The match may be over but the trash-talking isn’t. It’s after dinner, but the losing side continues to insist on a rematch. Why wait until morning when you can grab your putters, head to the backyard putting green and settle the match once and for all?

No golf home is complete without a backyard green. In addition to settling matches, you can work on your stroke at any time and the green is a great gathering place for friends and family. But unless you are an agronomist, a green with real grass is impractical. A maintenance-free artificial surface is a great alternative, especially considering how much synthetic-turf technology has evolved since AstroTurf was invented in 1964.

One of the best choices for an artificial green comes from Synthetic Turf International (synthetic-turf.com). The NP50 surface is a cross-stitched, ½-inch nylon pile that looks—and rolls—like a bentgrass green. With impressive Stimpmeter readings of 9 to 11 feet, the NP50 is about as close as you can get to the real thing. Prices vary from $13 to $22 per square foot, depending on accessibility to the site, base preparation and project size. STI has installers worldwide, but also offers do-it-yourself packages that start at $2,000.

If your green has enough tricky breaks, the local knowledge you’ll acquire will give you an advantage for those post-prandial contests, so you can pay for the green with your winnings.