Men and women who are goofy about golf are learning the grass is always greener–not on the other side of the fence but right on their own property, indoors or out, according to Frank A. Orozen, owner of the Oak Brook-based construction company bearing his name.
“I took up golf four or five years ago and soon decided I needed putting practice to improve my game. After I convinced my wife, Marilyn, that a putting green in our back yard would be a time-saving practice solution, I began shopping around for a high-quality artificial surface,” Orozen said.
“I researched surfaces throughout the entire Chicago area, in southern Wisconsin and in Iowa. This was something I wanted for me, and I did my homework. I visited golf trade shows, talked with manufacturers reps, looked at different materials, studied product literature and checked out Web sites on the Internet. There’s a lot out there,” he said.
After months of study, he settled on a foam-backed nylon turf manufactured by Indianapolis-based Putting Greens International Inc. for his back-yard installation.
“The speed of the PGI green averages between 9 and 10 on a Stimpmeter, which is an ideal country club putting green speed,” Orozen said. “I can honestly say once you develop your stroke through practice you can bid three-putt (greens) goodbye. I know I have.”
In fact, Orozen found the results so good he signed on as the manufacturer’s Chicago-area dealer, adding installation of synthetic greens to his business repertoire in December 1996.
Jay and Madonna Williams were among his first customers.
When they finished the lower level of their Lake Bluff home in 1997, they included a 10-by-15-foot three-cup putting green patterned after one in the Lake Forest home of Jay Friedman, a friend and fellow golf club member.
“Jay has an incredible basement set up for golf, and this made a lot of sense to me, because I’m a games nut and I love golf. Jay was pleased with Frank Orozen’s installation, so I contacted Frank and together we worked out a design for my basement.”
The Williams sold their Lake Bluff dwelling early this year and are building a new house on 2.7 acres in Mequon, Wis., which will include a lower level putting green built by F.A. Orozen Construction.
“We had so much fun with the homestyle green, we want to do it again, although this time it will be a little larger, probably 10 by 16 feet,” said Williams. “My wife comes from a large family, and we have three children of our own, so we find this great family entertainment.
“Madonna’s a good golfer and I’m a serious golfer, not too good, but trying to improve. Most of golf is self-confidence, and I find that with putting practice, I’m building my confidence,” he said. “Another nice thing is that the cost of a green isn’t prohibitive; ours in Lake Bluff cost about the same as a quality pool table.”
Leafing through a copy of the Robb Report: The Magazine for the Luxury Lifestyle last year, Andy McGann, of Elburn, came across an ad for Orozen’s Putting Greens International.
“I used to play golf, but pretty much gave it up in favor of spending more time with the family when our four daughters were growing up,” said McGann, a funeral director on Chicago’s South Side.
Although not a serious golfer, he was intrigued by the idea of having a putting green right in his own back yard.
“We have almost 3 acres of property, and it’s partly wooded, but there’s still plenty of grass to cut, and I do it myself. I saw a putting green as a way of killing two birds with one stone–it would provide great family entertainment and eliminate some of the grass-cutting chore. Less work, more fun,” McGann said.
So he answered Frank Orozen’s ad, and together they worked out the details of McGann’s custom-designed green.
“I wanted it to slope, because I think that offers more of a challenge, and I wanted three cups because I figured that would allow plenty of room to putt. Also, I was looking for the kind of artificial turf that would be maintenance-free,” said McGann.
Installed last September, the 15-by-35-foot green came into play many times before the first snowfall.
“We had a lot of fun with it when we entertained friends and family,” said McGann. “Games are good fun for all ages, but people don’t like to be embarrassed by games that are too tough. Anybody can putt, and since we have three cups, playing the green six times equals 18 holes.
Although his wife doesn’t play golf, “she will go out and putt,” he said, and their daughters, now 21, 18, 15 and 13, enjoy testing their skill.
McGann speaks well of Frank Orozen. “He’s easy to work with, and he did an excellent job. He came out several times and he’ll be back in the spring to see whether the green needs any readjustment.”
There are, of course, different strokes for different folks.
Instead of the usual installation of three or four cups, Barry R. Rabovsky, a Naperville personal injury attorney, wanted an indoor putting green with a single cup to be used in conjunction with an electronic golf game.
He discovered Orozen and PGI at an Arlington Heights golf exhibition and looked at the product very carefully.
“I wasn’t sure it would improve my game, but I asked myself `how could it hurt?’ ” he said.
The 420-square-foot basement installation was completed last October, and Rabovsky uses the green every day.
Always a popular pastime, golf continues on the upswing today, with more and more people finding it provides recreation, relaxation and conviviality, noted Julie Jacobs of Jacobs Homes, which selected a Highland Park public golf course site for its Legacy Club, 36 custom homes with views of water and fairways.
“We’re capturing the escalating golf craze by offering buyers an appropriate option of an F.A. Orozen custom-built putting green indoors or out. We’ve had a 5-by-12-foot green installed in our sales pavilion so visitors can get a taste of what it’s like to have their own personal putting green.”
Orozen said his putting green installations have tripled since he acquired the dealership. Last year, he built almost two dozen, and even more are in the offing today; most are 15 by 25 or 15 by 27 feet, but he has built three that are 30 by 30 feet. The cost is about $14 per square foot.
“We’re still putting a lot of them outdoors, but many are going into basements and great rooms,” Orozen said. “The teardown trend–replacing moderate-size houses with sprawling new dwellings–means less exterior but more interior space; this way, Midwesterners can practice their strokes year-round. You might say homestyle golf greens are the pool tables of the next century.”
PGI Green isn’t the only turf in town, however.
Last year, Richard “Barry” Mangrum added NovaGreen, a sand-filled polypropylene putting green material to The Piberen Group, his Darien-based landscaping service, which includes construction of brick sidewalks, patios, driveways and retaining walls, and rock and water gardens.
Earlier, he had installed a patio at the home of Debbie and Dan Warren, who live in Woodridge’s Seven Bridges complex; afterwards they asked him to build a 15-by-20-foot three-cup putting green, his first.
“We were pleased with the results, and I suggested he devote part of his company to this kind of work.” said Dan, who is in the computer business.
“Our green is lots of fun to use, and a conversation piece as well. We’re adjacent to the golf course and people are constantly pulling over to take a look at it.
“Our daughter, Emily, is a sophomore at Naperville North High School and a member of the girls varsity golf team, so she and her friends find it a good place to practice,” he said. “I installed lights so we can use the green at night.”
