Tom Doak,don't the other members ask your opinion about the best speeds for those greens?
Rarely. I'm only over there a few times a year, and when I am it's more often to host friends than to play with other members. There are a few who ask what I think, and I'm happy to tell them that I think the greens shouldn't be above 10 on the Stimpmeter, and I think they've been right around that for most of this summer. I played a couple of times in March and early April when the greens were between 7 and 8 -- the club doesn't open until May 1 -- and it was more the way I remembered it from 25 years ago.
Tom,
On the days the greens do run below 10 (or even less) does the superintendant use the slopes more than usual for pin placements?
It can be a pretty good selling point for members who need a little "education".
Interestingly, I've had some discussions with average golfers lately who actually agree less speed and better pins would make for better golf.
After playing a well known course recently with very slow greens, many of the guys realized that slower greens are MORE difficult because you actually have to hit a putt solid, and as mentioned, more contour can be introduced.
So there is hope for some sanity to prevail
For that matter, who'dve thunk we'd have the Golden age we're enjoying the past 15 years after many of the abominations of the 80's and early 90's.