Check out this video on YouTube:
http://youtu.be/rlULpKsewnE
I am often asked about stimpmeter readings for tournaments or special events, so when I found this video from the USGA I thought it would be a good idea to pass it along.
Personally I do not use a stimpmeter, because its use has strayed far from the original intent of its creator. The device was designed to provide a means to provide consistent playing conditions throughout the golf course. It did not take long for this concept to be forgotten, and instead the tool was used to measure conditions at one golf course relative to another with no consideration for other factors such as architecture, construction methods, turf species, or operating budgets.
The use, and misuse, of the device has lead to the growth as well as the decline of the game. The demand for superior putting greens drove superintendents and manufacturers to develop new technology and maintenance programs that made it possible to maintain turf at lower mowing heights that would have been unimaginable twenty years ago. As the height of cut decreased, the cost of maintaining these conditions increased significantly. Increased reliance on designer pesticides and fertilizers as well as increased water use and labor resources have inflated operating budgets that are difficult to sustain as golf revenue declines.
Aside from the financial considerations, the insatiable desire for "faster greens" has rendered many classic golf holes unplayable due to the severe contours that were common during the early part of the last century. In extreme cases classic greens have been reconstructed with less severe slopes and softened features, again at great expense.
Perhaps my biggest problem with the abuse of the stimpmeter is that few people understand what the measurement means, and how it relates to the overall quality of the putting surface. First, the concept of "green speed" is a misnomer. The tool is used to measure distance, not speed. There are many factors that influence the distance a ball will roll when released from the meter: height of cut, texture, smoothness, turf density. All of these are characteristics that contribute to the quality of a putting surface, but so are firmness, color, and resilience which are not considered when we only consider ball roll distance as the sole measure of quality putting surfaces.
Many times I have been told that players enjoyed their time on the golf course, and that the greens played had a significant influence on their golf experience. The next words out of their mouths inevitable ask "What are they Stimping?" I don't measure ball roll distance simply so that I never have to answer that question. There is too much at stake if the answer does not match the number they have in their head. If the ball roll distance is less than the number they had in mind, their perceived enjoyment is instantly diminished. On the other hand, reporting a number higher than what they expect has no impact on their experience.
The stakes are increased when there is a minimum standard established (or expected) for daily play and tournaments. The two main factors that I nfluence ball roll distance are maintenance programs and the weather. Trying to replicate playing conditions from one event to the next can be dangerous if the weather conditions are not favorable for pushing the turf to the limit, especially during extreme heat, humidity, or saturated conditions.
This very thing occurred one year ago during the club championship. We executed our typical weekend maintenance (single cut and roll) for the qualifying rounds during a weekend that was unseasonably cool with a steady breeze and very low humidity. Two weeks later seasonable conditions returned for the match play rounds. Increased heat and humidity caused the turf to become lush and ball roll distances decreased in spite of the fact that we double-cut and rolled four days in a row. Had I been influenced by the pressure to achieve the same ball roll distance that occurred under ideal weather conditions, I might have been tempted to put the health of the greens at risk simply to satisfy my own ego.
I prefer to focus on providing the best playing conditions that the weather allows. I rely on the cumulative effect of consistent maintenance, and invest a significant amount of time and energy to keep all playing surfaces alive, healthy, smooth, firm, and fast. When it comes to measuring the quality of the putting surfaces I prefer to grab three balls and a putter, and use my eyes to determine if I am satisfied (there's my ego again) with how the ball responds to a sound putting stroke as it rolls toward the hole. I am most interested in how slowly the ball rolls as it comes to rest, and whether or not it stays on it's intended line. According to this concept of "green speed", less is more.
