Are super-fast greens detrimental to golf?

[iacas]

5 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

Nah, the very best can adjust to pretty much any speed, and probably much better than we can.  And they'll score even better if  the slower greens also hold shots better, like they always do when greens get soft after rain.  

Yeah, the studies I've seen in the past didn't talk about holding approach shots.

Just now, natureboy said:

But in looking at this thread topic of is 'super fast' good or detrimental, @iacas referenced studies that show everyone putts better on faster greens, therefore everyone will putt worse on slower greens (by being forced to make a longer stroke which requires a steadier hand at each distance). That's a better measure of putting skill, no?

[natureboy]

5 minutes ago, iacas said:

Yeah, the studies I've seen in the past didn't talk about holding approach shots.

So which is more important to scoring, the effect of slower greens holding approach shots closer, or the decrease in putt make percentage at a given distance due to the lower stimp?

Edited July 27, 2016 by natureboy

[iacas]

Just now, natureboy said:

So which is more important to scoring, the effect of slower greens holding approach shots closer, or the decrease in putt make percentage from the slower greens?

Given what we know, educated guess says holding approach shots closer. It may not even be close.

There's not much separation in putting. At any level. Even on the PGA Tour there is much greater separation in the full swing (or even just approach shots).

[natureboy]

6 minutes ago, iacas said:

Given what we know, educated guess says holding approach shots closer. It may not even be close.

So on average with slower greens pros will tend to score lower due to the effect of being able to hold greens better vs. the conditions they typically play (or even more extreme for Majors).

Makes sense.

Edited July 27, 2016 by natureboy