What is a stimpmeter in golf?
Brent Kelley is an award-winning sports journalist and golf expert with over 30 years in print and online journalism. A Stimpmeter is a simple tool used to measure the speed of putting greens: how easily a golf ball rolls across the surface of the green.
What is the golf green speed meter?
The Golf Green Speed Meter is your custom and stylish Stimpmeter. It is similar to the official PGA Stimpmeter in use and accuracy but different in style and design.
What is a good Stimpmeter reading for golf?
A typical golf club usually aims for a Stimpmeter reading of 9 or 10. This is generally considered to be the goldilocks zone of green speeds; not too fast, not too slow. For golfing competitions, it’s not uncommon to see stimpmeter readings creep up to 11 or 12, which is the average stimpmeter reading on the PGA Tour.
How do you measure the distance of a golf ball?
# 2 Measure The Distances. With the tape measure that is included in the purchase, measure the distance from the beveled end of the meter to where each of the three balls have come to rest. Note the distance each ball has traveled in total inches on one of the worksheets in the Green Speed Calculation Notebook also provided.
What is a Stimpmeter and how does it work?
The Stimpmeter is a simple, accurate device manufac- tured by the USGA that allows one to make a standard measurement of, and place a numerical figure on, the speed of a putting green. It does so by measuring ball roll distance.
What does a golf Stimpmeter look like?
0:184:00What is a Stimpmeter? | Golf Digest - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd Tour players talking about stiff meters. So what is a stimpmeter. In 1935 Edward StimpsonMoreAnd Tour players talking about stiff meters. So what is a stimpmeter. In 1935 Edward Stimpson invented an easy way to measure green speed the stimpmeter.
What is the average Stimpmeter?
A typical golf club usually aims for a Stimpmeter reading of 9 or 10. This is generally considered to be the goldilocks zone of green speeds; not too fast, not too slow. For golfing competitions, it's not uncommon to see stimpmeter readings creep up to 11 or 12, which is the average stimpmeter reading on the PGA Tour.
What is considered fast on the Stimpmeter?
What is fast on the stimpmeter? Fast or slow is arbitrary but in general, anything over an 11 is considered fast amongst most golfers. Some of the fastest green readings are around 14 or 15 (like Augusta National) and are nearly impossible to putt on for most amateur golfers as the golf ball rolls forever.
What does simp mean in golf?
A stimpmeter is a device used to measure the speed of putting surfaces. It was originally invented by Edward S. Stimpson in the 1930s. His version was made of wood and was in effect simply a chute down which a golf ball would roll onto the putting surface.
How fast are Augusta greens?
This ramp style device has a notch and the ball is pulled out of that notch by gravity when the device is slowly raised to an angle of about 20°, rolling onto the green at a repeatable velocity of 6.00 feet per second.
Why are PGA greens so fast?
On the PGA Tour circuit, green speeds also have become more consistent from one course to the next. The result is better ball roll and a more predictable playing surface. That means golfers can make a more uniform putting stroke, with fewer adjustments for surface conditions.
What is a fast golf green?
A stimp rating of 13 or 14 is considered lightning-fast. Most PGA Tour venues have green speeds of around 12.
Can golf greens be too fast?
Trying to make greens faster than they should be leads to higher maintenance costs, turf damage, lost hole locations, and rounds of golf that are slower and less enjoyable.
What are average green speeds?
It found the average green speed to be about 6.5. Less than 2 percent of the 2,116 measurements recorded were higher than 9.
What is the average speed of PGA greens?
about 11 orJPG. The average green speed on the PGA Tour is about 11 or above, which is significantly quicker than a regular golf club. One event that has always been associated with fast greens is The Masters and we have seen many players over the years struggle on the putting surfaces at Augusta National.
What golf course has the fastest greens?
Oakmont Country ClubRecommendations. The greens at Oakmont Country Club (where the device was conceived) are some of the fastest in the world, with readings of 15 feet (4.6 m).
What is a stimpmeter?
A stimpmeter offers greenkeepers a way of monitoring the pace of their putting surfaces. For any venue hosting the world’s best players like Augusta National, this is a vital piece of kit both in the build up and during the tournament itself. A stimpmeter is a relatively primitive contraption – a long narrow metal tray with a hole in one end, ...
How to measure the speed of a green?
You place a ball in the hole and slowly lift that end of the stimpmeter (resting the other end on the ground). You eventually reach a point when the ball rolls out of the hole – let it travel down the stimpmeter and onto the green. You then measure from the bottom end of the stimpmeter to the where the ball came to rest – this is your first reading for the speed of the greens.
Why do greenkeepers use stimpmeters?
A stimpmeter is useful for greenkeepers to be able to check the pace of their greens. This is particularly important at links venues where strong winds can occasionally make overly fast greens unplayable. Being able to test and then adjust the green speed is a way of ensuring the greens are playable everyday.
What Is a Stimpmeter?
A Stimpmeter is a simple device used to measure the speed of a putting green. It is a three-foot (36 inches) long extruded aluminum bar with a V-shaped groove extending its entire length. At one end of the bar is a little notch for placing the ball, positioned approximately 30 inches from the end that rests on the ground. The ground-end of the device is tapered to reduce bounce as the ball makes contact with the green.
How Does a Stimpmeter Work?
You start by finding a flat piece of green and placing a golf ball in the notch of the Stimpmeter. Then, keeping the other end to the ground, you slowly raise the ball end.
Who Invented the Stimpmeter?
