Should courses post what their greens are stimping on a daily basis?

[cliffj]

I would like to know what the courses greens are stimping when I go out to play for a variety of reasons. First and foremost is because I use the Aimpoint method. On top of that I think it would help folks learn to get a mental picture of what they were facing that day before even stepping on the practice green. Thoughts?

[LuciusWooding]

You're not supposed to know that. Try buying a stimpmeter sometime; they don't sell them. Being able to read the greens and guessing the speed is a skill and an art, not something you should enumerate. Same deal as slope rangefinders and anemometers. You go to the practice greens and hit some putts and that tells you all you're supposed to know. It's not perfect since most practice greens are in pretty dire shape, but it's the same grass type and length as the course, if not as smooth. If every player had an aimpoint line to tell them the exact break, the pros would score a couple strokes better on average I'll bet. Reading greens, especially fast ones, should be as important as the putting stroke itself, and most people would agree that speed is generally more important than line. There is the matter of slope as well, which you still need to compensate for, but the stimpmeter isn't supposed to be a big deal. The numbers are a guideline for fair tournament conditions, and it varies even on tour, even on the same course on the same day.

Also the readings would be slightly different on each green depending on how exposed it is to wind, and it would change over the course of a given day. The typical local muni doesn't have the resources to keep the greens too consistent depending on local weather and the skill of the greenskeepers, so it might be a pretty consistent number or it might vary a big amount. Or it could be really tough to keep it consistent unless they keep them a bit slow, and slow greens are usually unattractive to most golfers.

One nice course near me had posted that the greens rolled at 10 last November, indicating he course was still in good shape, but that was just to show they were still in good playing shape late in the season. For a normal course, they would hate to post that their greens rolled 6 on a given day, since it would decrease their business.

[Shorty]

Have a few putts on the practice green.

All greens are different anyway.

It's a bit of a lottery at times, but that's golf.

If you can't work it out, try a new game.

Greenkeepers are busy enough without "stimping" greens for the benefit of golfers who want to remove variability and the human element.

Leave it for commentators to prattle on about on television. Just go and play golf

[bwdial]

That's what the practice green is for.  Sometimes, I'll putt to nothing.  Just stroke a few putts and see what the ball does.

[Clambake]

My simple answer: absolutely not .

Aimpoint is great, but if you really need someone else to tell you what the stimp number is then you must have missed some key parts in your Aimpoint learning.    You suggest it would help people get a mental picture of what they are facing before stepping onto the practice green.   What use is that when the practice green is just sitting there for a reason.    I can't imagine why it would be helpful to my mental state for the day to know whether it is running a 9 or a 14 before I walk onto the practice green where one simple stroke will pretty much tell me what I need to know.

By the way, think about the simple logistics and practicality of having a course post what their greens are running.    All 18 greens on the course will be a little different.   Does the greenskeeper have to go out and measure each one?     Do they then post the arithmetic average of all 18?     Post the number for each?      Give you an average and the standard deviation?      And as the greens change throughout the day, do they have to go out and remeasure every hour and repost?      Does it then need to be posted at each green so you'll know what has changed throughout the day?     Maybe a smartphone app....

By the way, stimpmeters are readily available.     Even good old Amazon has them: http://www.amazon.com/Golf-Green-Speed-Meter-Stimpmeter/dp/B0002CTSR2

[allin]

While I agree with the previous posters it would be fairly simple to make your own stimpmeter. It based on rolling a ball from the correct height down a ramp at the correct angle. My guess would be that a web search for that for that former USGA technical director Frank Hannigan? I think he sells a putter called the frog? He popularized the stimpmeter.

[Mr3Wiggle]

Just make your own.

http://www.putting-greens.com/stimpmeter.html

Not sure that numeric figure will do much more for you.

[dsc123]

I played at Maryland National yesterday and they had the stimp posted in the pro shop.  I've never seen it, but thought it was cool.  And helpful since use aimpoint.

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by dsc123

I played at Maryland National yesterday and they had the stimp posted in the pro shop.  I've never seen it, but thought it was cool.  And helpful since use aimpoint.

Was it an average of all of their greens or just the stimpmeter reading from #1 or #18?

[dsc123]

Originally Posted by Mr3Wiggle

Was it an average of all of their greens or just the stimpmeter reading from #1 or #18?

It didn't say, but I don't think that really matters.  You don't figure out that a particular green is faster or slower than another until after you putt and by then its too late.  I think having a number is always going to be more helpful than guessing off the practice green.

Personally, I don't think a lack of information is ever a bad thing, but I can understand how some would.

I typically play on courses that are around 9 (est w/o measurement) and MD National was an 11.  Before a round I usually hit balls taking the putter back to my big toe and pace off how far they go, then just outside my right foot.  Typically I get 3 and 5 paces.  At MD National I got 5 and 7.  I think that's helpful for me to keep in mind as I should be able to estimate 3 paces = 9 stimp, 4-10; 5=11; 6=12, etc.  Its certainly not an exact science, but it provides a starting point.  I guess that's sort of off point, though.

[cliffj]

I like courses that post them for a couple of reasons.  One reason is I have a putter with changeable weights.  While not a big deal, I would rather not have to go back to the car to change the weights when and if I find out the greens are particularly slow or fast.  I normally have the mid-range weights in place on the putter (an Edel for those who are wondering).

For Aimpointers, I still go through the process to validate what they have posted.  My first few putts on the green are simply to get a feel for speed from about 20 feet.  then I do the determining slope routine. If I nail it the first time, I am good and away I go to work on a few straight putts for feel and confidence.   So,,While not needed, I do like having the number posted..

(A lot of time folks do not believe me when I tell them what I have come up with even though my reads are right on.. they are always guessing they are a lot faster...just like they think their 240 yd drives are right at 300 yds.. )

[Beachcomber]

I played a Country Club in San Diego Co this past winter where they had the stimp speed for the day posted outside the clubhouse/proshop where you check in.  They were 13.  I believe they were the fastest greens I've putted on in my life... At least in the last 10yrs.  In fact, it is the only course that I've seen post their stimp measurement... Which I thought was pretty cool.