What do you think is a good green?

[USER1999]

Medium soft and medium speed, not rocket science mate!

Like the greens at Alyth?

I don't even know where that is, let alone be able to compare their greens to any others?

And my idea of slow might be proper fast to you. I like double figures on a stamp meter, so less than that is slow. Medium soft? What is that? Greens should be firm at this time of year. Hardly any pitch marks, rolling true, no bobble.

I haven't had to fix a pitch mark for three weeks. Not mine, not any one else's.

 

[Deke]

Like the greens at Alyth?

I don't even know where that is, let alone be able to compare their greens to any others?

And my idea of slow might be proper fast to you. I like double figures on a stamp meter, so less than that is slow. Medium soft? What is that? Greens should be firm at this time of year. Hardly any pitch marks, rolling true, no bobble.

I haven't had to fix a pitch mark for three weeks. Not mine, not any one else's.

Whats with your aggro? Is the concept of medium too far out? I don't usually carry a stimpmeter so I have no idea how fast Alyth's greens are on a scale I can communicate with you! After this weeks rain I will be amazed if the greens are that firm tomorrow.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Not sure should say may get blackballed!

Must be a bit of a funny club if you are too scared to mention their name lest you get into trouble. Most clubs I know would have know issue with constructive or valid critique even on a public forum. Our greens are very firm at the moment but will still take a decent shot with a mid or short iron. I am not too bothered if a course has difficult greens to stay on. Rather that sometimes than knowing you can take dead aim (a la winter golf). I like the challenge. It is predominant on links golf and you cant get a purer test of golf

 

[USER1999]

Whats with your aggro? Is the concept of medium too far out? I don't usually carry a stimpmeter so I have no idea how fast Alyth's greens are on a scale I can communicate with you! After this weeks rain I will be amazed if the greens are that firm tomorrow.

No aggro. That's just not me. Just that average isn't very specific, as one persons average isn't someone else's. Medium is hard to gauge, depending on what you are used to. I guess if greens are fast, then we kind of know what fast is, but then is silly fast fast? Being that I like greens that are fast, the faster the better, then most people's idea of medium is very slow to me.
Ditto for firmness. If the ball makes much of a pitch mark, to me, that's too soft. Is medium pitch and stop? Dig it out is clearly soft. 6 ft bounce is clearly rock like.

It kind of depends how it is where you play, but I can't tell that?

 

[Deke]

No aggro. That's just not me. Just that average isn't very specific, as one persons average isn't someone else's. Medium is hard to gauge, depending on what you are used to. I guess if greens are fast, then we kind of know what fast is, but then is silly fast fast? Being that I like greens that are fast, the faster the better, then most people's idea of medium is very slow to me.
Ditto for firmness. If the ball makes much of a pitch mark, to me, that's too soft. Is medium pitch and stop? Dig it out is clearly soft. 6 ft bounce is clearly rock like.

It kind of depends how it is where you play, but I can't tell that?

Ok then, what I like is a green to be soft enough to stop a ball on without being too slow off the putter. I don't like too many lumps and bumps but I do like slopes to keep it interesting. My club Alyth was designed over 100 years ago by Tom Morris then finally became a 18 hole layout after James Braid designed the last 6 holes in 1934. The greens are usually in good condition, but being in Perthshire we get a lot of rain, so often they are as I describe before speeding up when the sun comes out. Better?

 

[JPH]

One thats 100 foot wide and shaped like a funnel with the hole in the middle , failing that , as long as the ball doesn't bobble about then I'm happy

Or northern lights

 

[harpo_72]

The depth of the pitch mark from a scoring iron could well be a good gauge of a greens receptiveness. I would say anything that goes beyond a third of a ball is too soft, you will get little or no ball reversing just drop and stop. I love seeing the ball spin back, sorry that to me is a measure of purity of strike to generate spin you have to pick it clean. Without being rude the bump and run is like the putter off the green, a percentage shot that we can all play. However the best bump and run players will read the shot or see the shot clearer than others. Having spent my formative golfing years playing links I have the tendency to bump and run, rather than flop. But I won't bump and run from 150 yards unless the situation necessitates it. What I am saying about my home course is that it needs to swing one way or another links or parkland a half way house is not good enough. Yes I am afraid to name the course because I don't care to draw the wrong attention and I am thinking of speaking or learning more about the greens committee etc, I have only been there 18-19 months and despite having 20 years of golf under my belt (10 of which were cat 1 ) I will be viewed as the new boy.

 

[USER1999]

Ok then, what I like is a green to be soft enough to stop a ball on without being too slow off the putter. I don't like too many lumps and bumps but I do like slopes to keep it interesting. My club Alyth was designed over 100 years ago by Tom Morris then finally became a 18 hole layout after James Braid designed the last 6 holes in 1934. The greens are usually in good condition, but being in Perthshire we get a lot of rain, so often they are as I describe before speeding up when the sun comes out. Better?

Now we're talking!

My course was also laid out by old Tom Morris, despite being in Watford. He did a great job. We probably have similar greens.

 

[Andy808]

As long as the greens run true and are fairly consistent that is all I look for in a good green. If it's fast then it's fast and you have to play to it but if one is lightning quick and the next is so slow you need a croquet mallet to get it there then it's a nightmare.
We have had a problem with crows digging up our third green for leather jackets even though they have been treated for it several times, it makes putting on it a bit of a lottery if you have one or more the the pits they leave on your line.
They are getting on top of it now and it should be fine by the end of the month.

 

[Deke]

Now we're talking!

My course was also laid out by old Tom Morris, despite being in Watford. He did a great job. We probably have similar greens.

Cheers bud! I like the fact that my track plays a bit like two separate 9 hole courses, the front nine are very different to the back 9, but the greens are always lovely!

 

[USER1999]

Old Tom Morris laid out the original 18 holes, and the bunkers were put in by 5 time open champion j h Taylor. We lost 5 holes when the land was gifted to Watford grammar, and a new 5 holes were put in by H s colt. We are a living endorsement to some of the top course designers of the age. (including a remodel by Alastair Mackenzie of Augusta fame in the twenties).

It's still very much a 13 and 5 course though. The character does change from 12 on. The biggest issue being that you can see the bar from the 14th tee!

 

[Deke]

Wow, that is a pretty good list of designers! Braid only did the last 6 holes at Alyth, but the three holes before his 6 blend well with what he did. You are welcome for a round if you are ever up this way! Oh, and sorry for hijacking the thread!