Here are some specifics about how the Stimpmeter is built and works:
- Stimpmeters were originally wooden, modern Stimpmeters are made of aluminum.
- They are 36 inches long.
- Working on a flat portion of the green, the superintendent or other course or tournament official places a golf ball at one end in a notch about six inches from ...
What is a stimpmeter and how is it used?
Apr 09, 2018 · 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. The Stimpmeter is a very low-tech device, essentially just a small metal ramp that is angled down to a flat part of a putting green.
What is a stimpmeter and how does it work?
The Stimpmeter is a simple, accurate device to measure green speed. It has proven to be an invaluable asset to the game of golf, both for daily play and championship preparations, and a helpful management tool for the golf course superintendent, but it …
What are typical PGA Tour green speeds?
Feb 04, 2021 · This mystical device has been around for a few years now, and it’s a vital tool in the kit of every golfing groundskeeper. Contents 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.
How to measure green speed?
Jan 06, 2022 · If you’ve ever watched professional golf and heard its commentary, you must’ve come across a word that sounded too scientific; a stimpmeter. However, upon some research, we realized it’s much simpler than it looks and sounds. In very basic words, it is a device used to measure the speed of the green.
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 is the average Stimpmeter reading?
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.Feb 4, 2021
How fast is 13 on the Stimpmeter?
"This green's stimp rating is 11." A green speed of 7 is generally considered very slow and is slower than a green speed of 9 (a moderate speed). A stimp rating of 13 or 14 is considered lightning-fast. Most PGA Tour venues have green speeds of around 12.
What is the average green speed?
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.Jun 17, 2017
What does a Stimpmeter look like?
The Stimpmeter is an extruded aluminum bar, 36 inches long, with a V-shaped groove on each side that extends along its entire length. It has two precisely milled ball-release notches, one on each side of the bar.
How high does the Stimpmeter go?
RecommendationsSpeedLengthSlow8 feet (2.4 m)Medium10 feet (3.0 m)Fast12 feet (3.7 m)
What is a fast green in golf?
When golfers talk about how fast the greens are or the speed of the greens, they are referring to how easily the golf ball rolls across the green and, therefore, how hard they have to putt the ball to reach the hole.Jan 1, 2019
How do you use a golf Stimpmeter?
0:433:14Fore the Golfer: Use of a Stimpmeter - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe first step of measure in green speed is to roll three golf balls in one direction on a levelMoreThe first step of measure in green speed is to roll three golf balls in one direction on a level area of the. Green. The average distance of the three rolls is then measured.
What makes a golf green fast?
Resiliency, uniformity, smoothness, and firmness contribute to overall green speed. Resiliency is the capacity of the turf to absorb shock and affects the ability of a putting green to hold a properly struck golf shot. Uniformity implies that each green on a course and all areas of each green putt the same.Nov 10, 2016
Are faster greens harder?
In conclusion, fast greens (or at least greens golfers consider to be fast) are more difficult for the average golfer. They pose a greater challenge for distance control, leading to more 3- and 4-putts.Aug 2, 2016
What is the green speed at the Masters?
The unofficial rating of the golf course was determined to be 78.1 with an average greens speed of 12', peaking at 15'. The large variance in greens speed is to protect the golfers from the dramatic slopes and contours.
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.
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.
What is Considered a Good Stimpmeter Reading?
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.
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.
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.
Final Thoughts
Other than that, the design of the stimpmeter remains more or less unchanged. Thanks to Stimpson, ground keepers everywhere have a reliable way of monitoring green speeds, allowing a more regulated and balanced playing field across the world of golf.
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 Are Green Speeds?
It’s all fine and well saying that this is a device that measures the green speed, however, if you’re still scratching your head, going into more detail about the stimpmeter isn’t going to clear anything up.
The History of Stimpmeters
The original stimpmeter was designed by Edward Stimpson SR, a golfer in 1935. He was an amateur state golfer in Massachusetts and used to be the Harvard team captain.
How Does A Stimpmeter Work?
Stimpmeters themselves are very non-technical. They look very similar to a yardstick, except with a V-shaped track down the middle measuring about 3 yards.
Changing Green Speeds
Generally, over time, stimp ratings have been getting a lot higher. This means that there has been a drastic change in green speeds and how fast your game of golf is going to be able to go.
Frequently Asked Questions
Honestly the easiest answer is no, not really. They don’t really sell any official stimpmeters, typically because a good course is going to have its own, and very few people have their own at-home golf courses.
Bottom Line
There’s not really much more to report on stomping, but now you have the information you’ll be able to share it with your friends next time you’re watching the gold.
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, ...
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 are green speeds in golf?
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).
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."
When was the stimpmeter invented?
USGA Acceptance of The Stimpmeter. Although the device was invented in 1938 , the USGA adopted the stimpmeter in 1976 when it was first used for The US Open at Atlanta Athletic Club. The official United States Golf Association stimpmeters are not sold to the general public.
How many rolls of stimps are required for a golf course?
The USGA governs the rules of official stimp readings. In order for a reading to be official the test must be done on a flat part of a green and at least 3 rolls or stimp tests in either direction must be performed. The average of the tests is the official stimpmeter reading of that particular golf course, for that particular cut, on that day.
What is the name of the device that measures the speed of a putting green?
The Official Name is Actually “Stimpmeter”. A stimpmeter is a device that is used to detect the speed of a putting green. The device gets its name from its inventor, a gentleman named Edward Stimpson. Stimpson was a ranked amateur golfer from my home State of Massachusetts.
How long is a golf ball track?
The track is a total of 36 inches long and the notch for the golf ball is exactly 30 inches from the lower end of the track. The angle of the track and the distance from the notch where the golf ball rests prior to release create a known velocity and the resulting distance the ball rolls is a precise measurement.
How many degrees does a golf ball roll down a track?
A metal “track” would hold the golf ball and the golf ball would rest in a notch in the track until the device reached an angle of 20 degrees. Once 20 degrees was reached the golf ball would come out of the small notch and roll down the track.
How far apart do you have to rest golf balls for a stimpmeter?
The three balls tested in either direction must come to rest within 8 inches of each other for the result to be official.
Who was the golfer who watched Gene Sarazen putt a ball off the green?
Legend has it Mr. Stimpson attended the US Open at Oakmont where he watched Gene Sarazen putt a ball off the green. Mr. Stimpson felt as though the green was far too fast. So he decided he would invent a device to officially calculate the speed of greens.
How has the stimp rating changed in golf?
Stimp Ratings Have Changed in Golf Over the Years. In general, stimp rating s have gotten higher, meaning the green speeds have gotten faster over the years since the Stimpmeter was invented in the 1930s and since the United States Golf Association adopted the tool for measuring green speeds in the 1970s. For example, in 1978 the greens ...
What does a putting green's stimp mean?
The "stimp" or "stimp rating" of a putting green is a numerical value that represents how fast the golf ball rolls on the putting surface. Golfers call this rating the green speed.
What does the higher the stimp mean?
The Higher the Stimp Rating, the Faster the Greens. The stimp rating of green is given in the form of a number, which can be a single digit or reach into the lower teens. The key concept is this: The lower the stimp, the slower the greens. The higher the stimp, the faster the greens.
How low can a green stimp?
Today it is almost unheard of for major championship greens to stimp lower than 11 or 10, unless weather conditions, such as high winds in the British Open, make such speeds unfair or even unplayable.
