Slow greens vs. Fast greens

[senorchipotle]

i prefer average greens, actually. there are two courses i normally play, and one has lightning fast greens, but not very challenging. the other has moderately quick greens, but can be very difficult. last time i played the one with the challenging greens, i shot lights out with my irons, hitting 13 girs, but putted like crap and ended up 11 over when i should have been about 5 over the way i was hitting my irons. then i played the other course, hit my drives every which way, but putted well because for me it's easier to find a rhythm on fast greens, and ended up shooting 7 over. so, i guess i just need to go practice putting.

[David in FL]

Point being if you think you putt better on one or the other, you're bound to lose confidence when you have to play on the kind you don't putt well on.

I'm gonna remember that one.

[DavidFehertysBike]

It doesnt really make that much of a difference to me. I prefer firm greens, but i can adjust to slow ones after a hole or two.

[lumpuckeroo]

I prefer a fast green but don't mind slow greens as long as they have a true roll. What I usually find is slow greens tend to be a green that has not been cut and the grass is too long, so footprints and other things leave obstacles on the greens. With slow greens that roll true you can be an aggressive putter and I do like that aspect.

[bogeyhitter25]

Not super fast, but not slow. Somewhere in the middle. Like a happy medium.

[IceDave]

Most of the time we have super slow greens at my course, but in the course of one weekend (next weekend I believe) the course super will cut the greens to around 8-9 on the stimp scale. Ok, this is probably not that fast but for someone who has almost had to drive their putts whole summer, well my putting turns to caos. I would really lilke the greens to be that fast the whole time, but we have to be content with a split season, one slow and another super fast :)

[Jmuir]

For me it is more about how true a green roles. I can adapt to speed pretty well, pre-round warm up consists of 20-30 minutes on the practice green, but my confidence drops if the ball bounces around and will not hold a line.

Back to speed. If I had my choice on any given day, I would take a faster green. Easier for me to start the ball on what I think is the correct line with a shorter stroke than a longer/firmer one.

John

[Marinemike]

For me it is more about how true a green roles. I can adapt to speed pretty well, pre-round warm up consists of 20-30 minutes on the practice green, but my confidence drops if the ball bounces around and will not hold a line.

Reminds me of one of the first peeves I ever had about golf. I can't stand warming up on a practice green that is well maintained and true because it's right at the club house and then the greens on the course are completely opposite. I wish it was perceived, but it's too true that they are different at most of the courses I play.

[1UnderU]

I'm not sure if this has to do with the speed of the greens. But I played two courses in VA last week with bermuda greens (fast) and it was hard to get my wedges to stick and suck back. I normally play at bethpage, not black(normal to slow greens) and I have no problem getting shots to come back. I was playing the same ball, same clubs, putting the same strike on it.

[CarlSpackler]

I prefer faster, but really just want consistency. I played another one of the courses under my membership and the greens were like lightning so I was blasting everything past the hole for a few holes. The next day on my regular course, I was leaving everything short for a few holes.

[whip_it_out]

I hate having to "hit" my putts, so I'd have to say fast greens.

Our course got them up to a 10 on the Stimp before, and it was just great. And in Texas, with rock hard greens, and massive, MASSIVE amounts of slope, it was almost impossible to make a 4 foot putt. ( I aimed 2 feet outside of the hole from 4 feet, and missed on the low side) I still liked it more than slow greens.

[drocpdp]

Which is better to practice on... Greens that are too fast or greens that are too slow?

I know the best answer is BOTH... but I have a rare situation where there are not alot of practice greens around... The one that is most convenient is way too fast...

[shankapotamus]

Describe way too fast or too slow? Like what are their ratings.

[schapman]

The faster the better for me as I constantly leave puts short.

Was playing on some fast ones yesterday and would have been a putting star if I wasn't pushing everything right :(

[trog2233]

I love fast greens. Dont really know why but i score much lower when they are fast.