Playing super hard greens

passintime · September 3, 2010

I have been playing a lot of golf lately (several times per week) after a several year layoff. Last Saturday I played a course for the first time. I loved the course with one major exception: the greens were so hard that any shot my partner and I tried to land on them would 9 times out of 10 roll right off. After playing there again on Wednesday, I saw the same thing. We didn't have a ball mark to repair in 54 holes. ZERO!

I played much better Wednesday than Saturday, having a better feel for the greens (my putts went WAY down), but it was frustrating to have nothing stick. My question is, how do you approach playing a green that is so hard that the ball won't sit, but will bounce really high in the air and roll off the green upon landing.

**Fat Slice** · September 3, 2010

I had that the other day. I landed one short by accident and realized that would do the trick. The fairway in front of the green wasn't too shaggy so it took something off the speed and allowed the ball to hold the green. I only hit 2 more like that, but they both worked.

I want to hear what the better players do!

**Fourputt** · September 3, 2010

I have been playing a lot of golf lately (several times per week) after a several year layoff. Last Saturday I played a course for the first time. I loved the course with one major exception: the greens were so hard that any shot my partner and I tried to land on them would 9 times out of 10 roll right off. After playing there again on Wednesday, I saw the same thing. We didn't have a ball mark to repair in 54 holes. ZERO!

It depends on how the area around the greens is designed. If there is no rough right in front then you can play a classic links style run up shot instead of flying the ball all the way to the green. I play that way when I play winter golf here... you haven't seen hard greens until you've played on frozen greens in January. We play a lot of half and three quarter punch iron shots, and it's still hard to judge the distance right.

If the green complexes are surrounded by rough and bunkers, then there isn't much you can do about it but say a prayer.

passintime · September 3, 2010

Yes, the worst holes were the ones where there would be a very large bunker guarding the front of my approach path. I was pretty much resigned to my ball rolling off the back edge. Oh well, I got lots of long putt/short chip practice!

**Paradox** · September 3, 2010

It depends on how the area around the greens is designed. If there is no rough right in front then you can play a classic links style run up shot instead of flying the ball all the way to the green. I play that way when I play winter golf here... you haven't seen hard greens until you've played on frozen greens in January. We play a lot of half and three quarter punch iron shots, and it's still hard to judge the distance right.

Well, theres a LITTLE something to do...don't go for the flag distance...always try to get the number to the front of the green or as far away from the hole as you can safely land and still be "good"...if that makes sense. If you don't have any sort of options to play safe with, sometimes it might even make sense to land the ball in the rough near the flag and make a little chip or putt so that you're hitting a shot with not a lot of speed onto the green surface.

**Fourputt** · September 3, 2010

Well, theres a LITTLE something to do...don't go for the flag distance...always try to get the number to the front of the green or as far away from the hole as you can safely land and still be "good"...if that makes sense. If you don't have any sort of options to play safe with, sometimes it might even make sense to land the ball in the rough near the flag and make a little chip or putt so that you're hitting a shot with not a lot of speed onto the green surface.

I guess I don't see the difference between deliberately landing in the rough or rolling off the back of the green... you're still looking at a chip or pitch for the next shot. And when a bunker fronts the green on your line, trying to

just carry the bunker is more likely to put you in the bunker. There are a lot of things I guess you could try, but in the end the fault here is that the greens are just too firm for the average golfer to be comfortable with. For us ordinary folks, a green should be at least a bit receptive to a decent approach shot. We don't all play Pro V1's with mondo backspin.

**Zeph** · September 3, 2010

- Playing the ball shorter to allow for roll
- Hitting the ball high into the green
- Hitting a soft ball that spin more
- Positioning yourself with a good entry angle to the green

**Paradox** · September 3, 2010

I guess I don't see the difference between deliberately landing in the rough or rolling off the back of the green... you're still looking at a chip or pitch for the next shot. And when a bunker fronts the green on your line, trying to

deliberately landing in the rough = a chance that your ball does bounce onto the green and will have lost enough speed that it stays. AT worst, you're going to have a soft shot for your next shot onto the green. I'll take those odds over trying to stop on a super hard green from 150+ As for bunkers, you wouldn't be trying to "just" carry the bunker..."land as far away from the hole that you safely can and still be "good". If it means that in order to take a bunker out of play you know you're gonna likely roll off the green, then so be it..you're back to the worst scenario for option 1. But I've never played a green where there wasn't a safe entry into the green if you position yourself right, so I guess it all goes back to course management.

**Dad-2-3** · September 4, 2010

I wouldn't consder myself a "better player", but I'll tell you what has been working for me.

I have been dealing with this for about 3 weeks at my home course. Anything over an 8 iron isn't sticking. The greens are so hard and baked that some are browning and even cracking in places. I've learned that hitting a links style shot works for me. The course has the word "links" in the name afterall and doesn't have any bunkers, but water does come into play on 13 of the 18 holes. There are the occasional crazy right or left bouces from irregularities in the fairway in front of the green, but for the most part the ball rolls up nicely.

**whatwhatwhat** · September 4, 2010

I guess now next time you see a pro getting a GIR in the us open you,ll appreciate it more then

**Leftygolfer** · September 4, 2010

I think playing those kind of greens kind of sucks. It takes all the skill out of iron shots. You just have to land short and hope for a good bounce. I don't like to play 10 yards short with a PW in my hands. It is super hard to play that way for me.

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