How do you measure green speed with a Stimpmeter?

Asked by: John Smith

How do you measure green speed?

Place a golf ball in the slot raise. The back into the spent meter slowly. Until gravity pulls the golf ball out of the slot. Down the bar and onto the green.

How fast is 13 on the Stimpmeter?

A green speed of 7 is generally considered very slow and is slower than a green speed of 9 (a moderate speed). A stimp rating of 13 or 14 is considered lightning-fast. Most PGA Tour venues have green speeds of around 12.

Is 11 on Stimpmeter fast?

What is fast on the stimpmeter? Fast or slow is arbitrary but in general, anything over an 11 is considered fast amongst most golfers. Some of the fastest green readings are around 14 or 15 (like Augusta National) and are nearly impossible to putt on for most amateur golfers as the golf ball rolls forever.

How is a Stimpmeter used?

The Stimpmeter is a simple, accurate device manufac- tured by the USGA that allows one to make a standard measurement of, and place a numerical figure on, the speed of a putting green. It does so by measuring ball roll distance.

What is a normal green speed?

It found the average green speed to be about 6.5. Less than 2 percent of the 2,116 measurements recorded were higher than 9.

How do you tell if greens are fast or slow?

Here is where I find out the green speeds – I pace off how far the balls rolled. When the greens are slow, I will only pace off 9 – 10 steps. Normally I pace off 13 – 18 steps, but I have been on greens where I have paced off 27 steps (Chicago Golf Club for those who are wondering).

What do green speed numbers mean?

The “stimp” or “stimp rating” of a putting green is a numerical value that represents how fast the golf ball rolls on the putting surface. Golfers call this rating the green speed. That value is based on a measurement taken with a simple instrument called a Stimpmeter (hence the terms stimp and stimp rating).

How fast were greens in the 70s?

Before releasing their modified Stimpmeter (briefly known as the “Speed Stick”), the USGA took green speed measurements in 1976 and 1977 on more than 1,500 greens in 36 states. The average green speed was 6.5 feet.

What course has the fastest greens?

Oakmont Country Club

Recommendations. The greens at Oakmont Country Club (where the device was conceived) are some of the fastest in the world, with readings of 15 feet (4.6 m).

What do Stimpmeter readings mean?

And you measure the average distance that the ball rolls that way and then you combine the two numbers and divide them by two and that's the putting speed of the green. But like most golfers.

What is the average Stimpmeter?

A typical golf club usually aims for a Stimpmeter reading of 9 or 10. This is generally considered to be the goldilocks zone of green speeds; not too fast, not too slow. For golfing competitions, it’s not uncommon to see stimpmeter readings creep up to 11 or 12, which is the average stimpmeter reading on the PGA Tour.

What is the degree of Stimpmeter?

Effectively, a Stimpmeter is a beveled yardstick on which a golf ball can be placed and then rolled down it. To be a little more precise, the modern Stimpmeter is a 36-inch aluminum bar that is 1.75 inches wide and has a 145-degree, V-shaped groove running the entire length of the bar.

Why is it called Stimpmeter?

It’s called a “Stimpmeter” in honor of inventor Edward S. Stimpson and in a nice bit of serendipity, the device traces its origins back to storied Oakmont Country Club, site of this season’s second major.