The Future of Golf Greens - Faster or More Undulating?

[JSPayne]

This question just popped into my head, and I'll have to think about it more first before coming up with my own answer but.....

What would be more fun to start seeing more of in professional, televised golf.....gently sloping, super firm, fast greens (which I consider most PGA events to be characterized as right now)......or greens that have to be kept more on the "normal" greens speed side, with multiple tiers and more frequent "wild" undulations?

Moving forward, would it be better to put a premium on speed control, or layup control to the right tier and a correct read on a significantly breaking putt?

[JESII]

J,

I would prefer to see those guys play firm undulating greens and I would be happy if they sacrificed speed to accomplish it...but I do think some speed is a requirement to test the all around games of todays top players...11 feet is plenty.

[John Moore II]

I would rather see tiny greens with maddening undulations running at moderate speeds.

[TX Golf]

Why not have the best of both worlds? As mentioned many times before it shouldn't be that difficult to setup a course according to the manner in which it was designed. There are many courses with wildly sloping greens that need to be kept a tad on the slower side. On the other hand, there are many courses with flatter greens that need to be kept at a 12+ to present a challenge to the words best players. I hope in the future there is a combo of both. It all comes back to the super being able to set up his/her course in the proper manner. I am not an expert but it can't be all that terribly difficult to figure out.

[Patrick_Mucci]

J,

I would prefer to see those guys play firm undulating greens and I would be happy if they sacrificed speed to accomplish it...but I do think some speed is a requirement to test the all around games of todays top players...11 feet is plenty.

DITTO

[Rob Rigg]

I think more undulating greens would provide the better challenge, and provide more interesting viewing for those at home.

It is easier to adjust to the speed required on fairly flat greens, whereas undulation will probably provide the tour pro with a different putting challenge in every round over a 4 day tournament.

More tiering will also dial up the premium that should be placed on accuracy at the highest level.

[Jim Nugent]

Do any tour events play on highly contoured, but slower, greens?  If so, how well do the pro's putt those greens, and how do they like them? 

For that matter, how well did the pro's like Oakmont's greens last year?  I thought those greens were heavily contoured and fast.