As so many of the clubs around our area are spending boatloads of member money on redesigning their courses and using the latest agronomic technology to build the perfect greens, there is enormous pressure on the decision makers at these courses to make the greens “putt off the stimpmeter” just like they see on television.

This article, by Ian Andrew a course architect from Canada, challenges this conventional thinking as shortsighted and counter productive to the enjoyment of the playing members of these courses.  Best part is that he casts Johnny Miller as the villain for always harping on the daily stimp readings of the courses in the tournament broadcasts.

Have to say that I agree with him-we have gotten too wound up in trying to emulate “major conditions” on our courses everyday.  This excess just makes the courses unplayable for mere mortals and it serves as a disincentive to people to play often and enjoy the game more.  I am not saying that fast greens are not fun, they just don’t have to be white knuckle scary every day.  We need for rationality to prevail in the daily prep of the course-give us greens that don’t embarrass the paying patrons.

(Click here to read Ian’s article from his Caddy Shack website)

Ian Andrew

The Caddy Shack website

February, 2006