Fast or slow greens

[garyinderry]

I definitely putt better on fast greens.

Hate slow greens especially as the ball slows up near the hole and can wander off in either direction. I just seem to find putts on faster greens seem to hold their line.

Maybe because the clubs that have faster greens have smoother, truer putting surfaces.

Played a course where the greens were true but like treacle. I had an absolute field day on them. rammed them in all day. No more than 8 inches break on most putts.




I think the answer to the question is that people 'enjoy' putting on quicker greens but it simply isn't easier.

Balls lip out, roll over edges more, slight over hits run on, tickler down hill putts that are a nightmare with break are just the type of things you are more likely to encounter with slick greens.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

By just increasing the greens stimp, no!

Pin positions and variable (left, right & distance) block positions on the tee's are the 2 main criterias IMO, you shouldn't rank up the greens from what they normally are all week just because it's a bigger comp!

The greens go from around 9-10 to 11 or hitting 12 for the club champs based on using the green iron a few more times and it's something was done with county comps and that's in conjunction with varying pins positions , tee positions with members expecting and knowing the course will change in difficulty dependant on the day and comp being played.

 

[SatchFan]

I prefer a bit of speed but as long as they are consistent I don't really mind.

 

[Face breaker]

You don't have an option for me, a stimp of 9-10 is more than enough for the amateur goofer 'especially on sloping greens' and obviously as true as possible...

 

[IanM]

Faster within reason please! Keep it sensible... once saw a 4 handicapper putt into a bunker on the 6th at Burnham... we laughed, he didn't!

 

[Lord Tyrion]

My own course has moderate speed but true greens. The key is they greens are fairly flat, not sloped. I played recently, think it was at Seaham, could have been South Shields, and 4 putted on a much quicker green with the pin on a slope. I enjoy fast greens but if the slopes are significant then a bit more thought needs to go into the speed as a perfectly decent putt can disappear off a green with little you can do about it.

A previous club I was at had very slow greens and that played havoc with your stroke. You ended up thinking too much about whacking the putt than direction. That was not good.

 

[HampshireHog]

I prefer slow greens. Always been a bit "yippy" with the putter when gets worse when the greens get fast. A good firm stroke helps me and my scores are typically better outside of summer.

What I really need is greens that are receptive!

 

[MendieGK]

You don't have an option for me, a stimp of 9-10 is more than enough for the amateur goofer 'especially on sloping greens' and obviously as true as possible...

9-10 is fast though

 

[Hosel Fade]

9-10 is fast though

Exactly, people overstate green speeds for various reasons.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Shouldn't courses be tougher for the bigger comps though ?

Not by tricking greens through speed. It can be done, with time with some decent rough growth and by some well thought out pin positions. That doesn't mean on the north face of the Eigar as I've seen some greenkeepers put them because its "club champs"

A well presented and well thought out course is far tougher than something reliant on a fast green

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Fast every time, not PGA Tour fast but fast and true. Slow greens are a nightmare.

 

[srixon 1]

Prefer fast, but don't mind slowish as long as true. Too slow and I have trouble getting the ball to the hole. Ours run at an average of about 9 during the summer.

In my opinion, while fast true greens are a joy to put on, for general play it can make for slow rounds.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

For 99% of the time I'll take a mid-speed say 9 on the stimp but what I want more than anything is a true green where you can trust the line

 

[richart]

Fast every time, not PGA Tour fast but fast and true. Slow greens are a nightmare.

Greens being true is a good point. I would rather putt on slow true greens, than fast bumpy ones.

 

[srixon 1]

Greens being true is a good point. I would rather putt on slow true greens, than fast bumpy ones.

Are the worst of the lot.

 

[Deleted member 17920]

Not bothered about speed one bit as long as they are true.

 

[Face breaker]

Not bothered about speed one bit as long as they are true.

And consistent over the entire course, nothing worse than the first 2/3 greens being slow and then the next one is like lightning, causes havoc with your putting when they're inconsistent...

 

[cookelad]

12.7 apparently this morning, towards the end of the round it wasn't too bad but felt I was always lagging putts rather then really going for them. Would be interested to see how we would go on if they were like that every week rather then 9-10 week in week out then nearly 13 for one weekend

 

[garyinderry]

I take it back. Played on slow furry ones today. Didnt help one bit.

 

[Foxholer]

...Greens like St Andrews Castle course when they are fast are no fun.

Actually, they are (or at least can be!) completely stupid!

I often play at The Shire and there's a Par 3 that can have some 'challenging' pin positions to say the least. I actually consider it a great challenge! One of the lower Pro Tour events (Jamega?) stated that they wouldn't place a pin on about 50% of that green because it was 'unfair'!

Oh, and I've played on 'shaved' greens that were apparently nearly 15 after that treatment (prior to a French Ladies Open a few days later) and watched some of the top Ams in the world (like Paul Dunne, Ricardo Gouveia, Ollie Schneiderjans and Bryson Dechambeau) before they turned Pro struggle with 'perfect' greens at 14!

To me, around 11 to 12 is (super) fast enough for 'special' events!