1,800 square feet. This one carries a story behind it — Southwest Greens finished it in 2012. It's held up remarkably well over the years, a true testament to skilled installation work. The second green — roughly 500 square feet — is a more recent addition and showcases Southwest Greens' latest premium products.

The second green — roughly 500 square feet — is a more recent addition and showcases Southwest Greens' latest premium products.

Both greens include GB177 synthetic turf, a tour-grade putting surface that provides the reliable roll and speed a player like Rickie requires during practice rounds. The smaller green also got a finishing touch with GB134 fringe turf, lending it that clean, defined edge you'd expect at a top-tier golf facility.

The outcome? A dual-green setup that enables Rickie practice on all aspects from mid-range putts to detailed lag putting, right from the convenience of his own backyard.

MORE THAN JUST FOR GOLF

Here's where the project gets really interesting. Rickie's home isn't just a golf haven — Southwest Greens also designed and installed a one-of-a-kind bocce ball court complete with precision-laid synthetic grass that delivers smooth, consistent play game after game. It's the type of feature that converts a backyard into a full entertainment hub.

And for the performance-focused side of things, Southwest Greens installed synthetic grass for a pole-vaulting practice area, specifying Bolt turf for that project. Bolt is engineered to handle high-impact athletic applications, making it the right call for a sport that requires a reliable, safe landing and approach surface.

THE REASON WHY ARTIFICIAL TURF MAKES SENSE FOR ATHLETES

For a pro athlete juggling a demanding tour schedule, the last thing you want is a natural grass putting green that needs ongoing irrigation, cutting, and annual reseeding. A synthetic grass installation remains picture-perfect year-round with low upkeep — and that's a genuine benefit when your prep time is valuable.

Artificial putting greens throughout Toronto have advanced significantly. The GB177 surface used on Rickie's greens is engineered to simulate the feel and playability of a natural bentgrass green, so the hours he racks up at home carry over directly to his performance on the course.

GET A PERSONALIZED PUTTING GREEN OF YOUR OWN

You don't have to be a PGA Tour pro to have a Toronto backyard putting green that impresses every guest. Southwest Greens Ontario builds custom artificial putting greens for residential and commercial properties of all sizes — whether you're after a compact 200-square-foot green to sharpen your short game or a multi-hole layout like Rickie's.

From the first design to the final blade of synthetic grass, every Southwest Greens installation is built with the same attention to detail you saw on this project.

Eager to start planning your own outdoor putting green in Toronto? Contact Southwest Greens today and find out what we can do in your Toronto space.