Stimpmeter
Encyclopedia
The Stimpmeter is a device used to measure the speed of a golf course putting green by applying a known force to a golf ball
and measuring the distance traveled in feet.
at Oakmont
. After watching a putt by a top professional (Gene Sarazen
) roll off a green, Stimpson was convinced the greens were unreasonably fast, but wondered how he could prove it. He developed a device, now known as the Stimpmeter, which is an angled track that releases a ball at a known velocity so that the distance it rolls on a green's surface can be measured. Although the original device was made of wood, in 1976 it was redesigned from aluminum by Frank Thomas of the United States Golf Association
(USGA). It was first used by the USGA during the 1976 U.S. Open at Atlanta and made available to golf course superintendents in 1978. The official USGA stimpmeter (painted green) is not sold to the public.
(where S↑ is speed up the slope and S↓ is speed down the slope)
eliminates the effect of the slope and provides a true green speed even on severely sloped greens.
stimpmetered putting greens across the country to produce the following recommendations:
For the U.S. Open
, they recommend:
The greens at Oakmont Country Club
(where the device was conceived) are some of the fastest in the world, with readings of 13–15 ft (4–4.6 m).
Golf ball
A golf ball is a ball designed to be used in the game of golf.Under the Rules of Golf, a golf ball weighs no more than 1.620 oz , has a diameter not less than 1.680 in , and performs within specified velocity, distance, and symmetry limits...
and measuring the distance traveled in feet.
History
It was designed by golfer Edward Stimpson, Sr. in 1935. The Massachusetts state amateur champion, Stimpson was a spectator at that year's U.S. OpenU.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
at Oakmont
Oakmont Country Club
Oakmont Country Club is a country club and the "oldest top-ranked golf course in the U. S.", in the Pittsburgh suburbs of Plum and Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA. The Pennsylvania Turnpike separates the eastern seven holes from the rest of the course....
. After watching a putt by a top professional (Gene Sarazen
Gene Sarazen
Gene Sarazen was an American professional golfer, one of the world's top players in the 1920s and 1930s. He is one of five golfers to win all the current major championships in his career, the Career Grand Slam:U.S...
) roll off a green, Stimpson was convinced the greens were unreasonably fast, but wondered how he could prove it. He developed a device, now known as the Stimpmeter, which is an angled track that releases a ball at a known velocity so that the distance it rolls on a green's surface can be measured. Although the original device was made of wood, in 1976 it was redesigned from aluminum by Frank Thomas of the United States Golf Association
United States Golf Association
The United States Golf Association is the United States' national association of golf courses, clubs and facilities and the governing body of golf for the U.S. and Mexico. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the Rules of Golf. The USGA also provides a national handicap system...
(USGA). It was first used by the USGA during the 1976 U.S. Open at Atlanta and made available to golf course superintendents in 1978. The official USGA stimpmeter (painted green) is not sold to the public.
Description
The device is an extruded aluminum bar, 36 inches (91.4 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, one 1/2 in 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. It has a notch at a right angle to the length of the bar 30 inches (76.2 cm) from the lower tapered end where the ball is placed. The notch may be a hole completely through the bar or just a depression in it. 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 ft/s (1.8 m/s). The distance travelled by the ball in feet is the 'speed' of the putting green. Six distances, three in each of two opposite directions, should be averaged on a flat section of the putting green. The three balls in each direction must be within 8 inches (203.2 mm) of each other for USGA validation of the test.Sloped greens
One problem on modern greens is finding a near level surface as required in the USGA handbook. Many greens cannot be correctly measured as you cannot find an area where the measured distance or green speed in opposing directions is less than a foot, particularly when they are very fast requiring a very long level surface. A. Douglas Brede was able to devise a formula to solve that problem. His formula:(where S↑ is speed up the slope and S↓ is speed down the slope)
eliminates the effect of the slope and provides a true green speed even on severely sloped greens.
Recommendations
The USGAUnited States Golf Association
The United States Golf Association is the United States' national association of golf courses, clubs and facilities and the governing body of golf for the U.S. and Mexico. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the Rules of Golf. The USGA also provides a national handicap system...
stimpmetered putting greens across the country to produce the following recommendations:
- Slow greens: 4.5 feet (1.37 m)
- Medium greens: 6.5 feet (1.98 m)
- Fast greens: 8.5 feet (2.59 m)
For the U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
, they recommend:
- Slow greens: 6.5 feet (1.98 m)
- Medium greens: 8.5 feet (2.59 m)
- Fast greens: 10.5 feet (3.2 m)
The greens at Oakmont Country Club
Oakmont Country Club
Oakmont Country Club is a country club and the "oldest top-ranked golf course in the U. S.", in the Pittsburgh suburbs of Plum and Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA. The Pennsylvania Turnpike separates the eastern seven holes from the rest of the course....
(where the device was conceived) are some of the fastest in the world, with readings of 13–15 ft (4–4.6 m).