Practice Green
A practice green in golf is a putting surface set aside for golfers to practice their putting and warm up before a round. It sits separately from the course greens and is usually located near the clubhouse or the first tee.
What is a practice green in golf?
A practice green is a real, maintained grass putting surface built specifically for practice rather than play. It is not on any of the 18 holes, and no scores are recorded on it. Most practice greens hold several cups at once, often six to nine, so multiple golfers can putt to different targets without getting in each other’s way.
The USGA defines a practice green as a putting green area usually constructed close to the clubhouse to let golfers practice, with the expectation that it should be representative of the regular greens so players can develop a feel for the course (USGA Glossary of Golf Turfgrass Terms). In other words, the practice green is built to mirror what the player will face once the round starts.
Most courses keep the practice green open from sunrise to sunset for any golfer playing that day, and many private clubs let members use it independently of a tee time. Public courses generally include access in the green fee.
Where the practice green is located
The practice green almost always sits near the clubhouse, pro shop, or first tee. The reason is practical: golfers warm up in one place, walk a short distance to the starter, and step onto the first tee with the feel of the greens still fresh.
At larger facilities, multiple practice greens may exist. A short-game area near the driving range typically supports chipping and bunker practice, while a separate putting-only green sits closer to the first tee. Bandon Dunes, Pinehurst, and most TPC properties follow this layout.
Practice green vs. putting green
These two terms are often used interchangeably by beginners, but the Rules of Golf treat them differently. A putting green is the official term for the closely mown surface around the hole on each of the 18 playing holes. A practice green is a putting green set aside for practice, located off the course routing.
| Feature | Practice green | Putting green (on course) |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Warm-up and practice | Playing the hole |
| Location | Near clubhouse or first tee | One per hole, in play |
| Number of cups | Usually 6-9 | One, with a flagstick |
| Counts toward score | No | Yes |
| Status under Rules of Golf | Practice area | Defined area of the course |
The construction is essentially identical. Same grass, same mowing height, same drainage system, same daily maintenance. What changes is the role each green plays.
Practice green vs. chipping green
A practice putting green is built for one job: rolling the ball with a putter. A chipping or short-game green adds a fringe collar, longer surrounding grass, and often a bunker or two so players can practice pitches, chips, and sand shots into a real green surface.
Many clubs keep the two areas separate to avoid divots and damage to the putting surface. Chipping into the main putting green is usually prohibited, and signs nearby say so. When in doubt, the rule is simple: putters on the putting green, wedges on the chipping green.
How practice greens are maintained
A well-run practice green uses the same grass species and mowing height as the course greens and follows the same rolling schedule. In cooler regions of the US and northern Europe, that grass is usually creeping bentgrass. Warmer climates like the southern US typically use Bermuda. On many older courses, especially in California and the Pacific Northwest, the green is partly or fully Poa annua, a fine-bladed grass that came in on its own as a weed and stuck around.
Green speed is measured with a Stimpmeter, a device the USGA standardized in the 1970s after Edward Stimpson built the first version in the 1930s. The Stimpmeter rolls a ball down a 36-inch ramp angled at about 20 degrees, and the distance the ball travels in feet is the green’s speed. A 1978 USGA survey of more than 1,500 courses found an average reading of around 6.5 feet. Modern PGA Tour greens often run 11 to 13 feet.
The practice green should produce a similar Stimpmeter reading to the course greens on the same day. If it rolls slower, golfers will hit their first few real putts too hard. The USGA’s Green Section regularly reminds superintendents that consistency between the practice green and the playing greens is one of the most useful services a course can provide.
Rules for practicing on the practice green
The Rules of Golf draw a clear line between the course and the practice green. Rule 5.2b says a player in stroke play must not practice on the course before a round. Rolling a ball on the surface of a course green, or even rubbing the surface to test it, counts as practice and triggers a two-stroke penalty on the first hole. A second breach on a different green leads to disqualification, per a 2022 clarification from the USGA and R&A.
The practice green is exempt. A player can putt on it before the round, between rounds, or after the round without restriction, unless a local Committee rule states otherwise.
Rule 5.5b extends this between holes. After completing a hole, a player may practice putting or chipping on or near the green just played, on any practice green, or on the next teeing area. Bunkers are off-limits for these practice strokes, and the practice cannot delay play. The penalty for breaching Rule 5.5b is the general penalty: loss of hole in match play, or two strokes in stroke play.
Related Golf Terms
- Plus handicap — A golfer good enough that they add strokes rather than subtract them.
- Plugged — When the ball embeds in soft ground or sand upon landing.
- Pot bunker — A small, deep bunker common on links courses.
- Playing through — Allowing a faster group to pass your group on the course.
- Plugged lie — When the ball embeds into the ground or sand upon landing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the practice green free to use?
Yes, for anyone with a tee time or a club membership. Public courses include practice green access in the green fee, and private clubs let members use it without booking. Some facilities charge non-players a small fee or restrict access during busy hours.
Can a golfer practice on the course green during a round?
Only the green just completed, and only with a putter or wedge for a chip. Bunkers are not allowed, and play must not be delayed. Practicing on the next green before reaching it is a breach of Rule 5.5b and brings the general penalty.
Are practice greens the same speed as the course greens?
They should be. USGA guidance asks superintendents to keep the practice green’s Stimpmeter reading in line with the playing greens on the same day. In reality, small differences are common, which is why most golfers hit a few putts of varying length before stepping onto the first tee.
What grass is used on a practice green?
Whatever grass the course greens use. Creeping bentgrass is standard in the northern United States, Bermuda grass in the South, and Poa annua appears on many older courses. Synthetic greens exist at some indoor and small public facilities, but most outdoor clubs use natural turf.
Can someone chip on a practice green?
On a designated chipping or short-game green, yes. On a putting-only practice green, usually no. Signs near the green will say which is permitted. Chipping leaves divots that damage the putting surface, so clubs generally direct wedges to a separate area.
How many holes are on a typical practice green?
Most have six to nine, though larger facilities may have more. Multiple cups let several golfers practice at the same time and let one player work on different distances and breaks in a single session.
Sources
- USGA. “Glossary of Golf Turfgrass Terms (P-R).” usga.org. Accessed May 2026.
- USGA and R&A. “Rule 5.2: Practice Before or Between Rounds.” Rules of Golf, 2023.
- USGA and R&A. “Rule 5.5: Practice During Round.” Rules of Golf, 2023.
- USGA and R&A. “Clarifications of the Rules of Golf.” December 2022.
- USGA Green Section. “Putting Green Consistency.” Green Section Record, March 2015.
- USGA Green Section. “Details Matter When Measuring Green Speed.” Green Section Record, 2024.
- Leading Courses. “Mastering the Greens: A Deep Dive into Golf Course Putting Speeds and Stimpmeters.” 2023.
