Putting: slow v fast greens

[Tiger]

Right guys where do you sit? Our greens are pretty slow and I'm not a big fan. You have to stroke the ball harder to get it to the hole, this creates a greater margin for error on your stroke increasing the liklihood of being off target. On short putts the balls is more likely to bobble off line even just a few inches from the hole. Conversely you can often get better distance control, putts break less and downhillers are less scary.

That said is the fast green grass actually any greener. Short putts can break massively, distance judgement is tougher etc etc

What do you guys think. If you had to pick one extreme over the other which would you choose?

Given the infancy of my game I'd probably choose slow as it would be more forgiving on poor putts and chips.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Fast for me, I don't like having to hit putts hard to get them to the hole.

 

[G1BB0]

fast as I always underhit slow ones

 

[Jabba]

My putting's lousy but I do prefer slow greens. I like the fact that they have less break on them and that it's hard to put them 3 feet past the hole.

Just a shame that it's also easy to put 'em 6 feet short

 

[sweatysock41]

I don't mind that much, generally I prefer them to be on the faster side but what I do want is for them to be consistent.

There's nothing worse than going from a fast green to a slow one and vice versa.

 

[Swinger]

As long as the holes aren't crowned and they roll true I'm happy, and even if not it's always a fun challenge.
TBH though I never expect to hole anything so anything from over 4 foot is a nice surprise.

If I'm putting well I'd find my comfort zone easier on fast green. The fast the better.

 

[Dave1980]

I like them fast as possible as long as they run true!

 

[jammydodger]

If they dont bobble and jump all over the place then i'm not too bothered but I'm not a fan of seriously quick greens just as much as seriously slow greens. Give me a nice 9-10 stimp and i'm happy

 

[PhilTheFragger]

It really doesnt matter what you prefer

You have to deal with what you are presented with on the course, and the conditions can change from day to day.

Too wet, Too dry, Just right,windy, seeding mowing, aeriating, scarifying, fertalizer etc all effect the greens

Fragger

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Prefer the quicker side of average but as long as you can pick a spot and trust that it won't bobble too much then I'm happy. Not a fan of real quick greens and find it more than a tad frustrating having a 5 foot downhiller and then an 8 foot uphill return because the hole didn't get in the way and gravity took over.

 

[Robobum]

If they dont bobble and jump all over the place then i'm not too bothered but I'm not a fan of seriously quick greens just as much as seriously slow greens. Give me a nice 9-10 stimp and i'm happy

+1

Seriously quick greens may look lovely but continually holing 4 foot return putts wears the nerves.

 

[RGDave]

Slow greens are the worst.

I'd rather have 54 putts on Augusta-speed greens than 37 on slow and woolly ones.

 

[Evesdad]

I'm going to say faster as my putting has improved well since the better weather and they have quickened. A good true roll and no bobble is all I ask for.

 

[Mongoose]

Slow is ok if they run true but usually slow goes hand in hand with bumpy, and thats no use. Whereas faster usually goes with true. So fast everytime for me. Its also easier to stroke the ball and roll it along the line where you can sort of predict how it will react to the breaks than have to belt it and hope it breaks, or doesnt. I definitely putt better on faster greens, up to a point, when they get super fast its too frightening!

 

[RGDave]

A good true roll and no bobble is all I ask for.

I had not one, not two but THREE flipping putts today under 6 foot with a massive virtually un-repaired pitch mark between me and the hole, directly on my line.

The first one I hit hard - it kicked 3 inches to the right.
The second one, I hit slow, and the ball stopped within about a foot. The third one I chipped the ball with my wedge and that didn't go in either.

 

[bayjon14]

I tend to putt aggresively, so slower greens suit me better. Our greens are slow at the moment, as the course is right on the irish sea, the wind is howling, so to keep balls from moving on the greens they are a little fluffy at the moment.
We have a friendly 3 club competition starting tomorrow, so I may have to calm the stroke down as 2 of the courses will have rocket fast greens.
It is a case of 2 putts all the way.

 

[EZprophet]

Fast all day.

5 footers are a lot easier when your backswing is only a centemeter long!

Stupidly fast can be tough but slow bobbly ones can just be frustrating...

 

[RGDave]

Fast all day.

5 footers are a lot easier when your backswing is only a centemeter long!

Yes! I feel this way. Years ago, my pro recommended I holed out 100s of balls around the cup (on the practice green) without even making a back-swing. I think it was his secret weapon to calm down huge back-swing then decelerating putting!

 

[Region3]

A good true roll and no bobble is all I ask for.

I had not one, not two but THREE flipping putts today under 6 foot with a massive virtually un-repaired pitch mark between me and the hole, directly on my line.

Did you not try repairing them?

To be honest I forget I'm allowed to do it. I finished in one last week but only noticed when I put the ball back down to putt. I knew it was going to jump as soon as I hit it but carried on anyway.
After the putt my opponent asked why I didn't repair it. I just didn't think

To answer the original question, I'm not sure what I prefer. I putt better on slow because it's what I'm used to, but apart from putting like a prat on fast greens it's nice to not have to hit it hard or worry too much about bobbles.

 

[Fyldewhite]

It's all a bit subjective but I'm a big believer in the fact that the "our greens are faster than your greens" almost macho argument is nonsense. Greens have to be a "fair" speed. Generally, a medium pace is right for most greens that have any significant breaks. Super fast should be reserved for the large flat links greens. Really slow greens are just hard work.