When signing into the proshop of a new golf course, I usually ask what the greens are running. This simple question refers to how fast the greens are playing. In my opinion, a reasonable speed for amateurs is between ten and eleven on the stimpmeter. The stimpmeter is a device used to measure the speed of a golf course putting green by applying a known velocity to a golf ball and measuring the distance traveled in feet. It is not a very scientific device, but is very important if golfers understand what this means. The intent of the article is to demystify a stimpmeter so we can better prepare ourselves for a great round of golf.
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Do You Roll Your Golf Ball?
Golf is a play it as it lies game. The rules are very specific about playing our golf ball down and absorbing the good and poor lies the golf course has to offer. This rule is critical in competitive matches, but is it really that important when playing a friendly match with your buddies? We play winter rules at the courses I play until mid June. The reason for this minor rule adjustment is because the golf courses in my region are waking from a long winters nap and need time to grow without excessive damage caused by playing out of new growth. Therefore, is rolling the ball a good idea or not?
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The Grateful Golfer 