What are the fastest greens

[Patrick_Mucci]

you've ever play on a course not prepared for a competition ?

Not long ago I played Tehama and was stunned by the green speeds.

I have never played greens at a club, not prepped for a competition, that were so fast.
And yes, I've played Oakmont.

They were easily 13+ and maybe 14+

It was a shock to play greens that fast.

They were true, but fast beyond belief.

What clubs keep their greens at high speeds for regular member play and how fast are they ?

[David Davis]

Pat,

I've also played Oakmont recently and those may be some of the fasted largest greens I've played. However my personal award for fastest greens goes to Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath. I can't tell you the stimp but I can certainly say they were scary fast and really felt like putting on hilly marble. They were also extremely true and I was told to please put my bag down in the middle of the greens or where-ever my ball was. The other gentlemen had push carts and were members and pushed their carts right across the greens. That's how hard and impenetrable they were I guess.

And yes while Oakmont was fast they just weren't in the ball park of those two.

[Ben Jarvis]

Pat,

I've also played Oakmont recently and those may be some of the fasted largest greens I've played. However my personal award for fastest greens goes to Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath. I can't tell you the stimp but I can certainly say they were scary fast and really felt like putting on hilly marble. They were also extremely true and I was told to please put my bag down in the middle of the greens or where-ever my ball was. The other gentlemen had push carts and were members and pushed their carts right across the greens. That's how hard and impenetrable they were I guess.

And yes while Oakmont was fast they just weren't in the ball park of those two.

David

RM's greens are as consistently fast as I've experienced anywhere. That said, they are more than manageable providing you aren't above the hole!

They no longer allow golfers to wheel their buggies across greens. This practice however, is more than common in the state of Victoria (Australia). In fact, RM is in the minority for not allowing it!

Ben

[Jerry Kluger]

Baltimore CC Five Farms course - they had to slow them down for a senior major.

[archie_struthers]

   


Played Rolling Green in Philly in a qualifier many moons ago . That day they were incredibly fast.

Day in and day out , it's hard to be faster than Oakmont .  



p.s.  on #2 that day at Rolling Green , a big crowd of members was watching everyone three putt. I had a nasty putt from back to front, played twenty feet of break and lipped it out to their amazement . Not so lucky on # four . Had a 10 foot downhiller that just missed and rolled off the front and 75 yards down hill . Gimme the sand wedge lol!

[A.G._Crockett]

The Farm in Dalton, GA.  The greens consistently run 12+ for regular weekday member play.

It was a startling experience; I had never played at that speed before.  To lip out from 10' for birdie, come to rest 20 yds. off the green and end up picking up was, um, shocking.

It did, however, give me a completely different appreciation for what it means when pros play the Masters and don't three putt all week.

[K. Krahenbuhl]

Escondido in Austin, TX  in January when they had their bent greens.  A couple of feet faster than any round I've played at Oakmont.

[Joe Bausch]

Played Aronimink back in Sept 2009 with fellow GCAer Dan B.  Yowser, don't know what they stimped at but they were icy!

[J_ Crisham]

Crystal Downs, Butler National, and Oakmont are the fastest I've played. Defensive putting at  times.

[BCrosby]

J Chrisham reminds me the that fastest green I've ever putted was the downhill putt from the back of the 11th green at Crystal Downs. I hit the green in regulation and finished the hole by picking up.

Bob

[jonathan_becker]

Seminole at the end of the season and Sebonack in October are probably the two fastest green sets I've come across in recent times.

[Anthony_Nysse]

Kinloch Golf Club on bentgrass in June, no less.

[Mark McKeever]

It's not as known as some other popular choices, but Stonewall gets their greens unbelievably fast in the fall.  Having less traffic out there than most GAP clubs probably helps.  Ive played there a few times where I've been scared to hit putts.

Mark

[Kenny Baer]

MPCC Shore in February; they were the fastest greens I have ever putted on.

[Jim Sherma]

Baltimore CC Five Farms course - they had to slow them down for a senior major.

+1

Played Baltimore this summer and they were as difficult as any greens I've been on in a long time if not ever. very defensive coming down hill and just plain fast while still being reasonable given the amount of slope on the greens.

[J_ Crisham]

J Chrisham reminds me the that fastest green I've ever putted was the downhill putt from the back of the 11th green at Crystal Downs. I hit the green in regulation and finished the hole by picking up.

Bob

Bob,  That's funny because I hit one on the back left of 10 and putted off the green to a front right placement and eventually picked up as well. Just nasty! As you know 11 takes no prisoners, similar to #1 if you are above the hole.
                                                                                          Jack

[Brad Tufts]

I'm going to go with:

LACC pre-renovation...played in April 06 or 07.

The Preserve in June 08.

Pikewood National, October 2010 or so.

[Kevin_D]

Mountain Lake this past March

I'm not an expert on stimp speeds but would guess it was 13+

They said that Graeme Mcdowell was there a week before to tune up for Augusta

[Carl Nichols]

RTJ

[Jim Franklin]

Grandfather, Pikewood, Oakmont, Sand Hills, get my vote.

[Tyler Kearns]

Cherry Downs in Pickering, Ontario

I found myself putting defensively the whole way around, which is not the most enjoyable experience.

TK

[Michael Herrmann]

They may have had done a little "extra" to them that particular week as it was Ryder Cup week and expecting more guests than usual, but Chicago GC last year were incredibly fast.  I would hazard a guess they were in the 13-13.5 range for our round.

[John McCarthy]

A few years ago the super at Chicago Highlands decided to "US Open" the greens.  No idea about stimp but I putted off a few, probably five four-putts.  Everything had to be run up on the green or else it looked like you hit a cart path.  No fun.  

[Scott McWethy]

Sand Hills in late summer / early fall has the fastest greens I've ever played.  Absolutely love the greens out there, but get above the hole and you're a dead man (especially on hole #1).

[Paul Jones]

Squire Creek in Louisiana.  Outside of that, Oakmont and Sebonack.