SoCal guys, if you want firm and fast right now....

[David Ober]

Go to Goose Creek. Boy oh boy is it in fun shape right now....

Fairways and surrounds are very firm. Greens firm and super, super fast. I stimped them at just over 12 this morning. Lots of "ground movement" to be played if you are so inclined....

Course is playing as difficult -- but as fun -- as I've ever played it....

[Pete Lavallee]

David,

Are you sure you know how to use a Stimpmeter?

[David Ober]

LOL.

Yes.

I do not have an official "stimpmeter," as the general public is not allowed to buy them. I saw one online that purports to be nearly identical in measurement.

I was mildly skeptical, but decided to buy one. I calibrated it against our superintentent's at my home course, Bear Creek, and they are, in fact, nearly identical. So close, in fact, that I invariably get within 6-inches of whatever he has posted on our board at the course.

I have lots and lots of experience with greens running 11 to 12 In the winter, our greens at Bear Creek regularly run 11 to 11.5 and 12 for tournaments when they're double-cut and rolled. I know what they look like. I know what they feel like. I know what they putt like.

At SCGA Tournaments and USGA Qualifiers, it is routine for greens to run 11 to 12.5, depending on the course. Sometimes they're slower than that, but in the winter in SoCal, 11+ is fairly routine for well-maintained poa greens that have been double-cut and rolled.

Regarding Goose today: It was a quick measurement, and the area I stimped was probably a bit too sloped for a perfect measurement. I got 16 feet and 8 feet in the section I rolled (the flattest section I could find on the green I stimped).

They are, at the very least, 11 to 11.5, but I would veture that a couple of the greens were 12 in the drier sections.

When are we going to play, Pete? Let's tee it soon....

[Pete Lavallee]

David,

The past two months have been really good to So Cal's Poa Annua greens! My 3 home courses Balboa, Coronado and Sycuan are all in just fabulous shape! Greens are deliciously dry, hardly marking even with wedges and even these muni course are running fast. Must be the fact that we had a good flush with rain events at the end of 2012 and have had very little rain and warm temps in 2013. I was shocked how fast the greens at Coronado were in the Feb Tournament. I doubt that Coronado or Balboa roll their greens but Sycaun rolls the greens that the Members play on for the weekend and it is very noticeable; really picks up the pace and putts roll out really well. I often wonder why more places in So. Cal don't roll as the new Australian machines seem like they would be reasonably priced.

I might just invest in the Stimpmeter the USGA is selling. I believe it's half as long as a proper one and you just double the final result. It's $100, but hey it's for "the good of the game"!

[Alex Miller]

Now I'm nervous for my round this Sunday, at a place with awesome very sloped greens!

About a month ago just before we had some rain the greens at Los Verdes were the fastest I've ever seen there. I've putted very fast greens before, so I feel pretty confident in saying they were >11! At a place with as much play as Los Verdes, that's pretty unbelievable! I love playing the Poa Annua greens in the winter, and Coronado is my favorite public in San Diego from Nov-Apr.

[Tim Leahy]

Go to Goose Creek. Boy oh boy is it in fun shape right now....

Fairways and surrounds are very firm. Greens firm and super, super fast. I stimped them at just over 12 this morning. Lots of "ground movement" to be played if you are so inclined....

Course is playing as difficult -- but as fun -- as I've ever played it....

David, how do you get past the cow dung odor there? I went to look at Goose Creek a few years ago and couldn't stand to be outside the car because of the Norco cow manure smell there.

[David Ober]

Go to Goose Creek. Boy oh boy is it in fun shape right now....

Fairways and surrounds are very firm. Greens firm and super, super fast. I stimped them at just over 12 this morning. Lots of "ground movement" to be played if you are so inclined....

Course is playing as difficult -- but as fun -- as I've ever played it....

David, how do you get past the cow dung odor there? I went to look at Goose Creek a few years ago and couldn't stand to be outside the car because of the Norco cow manure smell there.

It was never bad in the winter, only the summer (as I remember).

Now, though, the cows that were right next door are GONE. :-)

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

Rustic Canyon is playing super frim and fast. Optimal playing conditions at the moment with super pure greens rolling in the lightning range.

[astavrides]

.

[Greg Chambers]

LOL.

Yes.

I do not have an official "stimpmeter," as the general public is not allowed to buy them. I saw one online that purports to be nearly identical in measurement.

I was mildly skeptical, but decided to buy one. I calibrated it against our superintentent's at my home course, Bear Creek, and they are, in fact, nearly identical. So close, in fact, that I invariably get within 6-inches of whatever he has posted on our board at the course.

I have lots and lots of experience with greens running 11 to 12 In the winter, our greens at Bear Creek regularly run 11 to 11.5 and 12 for tournaments when they're double-cut and rolled. I know what they look like. I know what they feel like. I know what they putt like.

At SCGA Tournaments and USGA Qualifiers, it is routine for greens to run 11 to 12.5, depending on the course. Sometimes they're slower than that, but in the winter in SoCal, 11+ is fairly routine for well-maintained poa greens that have been double-cut and rolled.

