There's a unique story behind every putting green we install. This green, located in Muirfield Village, is special in that it was created for a young man who is only 11 years old. Chad Merzbacher's father introduced him to the game of golf when he was seven, and by age eight he was already competing in tournaments throughout the United States.

The main reason the Merzbachers chose to install a green was so their son could practice whenever he wanted. "He practices out there for hours", says his mother Sherry, who travels with Chad to tournaments. She says his entire game has improved from having the green in their backyard, and notes that "...his sand trap and chipping abilities have advanced the most."

Now 11, Chad has recently started playing from the men's tees instead of the women's. Of course, that raised his handicap a bit - he's currently a 5.9 from the men's and was a 3 from the women's tees! Rated a startling 5th in the country while age 10, he has played in many children's tournaments including most majors, like the Calloway Junior Worlds, Optimist International, US Kid's World Championship, and Future Masters.

While Chad's parents hope that the game of golf continues to be fun and exciting for him, Chad's goals for himself sound far more aggressive. For now, he wants to play golf and practice his putting. After high school, he plans to play college golf and end up on the PGA Tour!

One special benefit to having a backyard putting green is that the entire family can use it anytime. Sherry says that her family practices together at least once or twice a week, often placing friendly bets. Whether it's boys against girls, or parents against kids, one thing is certain; the smart money is on Chad's team!

If you'd like to see more photos and hear other success stories like that of Chad Merzbacher and his family, please contact us. We'll be happy to show you some of our most recently installed greens!