The Stimpmeter is named after Edward S. Stimpson, an accomplished amateur golfer who created a simple but lasting legacy of green speed reading.
How Fast are the Masters Greens?
At Augusta National, the beautiful, uniquely challenging home of the Masters, things work a little differently. Quite simply, Augusta National authorities don’t publish or reveal Stimpmeter readings, and they don’t let anyone take a formal stimp reading.
Why is a stimpmeter important?
It carries out a simple – but very important – function, allowing groundskeepers to easily and reliably get a reading of their greens. A green that is too fast or too slow can have a dramatic impact on play, so by carrying out Stimpmeter readings, groundskeepers are able to make necessary adjustments before the players show up.
What was the first stimpmeter made of?
In 1976, the stimpmeter was finally adopted by the United States Golf Association (USGA) as an official device; it was redesigned to be made from aluminum and was first officially used during the 1976 US Open at Atlanta.
How to measure the distance of a ball rolled in feet?
Using a tape measure from the base of the Stimpmeter (where it is touching the ground), you measure the distance the ball rolled in feet. You do this three times and calculate the average.
What is the use of a stimpmeter in golf?
Have you ever felt that on particular days and on particular greens, you simply can’t putt? Well, there’s nothing wrong with that because greens change their speed very frequently. To understand these changes, Edward Stimpson got the idea for this device at the 1935 U.S. Open, when he felt the need to prove that the greens were unreasonably fast.
How is it used?
It is a three feet ‘stick’, with a notch on one of the ends. After selecting a flat area of the green, the stimpmeter is laid flat on the ground and the ball is placed in the notch. Slowly, one end of the device is lifted to form a ramp, until the angle is right and gravity propels the ball to slide down.
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Ishita Bhargava is a Golf content writer at Essentially Sports. Currently pursuing her undergraduate degree from the Shri Ram College of Commerce, she has a keen interest in sports and fitness. When not playing or watching a sports event, Ishita can be seen spending time with her pets or binge-watching.
What Is A Stimpmeter
In short, a stimpmeter is a device that is used to measure the speed of a golf green. This green speed refers to how quickly the ball will travel across a green when a putt is taken.
How It Works
A stimpmeter is essentially a small track that guides a ball down a ramp and out onto the green. To use a stimpmeter you must first setup the meter at a 22 degree angle.
How does a Stimpmeter measure green speeds?
Particularly during major championships, you might hear a commentator or see a graphic mention the word Stimpmeter in conjunction with green speeds. Usually it's something like, "The greens are running an 11 on the Stimpmeter today."
What is a stimpmeter?
The Stimpmeter is the way golf tournament directors and grounds keepers measure green speed. It might sound like a Stimpmeter is a really fancy piece of equipment. It's not. Effectively, a Stimpmeter is a beveled yardstick on which a golf ball can be placed and then rolled down it.
When was the stimpmeter invented?
USGA technical director Frank Thomas introduced the organization's version of the Stimpmeter in 1978 . The USGA released another version in 2013, based on work by senior USGA researcher Steven Quintavalla. The modern Stimpmeter accounts for increasing green speeds because there aren't many flat portions of championship greens that are 12-15 feet in length. The current model has the ability to perform a shorter roll-out test to still reliably get green speeds.
How wide is a stimpmeter?
To be a little more precise, the modern Stimpmeter is a 36-inch aluminum bar that is 1.75 inches wide and has a 145-degree, V-shaped groove running the entire length of the bar. The V-groove supports the rolling ball at two points a half-inch apart.
How fast does a stimper go down?
As the bar is raised and the angle increases to approximately 22 degrees, gravity naturally takes the ball down the Stimpmeter at a speed of 6 feet per second.
What is green speed?
Green speeds in golf are a measure of how quickly a golf ball will roll on a putting surface on a golf course. In major championship golf, host courses typically play with faster green speeds than standard professional tournaments (though that's not always true). The green speeds in events on major professional tours are typically substantially faster than what a golfer would experience at the average public course and even as private clubs.
What is a stimpmeter?
A Stimpmeter is a device used to measure the speed of the greens on a golf course.
How does a Stimpmeter work?
The Stimpmeter is 36 inches (91cm) in length and 1.75 inches (4.4cm) wide, with a 145˚ V-shaped groove extending along its entire length, supporting the ball at two points.
How does a golf ball taper?
It is tapered at one end by removing metal from its underside to reduce the bounce of the ball as it rolls onto the green. It has a notch at a right angle to the length of the bar 30 inches (76cm) from the lower tapered end where the ball is placed.
Who invented the stimpmeter?
The Stimpmeter gets its name from its inventor - Edward S. Stimpson (1904-1985). A successful golfer in his youth, Stimpson attended the 1935 US Open and believed the greens to be unfairly fast. Gene Sarazen won that year with a total score of 299 (+11).
How fast does a golf ball roll?
The ball is pulled out of the notch by gravity when the device is slowly raised to an angle of about 20˚, rolling onto the green at a repeatable velocity of 6.00 ft/s (1.83 m/s). The distance travelled by the ball in feet is the ‘speed’ of the putting green.
What is a stimpmeter?
One of the most significant aspects of a golf course is the uniformity of its putting greens. The Stimpmeter is a simple, accurate device to measure green speed.
Why is it important to know the speed of a putting green?
Knowing the speed of a putting green may assist in determining whether a hole location will give fair results. A green so fast, or a hole cut in such a position, that a ball cannot be stopped near the hole from any point on the green, for example, is an unfair challenge.