From Brent Kelley,
Your Guide to Golf.
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Mar 8 2005

(Editor's Note: The following is the text of a news release from SofTrak)

It's become well-known that synthetic putting greens are a red-hot consumer trend worldwide. Now, the latest emerging sub-trend with synthetic greens is the demand for large-scale replicas of famous or favorite golf holes favored by the consumer-golfer.

The reasons are many for the burgeoning popularity of synthetic greens, including from a short-game improvement standpoint – PGA Tour professionals deem them of such high quality and performance that many of them own and practice on these greens in the comfort, convenience and privacy of their personal residences. Then there is the increased home resale and the home-and-garden aesthetic enhancement value synthetic greens provide, which cannot be overlooked when examining why synthetic greens have become so in demand.

The reasons for the rising demand for replica synthetic greens are more personal and steeped in sentiment and nostalgia, however.

At least this is the case with the replica greens being commissioned with SofTrak, a leading synthetic golf green brand exclusively offered by VersaSport International LLC (www.versasport.com), an international supplier of high-performance synthetic sports surfaces based in Wichita, Kansas.

A number of SofTrak replica greens have been built in the recent past, including replicas of golf greens at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club (Gainesville, Va.), host of the biennial President's Cup competition; the Blue Course at Congressional Country Club (Bethesda, Md.), host of the 1997 U.S. Open won by Ernie Els; Egypt Valley Country Club (Ada, Mich.), which hosted a Champions Tour event for several years; and the King & Bear Course (St. Augustine, Fla.) at the World Golf Village.

A look at reasons why and how the golfer-homeowner who had the King & Bear Course replica green built at his home – Jerry Marti of Lamar, Mo. – underscores the various motivations that inspire replica green purchasers and the detail to which they go to "get it right."

Jerry Marti had a 6,400-square-foot replica green built at his house this summer. It is a replica of 14th hole at the King & Bear Course. The King & Bear is the only course co-designed by Arnold Palmer & Jack Nicklaus, who are Mxarti's all-time favorite golfers.

Marti met Arnold Palmer's head course designer at a tournament, and he fulfilled Marti's request for the original architect drawings of the hole, complete with elevations. Marti then had SofTrak installer Danny Little scan the drawings into a CAD (computer aided design) program and replicated the green using laser equipment as close as possible to the architect's original drawings.

Another reason this hole was selected was because the land and lake on Marti's property provided similar terrain and effect as the 14th hole at The King & Bear.

"It’s a thrill to look outside my window and see the green," says Marti. "I love practicing on the green, it looks great, it reminds me of Jack and Arnie, and it's helped me become a better player. Plus, my son, Jeremy, loves it and uses it all the time."

Jeremy Marti has Down's Syndrome and he has so taken to golf through his father's SofTrak green that it has been a godsend, says Jerry Marti. "It makes Jeremy happy and gives him something to look forward everyday," says Jerry Marti.

It isn’t just replica greens that are "in." SofTrak installers have built several greens for golfers who wanted holes or green designs that hold fond memories or significance for them. For instance, one golfer had a green built similar to a green at the local municipal course he grew up playing. Another SofTrak green owner who lives in San Antonio had his green built in the shape of Texas.

"People can indulge their creative and sentimental desires as well as gain the other benefits they’re looking for with the synthetic green design they prefer," says Danny Little, SofTrak installer.