Regarding Goose today: It was a quick measurement, and the area I stimped was probably a bit too sloped for a perfect measurement. I got 16 feet and 8 feet in the section I rolled (the flattest section I could find on the green I stimped).

They are, at the very least, 11 to 11.5, but I would veture that a couple of the greens were 12 in the drier sections.

When are we going to play, Pete? Let's tee it soon....

You take a stimpmeter to the golf course with you?!?

[Sean McCue]

LOL.

Yes.

I do not have an official "stimpmeter," as the general public is not allowed to buy them. I saw one online that purports to be nearly identical in measurement.

I was mildly skeptical, but decided to buy one. I calibrated it against our superintentent's at my home course, Bear Creek, and they are, in fact, nearly identical. So close, in fact, that I invariably get within 6-inches of whatever he has posted on our board at the course.

I have lots and lots of experience with greens running 11 to 12 In the winter, our greens at Bear Creek regularly run 11 to 11.5 and 12 for tournaments when they're double-cut and rolled. I know what they look like. I know what they feel like. I know what they putt like.

At SCGA Tournaments and USGA Qualifiers, it is routine for greens to run 11 to 12.5, depending on the course. Sometimes they're slower than that, but in the winter in SoCal, 11+ is fairly routine for well-maintained poa greens that have been double-cut and rolled.

Regarding Goose today: It was a quick measurement, and the area I stimped was probably a bit too sloped for a perfect measurement. I got 16 feet and 8 feet in the section I rolled (the flattest section I could find on the green I stimped).

They are, at the very least, 11 to 11.5, but I would veture that a couple of the greens were 12 in the drier sections.

When are we going to play, Pete? Let's tee it soon....

You take a stimpmeter to the golf course with you?!?

. Exactly what I thought! Leave it to the professionals.

[Stewart Abramson]

David & others - Sorry to threadjack,  I'm going to be in the I.E. in a few weeks and had been planning on playing  Goose. The area seems to be Schmidt- Curley central. Any thoughts on Oak Quarry, Oak Valley and Tukwet Canyon which are all S-C designs in that neighborhood? Which should I play?

[astavrides]

David & others - Sorry to threadjack,  I'm going to be in the I.E. in a few weeks and had been planning on playing  Goose. The area seems to be Schmidt- Curley central. Any thoughts on Oak Quarry, Oak Valley and Tukwet Canyon which are all S-C designs in that neighborhood? Which should I play?

Oak Quarry, Goose, Oak Valley and Tukwet Canyon in that order.  I think Goose is the only one where they let you walk if that's a factor.

[Jeff Fortson]

I played in an SCGA Mid-Am qualifier at Goose Creek this week.  Course is in wonderful condition for a daily fee course.  There was some rain last weekend and the course is still playing F&F.  The greens were rolling at @10.5 to 11 (my guess) and they were pretty smooth for poa annua.  It is a really fun place to play when the conditions are what they are right now.

Jeff F.

[Carl Nichols]

David:
I hope no double entendre intended with your thread title . . .

[Mark Smolens]

*&^%$ you guys from socal. It's 33 degrees, light snow or rain, and the highest forecast temp in the next 10 days is 42!  I tried to hit balls outside on Saturday at Cog Hill, but the wind was from the northeast -- making the enclosed range completely useless. The greens looked to be soft and squishy, and are probably running at about 3 on the stimp.

Whose idea was it to live in Chicago 

[Garland Bayley]

David:
I hope no double entendre intended with your thread title . . .

Try viagra and pilates? 

[Bill Brightly]

SHUSH. The thought of a stimp meter in the hands of the members at my club is making my skin crawl.

[Bill Seitz]

I tried to hit balls outside on Saturday at Cog Hill, but the wind was from the northeast -- making the enclosed range completely useless.

The wind is ALWAYS from northeast in the winter on that driving range.  

[Sean McCue]

SHUSH. The thought of a stimp meter in the hands of the members at my club is making my skin crawl.

Nothing like a Stimp in the hands of an amateur!!

[David Ober]

SHUSH. The thought of a stimp meter in the hands of the members at my club is making my skin crawl.

Nothing like a Stimp in the hands of an amateur!!

Yes, a stimpmeter is such a difficult instrument to master.  

I always wondered if my estimates of the differences on our greens were close. I bought a green speed roller to see if I was close.

Our greens usually roll 11 to 11.5, but we have one green, in particular, that is much, much slower. I figured it usually ran two feet slower. Wanted to see for myself.

I probably use it once a month if a certain course has very fast or slow greens, just out of curiosity (and sometimes to settle bets with guys who don't believe that there are ever greens anywhere that run 11.5 or 12 that aren't on tour).

I win lots of bets.

[Ryan McLaughlin]

The guys at Goose really know how to treat players from around so cal and beyond.  We are taking our skins game out there on Friday since Tijeras Creek punched their greens.  They know our game and always accommodate us.  Good course, good conditioning and an appreciative staff makes for a great time.  I have yet to play Rustic Canyon but I've heard it is a similar experience.