Putting on Really Fast Greens

[jbrunk]

I usually play on greens that are about 9-10, which I would call medium fast. I am really good at this speed. Sunday I played my Dad’s club and the guy there said they were probably a 13.

OMG!!!!!!! Five 3 putts later, I was ready to kill myself. Good grief I couldn’t get the ball to stop rolling. Add in the undulation of those suckers and forget about it. How in the crap do you play on greens that fast?

Is 13 tour speed?

 

[BIGBALL]

I usually play on greens that are about 9-10, which I would call medium fast. I am really good at this speed. Sunday I played my Dad’s club and the guy there said they were probably a 13.

OMG!!!!!!! Five 3 putts later, I was ready to kill myself. Good grief I couldn’t get the ball to stop rolling. Add in the undulation of those suckers and forget about it. How in the crap do you play on greens that fast?

Is 13 tour speed?

A lot of that comes down to where you are putting from. Playing on extremely fast greens and not knowing, or being able to, find the best place to putt from, pretty much means you will have some 3 putts. If you are 6' away, but that putt is downhill, you either make it or it's off the green at that speed. My buddies and I play a different course 3 out of 4 weekends, so this happens to us often Plus, we can't putt that great to start with

 

[Richie3Jack]

13 is Tour Speed on a lot of courses, nowhere that speed on a lot of courses as well. When they are up in Pebble, no way they are 13. Very slow.

Studies show that golfers should make more on faster greens, probably due to them being a smoother surface so it rolls truer and it's tough to leave putts short. I think the golfer has to look at it like it's their responsibility to get the speed of the greens down. I usually find that helps people get the speed down because they can't just chalk it up to the greens 'being too slow' or 'being too fast.'





3JACK

 

[mgranato]

I read that 11 is "Tour speed" for the non-majors.

 

[golfgnome]

13 is Tour Speed on a lot of courses, nowhere that speed on a lot of courses as well. When they are up in Pebble, no way they are 13. Very slow.

Studies show that golfers should make more on faster greens, probably due to them being a smoother surface so it rolls truer and it's tough to leave putts short. I think the golfer has to look at it like it's their responsibility to get the speed of the greens down. I usually find that helps people get the speed down because they can't just chalk it up to the greens 'being too slow' or 'being too fast.'





3JACK

What tour are you talking about? 13 is FAST!!!! Usually only the Open or Masters has this speed. Most tour events, depending on venue, are around 10 to 11 which is fast enough with slope.

 

[MikeD2]

As a Grounds and Greens chairman I can tell you that stimp numbers are a very murky area. To obtain a reading you need 6 rolls from diametrically opposite sides of a level surface. Obtaining a reading from a level surface is extremely difficult on a green with any character at all. Members/Players use the numbers to compare surfaces when surface moisture and other friction coefficients vary greatly from hour to hour much less day to day. Yes, a rainy Pebble Beach in February will create more surface friction than Whisper Rock in September, all other things being equal.

Yet, players still love to hear the numbers and still ask the Superintendent to "crank 'em up," sometimes to the long term detriment of the putting surface. Every course is made to be maintained at a certain maximum speed which is dictated by the grass plants selected, the moisture in the sand/soil mix, surface composition, undulations of the putting surface (remember the ball rolling back on John Daly at Pinehurst a few years ago?), etc.

In sum, in my opinion, don't trust the numbers, don't worry about the numbers and worry more about whether the ball is rolling true. Having said that, 13 is wicked fast...

 

[holeout]

You can take it to the bank that you were NOT playing on 13 stimp greens. They were probably, at best, and 11. You normally probably play on 8 or 9 stimp greens.

Unless you've played on a course with greens that are MEASURED daily and honestly claim 10+, you have no idea how fast an 11 or 12 stimp green really is. Not trying to sound arrogant, but most club golfers have no idea how fast an 11 or 12 really is.

 

[jbrunk]

You can take it to the bank that you were NOT playing on 13 stimp greens. They were probably, at best, and 11. You normally probably play on 8 or 9 stimp greens.

Unless you've played on a course with greens that are MEASURED daily and honestly claim 10+, you have no idea how fast an 11 or 12 stimp green really is. Not trying to sound arrogant, but most club golfers have no idea how fast an 11 or 12 really is.

Point taken. It makes sense that the readings can be difficult and I expected some of that. MOst of the greens I putt on roll true and are quick, and at least 2 of the courses I play 'post' their speed.

All I know is, whatever they were rolling at my dad's club were too fast IMO. These felt like smooth concrete.

 

[ggsjpc]

When they get that fast, which is silly fast, very few pin locations become usable. You absolutely need to be putting from below the hole to feel comfortable. Because you have to hit the ball so slow, the hole will get bigger and if you can't control your pace, you have no chance.

Also, hitting it a Pelzian 18 inch to 2 feet passed goes right out the window. You're much better off shooting for 8 to 12 inches at that speed.