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?
Aug 29, 2003 · 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 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 are typical PGA Tour green speeds?
Feb 04, 2021 · 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 to measure green speed?
Jan 06, 2022 · 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 …
What is 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?
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.
How do you calculate Stimpmeter?
1:445:04Stimpmeter - how to measure green speed. - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWhen you lift it up to 22 degrees the ball will roll off and the gravity takes over you'd roll theMoreWhen you lift it up to 22 degrees the ball will roll off and the gravity takes over you'd roll the ball down three times and it's where the ball.
How high does the Stimpmeter go?
RecommendationsSpeedLengthSlow8 feet (2.4 m)Medium10 feet (3.0 m)Fast12 feet (3.7 m)
What is green speed in golf?
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. That value is based on a measurement taken with a simple instrument called a Stimpmeter (hence the terms stimp and stimp rating).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.
How do you make a golf Stimpmeter?
0:428:37Stimpmeter DIY - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI went to the hardware store and bought two pieces of angle iron. This piece is 36 inches i put aMoreI went to the hardware store and bought two pieces of angle iron. This piece is 36 inches i put a mark at 30 inches from the end of it because that's how far you want to roll the ball on your stent.
How fast do PGA greens roll?
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.Apr 25, 2021
What does simp mean in golf?
0:074:00What is a Stimpmeter? | Golf Digest - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIn 1935 Edward Stimpson invented an easy way to measure green speed the stimpmeter.MoreIn 1935 Edward Stimpson invented an easy way to measure green speed the stimpmeter.
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 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."
History of Stimpmeter
According to Wikipedia, the original stimpmeter was designed by a golfer named Edward Stimpson SR. in 1935. He was a Massachusetts state amateur golfer and former Harvard team captain who first got the idea to measure green speed after watching the 1935 U.S. Open at Oakmont.
How a Stimpmeter Works
A stimpmeter helps measure the speed of the greens, but only if used correctly. First, you need to find a pretty flat part of the green. Obviously, if it’s significantly downhill or uphill, it will affect the reading, so finding a flat part of the putting surface is required.
How to Make a Stimpmeter
Stimpeters aren’t a wildly popular selling item as most people don’t have their own at home putting greens. While you can get some awesome indoor putting greens, you can’t change the turf so buying a green reading device like this isn’t usually something you need.
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.
How high does the Stimpmeter go?
The stimp highest readings are usually between 13-15. This is more likely to occur at major championship venues and prestigious events like the Ryder Cup.
What is the average green speed?
The average pace is usually around 9 for the average putting green on most municipal golf courses and 11 or above for PGA Tour events. Golf courses in the United States tend to have faster greens than ones in Europe due to the type of grass and typical weather conditions. Plus, old school championship greens like St.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, you now have a much better understanding of stimpmeters and how they are used in the golfing world. Remember, this tool has one main purpose – help superintendents easily read the speed of the greens. This helps them understand their greens better and make adjustments with their maintenance team as needed
History
It was designed in 1935 by golfer Edward S. Stimpson, Sr. (1904–1985). The Massachusetts state amateur champion and former Harvard golf team captain, Stimpson was a spectator at the 1935 U.S. Open at Oakmont near Pittsburgh, where the winning score was 299 (+11).
Description
The 1976 device is an extruded aluminum bar, 36 inches (91 cm) long and 1.75 inches (4.4 cm) wide, with a 145° V-shaped groove extending along its entire length, supporting the ball at two points, 0.50 in (1.27 cm) apart. 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.
Sloped greens
One problem is finding a near level surface as required in the USGA handbook. Many greens cannot be correctly measured as there may not be an area where the measured distance or green speed in opposing directions is less than a foot, particularly when they are very fast and thus require a very long level surface.
Recommendations
The USGA stimpmetered putting greens across the country to produce the following recommendations:
External links
A Better Stimpmeter And Calculator. CSG, Computer Support Group, Inc. and CSGNetwork.Com
What is a 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.
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.
When was the stimpmeter invented?
In general, stimp ratings 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.
Who is Brent Kelley?
Brent Kelley is an award-winning sports journalist and golf expert with over 30 years in print and online journalism. Tripsavvy's Editorial Guidelines. Brent Kelley. Updated 01/01/19. Scott Halleran/Getty Images.
What is the stimp rating of green?
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: 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.
What is the average green speed on the PGA Tour?
A stimp rating of 13 or 14 is considered lightning-fast. Most PGA Tour venues have green speeds of around 12.
