Chip,
I think the real dilema lies within the realm of understanding contour and slope.
Not all greens are contoured and sloped, but, for those that are, increased speeds seem to have become a mandated progression.
The problem is, if a course has 14 greens absent substantive contour, they're going to want them putting at maximum speeds.
This leads to the dilema, what to do with the other 4 greens, whose contours/slopes create putting nightmares at the higher speeds.
The answer, according to the book of Pine Valley, Merion, Winged Foot West and others, is to soften/flatten those greens.
What the powers that be fail to realize is that greens aren't JUST about putting, they're about approach and recovery as well, and when you soften/flatten a green, you compromise the architect's intended challenge on the approach and recovery, along with his intended challenge on the contoured/sloped greens.
TEPaul, that idiot/savant, got it right on this issue.
I know that's hard for most to believe, but, it's true.
His concept, probably a concept he borrowed or stole from a more enlightened golfer, was to determine the speed at which your most severe green would function as intended, and then, mow ALL of your greens to that height.
That might have a negative impact at many of the greens at Stillwell Park, but, it's a valid, if not THE valid solution to the problem, at PV, WFW and Merion.
Squeezing the distinctive life out of your putting surfaces is an enormous mistake.
A process that can only lead to mediocrity.
Imagine if you will, grasses that can be maintained on a daily basis at speeds of 16.
What will happen to those wonderful greens with contour and/or slope ?
They'll become extinct.
Hollywood and Mountain Ridge, both in NJ, have the most unique, interesting greens you'll ever see.
They present enormous challenge on the approach and recovery.
And, with the possible exception of # 8 at Hollywood and # 3 at Mountain Ridge, present a very challenging putting experience.
I'm not familiar with the daily speeds at Hollywood, but, Mountain Ridge probably strives for about 12 on a daily basis.
Anything greater creates problems.
If the golfing universe moved toward 16 as a daily speed, would elements within those clubs suggest softening/flattening ?
You bet they would.
But, what a terrible mistake that would be.
If PV, Merion and WFW never held a prestigious tournament, would those clubs have flattened their greens ?
I doubt it, so those clubs, architecturally, have sold elements of their architectural soul to speed.
I was recalling how much fun I had playing golf when I was young, in the 50's and 60's, and do you know what ?
I never recalled being unhappy with the speed of the greens.
I played Pinehurst # 2, Seminole, Baltusrol, Mountain Ridge, Ridgewood, Winged Foot, Quaker Ridge, Shinnecock, NGLA, Hollywood, Canoe Brook, Forest Hills, Montclair, Essex County, The Knoll, Glen Ridge, Braidburn and many other courses, and not once did I ever consider that the greens were too slow.
If I traveled back in time, by today's standards, those greens in the 50's and 60's would be very slow, but, only when compared to today's green speeds.
SO, WILL WE BE SAYING THE SAME THING IN 20, 30, 40 OR 50 YEARS, WHEN GREENSPEEDS ARE 16 ?
AND, IF THEY ARE 16, WILL THERE BE ANY REMNANTS OF THE GREENS WE SO DEARLY TREASURE TODAY ?
Read Arthur Weber's treatise on green speeds and slopes.
It's alarming.
If anything, to the astute reader, it warns of the need to flatten greens as speeds increase.
The other problem I have, is that the PV's, WFW's and Merions set and example for the local clubs of the country as a third party influence. The arguement at the committee and board level will be, If PV, WFW and Merion flattened their greens, then we can flatten ours.
As much as I love PV, WFW and Merion, the flattening the greens at WFW, PV and Merion has sent out the worst possible signal to the rest of the golfing world.
End of rant
