Let your imagination run wild for a moment.

Your backyard is a picturesque putting green. You can practise your putting at home on an incredibly realistic turf whenever you want and as often as you like. And your private putting green doesn't require any maintenance.

Now open your eyes. It’s not a mirage, it’s a Mirage Putting Green.

Kiss your putting yips good-bye. Your fantasy can turn into reality because there’s an Alberta company that will provide your personal putting green for as little as $2,000, including installation.

Mirage Putting Greens of Alberta owner Randy Steinley (left) and vice-president marketing Darcy Rosie will help turn your dreams into reality.

For five years, Mirage Putting Greens of Alberta has been installing the revolutionary Mirage Putting Turf System at homes, condo complexes, retirement communities, resorts, golf courses, office complexes or just about any place you imagine.

Developed by U.S.-based Mirage Putting Greens, the Mirage Putting Turf System consists of synthetic turf that is constructed of UV-protected, polypropylene fibres that have been bent in the manufacturing process to create a natural, bent-grass look.

The beauty of the greens is that they require absolutely no maintenance so you have more time to hone your putting game. And if you wish to test the reality of the putting surface, Mirage delivers the product to your home so that you can practise on it before making your purchase.

Even some of the world’s most renowned teaching pros, including Jim McLean, have had the Mirage Putting Turf System installed in their backyards.

“People get so excited when we’re installing the system, they stand with their putters and wait for us to get finished,” says Randy Steinley, the youthful Calgary entrepreneur who launched his Mirage Putting Greens dealership in 1999.

Steinley & Co. have installed about 130 greens from residential backyards in the $2,000 - $20,000 price range to large-scale commercial applications.

World-renowned golf course designer, Les Furber, was brought in by Mirage client Ecco Development to design and build two 2,800-sq.-ft. greens as a recreational area at the Estates of Gleneagles. The greens are designed to enhance the value and image of this premier real estate development on the northwestern outskirts of Calgary.

“Our product is second to none in performance, quality, durability, and is the most maintenance-free putting green system available in the world,” says Steinley, an avid golfer. “One putt and you will be convinced!”

Beyond the first-rate turf, what really sets Mirage Putting Greens of Alberta apart is the company’s experience as the premier synthetic putting green dealer in Canada and one of the most sought after installers in North America.

Steinley is not just the owner of the company. He is also a certified Mirage Putting Greens installer and an elite member of the Mirage Dealer Training Team.

VP marketing Darcy Rosie, who provides design and consultation for residential and commercial clients, says the applications for the Mirage Turf System are limited only by imagination.

“There isn’t a project we have encountered where we don’t have a solution,” says Rosie. “No yard or application is too small, too big or too challenging. One market we see is using our lazy lawn in the smaller, hard-to-maintain areas of the city like boulevards or along roadways.”

Steinley is particularly proud of having installed a Mirage green at the world’s most northerly course – on the 71st parallel at Holman, N.W.T. Check out the photos at www.mirageputtinggreen.com. Mirage counts among its satisfied customers one of Canada’s top teaching pros, Terry Carter, owner of The Player’s Grand Golf Academy in Calgary.

“As a teaching pro, I wanted a green that would react as close to real bent-grass as possible,” says Carter. “I have chosen a Mirage Putting Green, not only because the ball reaction is incredible, but as an owner of an indoor golfing facility, there are no hassles with constantly top-dressing sand. I’m convinced the Mirage Tour-Putt system is the best synthetic turf for consistency and ball reaction.”

But Steinley has found that the Mirage greens have been embraced as much by duffers and families as serious golfers.

“Besides its uniqueness and maintenance-free features, it offers so much entertainment value and it generally costs less than a hot tub,” says the 30-year-old Steinley. “There’s no gender barrier and no age barrier. It also provides greenery in your backyard and can enhance the landscaping of your home. When you have it installed, you kind of steal the show in your neighbourhood.”

Mirage Putting Greens of Alberta has installed home greens as small as 200 sq. ft. to as large as 2,500 sq. ft. Even a smaller green, say a 300-sq.-ft. green, can accommodate as many as four holes for your putting entertainment.

Mirage Putting Greens offer a hassle-free, quick draining, all-weather resistant surface, durability to even the heaviest of foot traffic, consistency of roll and it’s available with lazy lawn for customers who want a total maintenance-free yard area.

Residential developers and property owners are installing the Mirage Putting Greens to enhance the attractiveness and value of their properties while slashing maintenance costs.

“We’ve found that people in adult-living communities or even urban condos much prefer a putting green for recreation,” says Steinley. “They’re not into tennis or lifting weights so much. Just about everybody golfs now.

“People just want to grab a putter, be able to socialize and not worry about breaking a sweat. There is a reason golf is the fastest-growing sport for the widest-age range of people.

“The bottom line is whether you are two or 102, putting is something every one can enjoy.”