GolfNewsRI

As we all cruise around the Rhode Island’s public (and maybe private if we are lucky) golf course circuit, opining about greens conditions is as old as Tom Morris’ hickory sticks. There are certain tracks that have a reputation for rolling slow, keeping their putting surfaces a little furry to guard against heavy traffic.

Others seem to be able to keep their greens rolling fast and true despite foot dragging and unrepaired ball divots (that’s right, I’m looking at you!).

I wanted to check out if some of my long held beliefs are legit and decided to search on Amazon for a stimpmeter. I found that Stimpmeters™ fall under the protective umbrella of the USGA and you can buy one direct from them for $120 plus tax and shipping. Well, that was a little pricey for a slab of finely crafted aluminum that looks similar to a shoehorn. Luckily, there is a knock off on Amazon for 60% of the cost of the real McCoy (not the stadium).

The speedmeter is 30″ long with a notch at one end. All you need to do is find a flat tract of putting green, lay it down, place a golf ball in said notch and slowly begin lifting.

At some point, gravity takes over and the ball rolls down the track. Lay the speedmeter down in the same spot and measure from the end of the track to where the ball stopped rolling. Then take a 2nd measurement from where the ball stopped to where you originally had the speedmeter. Add the two measurements, divide by 2 and voila! You have a speed reading.

Since I am not using a USGA sanctioned piece of metal for this, I’m sure I cannot say “the greens at Frog Bump Booty Golf Club are running a 10 on the stimp” (the previous sentence was fiction and no stimps were hurt in the writing of this, looking at you USGA!). Is speeDonmeter too much? Maybe D-meter is easier to type.

Without further ado, I took two readings this past weekend and I found the following:

Rose Hill Practice Green: 10 D-Meters.
North Kingstown Practice Green: 10 D-Meters.

Granted it is early in the season and I’m sure they will be a tad quicker once they start cutting and rolling. I am going to keep the unholy shoe horn in my bag and will measure greens in my travels and post them here, for you, the curious reader.