Celebrities are having full-blown golf complexes built in their gardens. Here’s how they’re doing it

What do Mark Wahlberg, Cindy Crawford, DJ Khaled and Josh Allen have in common? All loved golf enough to take it home with them.

What do Mark Wahlberg, Cindy Crawford, DJ Khaled and Josh Allen have in common? All loved golf enough to take it home with them. From putting greens and par-three holes to full-blown course replicas, the sport is increasingly taking up residence in gardens and backyards as golf enthusiasts of all levels look to shorten their travel time to the tee. And if it’s at a home in the US, there’s a decent chance the work was sculpted and built by Back Nine Greens, an artificial grass installation company based in Southern California. Established in 1997, the firm says it has constructed over 10,000 projects across 26 years, the aforementioned quartet headlining a star-studded clientele that has helped the business branch out from its headquarters in Palm Desert to a web of locations across the country. Business boomed during the Covid-19 pandemic, with homebound golfers desperate to continue playing, but despite the company name, golf is not the dominant revenue stream for Back Nine Greens — it’s grass. Artificial lawns offer a lower maintenance alternative to the real deal, which is more more vulnerable to the weather and requires regular attention. Bar clearing leaves or other debris, synthetic turf requires comparatively little upkeep and does not need to be watered, a potential deal-sealer in hot locations where the company frequently operates. California in particular is especially prone to drought, with state officials encouraging its citizens to cut their water usage.