The episode, which was the first to prominently feature Ned and the rest of his family, was written by Jeff Martin and directed by Rich Moore. While animating "Dead Putting Society", the animators went on a field trip to a local miniature golf course to study the mechanics of a golf club swing. Since airing, the episode has received positive reviews from critics. It acquired a Nielsen rating of 14.3, and was the highest-rated show on the Fox network the week it aired.