The PGA plays on BIG greens

[warbirdlover]

I KNOW I'd hit a heck of alot more GIR on those courses. Well, maybe on in regulation but they are HUGE. Was watching some really rotten shots landing on them at both the PGA and Champions tournaments today. Of course I'd never get it close putting those kind of distances but my point is that playing on munis all the time I'm betting the greens are 1/3 or at most 1/2 the size of what those guys are shooting at.

[King Par]

I think I remember you starting a thread like this before. Saying something about you playing on "stamp" sized greens and what not. Maybe I'm just dreaming.

But yes I've realized how humongous their greens are.

[LottaBalata]

Every so often, I'm looking at some of the greens on TV (whether it be PGA or other), and assuming there's going to be goalposts at one end!

[Eracer]

My GIR numbers don't change with the size of the green. How sad is that?

[dave.]

Their greens are big but

They are on the end of 480 yrd fairways for par 4s
The fairways are 20 yards wide and rock hard
The rough is 4" Bermuda
You are hitting long irons into rock hard greens stimp off the clock and you won't hold them
The rough around the greens are unplayable
You will 5 putt at least twice

Your greens are smaller for a reason

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by dave.

Their greens are big but

They are on the end of 480 yrd fairways for par 4s - YES
The fairways are 20 yards wide and rock hard - NO
The rough is 4" Bermuda - YES
You are hitting long irons into rock hard greens stimp off the clock and you won't hold them. - NO
The rough around the greens are unplayable - NO
You will 5 putt at least twice - DEFINITELY

Your greens are smaller for a reason

Your analysis is 50% correct. Step it up there Engrish boy.

[warbirdlover]

I think I remember you starting a thread like this before. Saying something about you playing on "stamp" sized greens and what not. Maybe I'm just dreaming.

But yes I've realized how humongous their greens are.

King Par

I probably did. Just shows you how senile I'm getting....

[Wi-Golfer]

WBL, I hear you & agree. At the Portage CC the greens are so damn tiny they could be called postage stamp sized. I would bet that a number of the greens are no more than 12-15 ft across which is a real bitch to hit from 170 yds out & have the ball stick.

[Clugnut]

I've only ever played on PGA course. That was Bethpage Black. I didn't think that the greens were that much smaller, especially considering the long clubs you were using to try to get to them. Number 17 wasn't big, though. Sand short, left, and long. 200 yard shot to a slightly elevated green that was only about 10 yards deep. 99% of amateurs couldn't hit and hold that green. It was nearly impossible.

[usa1950]

Not all the greens are huge. Pebble Beach for example.

I spent two years working on tour... city to city, tournament to tournament, and have been to more than 75 events. (Won't go into it here..... search my early posts for it) A few times, we putted around on a green or two late in the day, or after the event ended on Sunday.

Every single week I was amazed at how HARD the greens are. They were incredible. Muni Greens at their Hardest do not compare... try hitting an iron down towards your neighbor's driveway and try to stop it before it bounces twice.

Add in the high stimpmeter, and the only reason these greens hold anything is because these guys are playing the softest balls they can find, with impeccable grooves on their relatively brand new irons, cleaned every day, and after every shot.

Sure, lots of them are bigger than most greens we play on, but don't forget the other factors which make tour greens tougher than they look.

[Wi-Golfer]

Originally Posted by usa1950

Every single week I was amazed at how HARD the greens are. They were incredible. Muni Greens at their Hardest do not compare... try hitting an iron down towards your neighbor's driveway and try to stop it before it bounces twice.

Add in the high stimpmeter, and the only reason these greens hold anything is because these guys are playing the softest balls they can find, with impeccable grooves on their relatively brand new irons, cleaned every day, and after every shot.

Sure, lots of them are bigger than most greens we play on, but don't forget the other factors which make tour greens tougher than they look.

I was amazed at how hard the greens appeared to be for the Memorial on TV today, a light tap & the ball would barely roll past the hole & then pick up speed as it rolled 5-7' past. Didn't see a whole lot of 1 putts.

[usa1950]

Originally Posted by Wi-Golfer

I was amazed at how hard the greens appeared to be for the Memorial on TV today, a light tap & the ball would barely roll past the hole & then pick up speed as it rolled 5-7' past. Didn't see a whole lot of 1 putts.

Jack modeled his tournament after the Masters... complete with ridiculous rules about corporate logos. Check this out. When the Budweiser guy makes his deliveries to the course during tournament week, he has to be in and gone no later than 6 AM, and has to cover up the side of his truck, so the big B U D W E I S E R cannot be seen at all.

By the grounds crews and caddies who are awake at 5 AM, apparently.

That "modelling" after the Masters also manifests itself in some of the fastest greens on tour. It was a high stimpmeter causing putts to race by the hole, not firmness of the green.

Iron shots into the green (particularly those from the rough where spin is compromised) is where you see the hardness come into play.

I did not watch the Memorial today. Great tourney though. I wonder if the "Bogey Inn" a great restaurant and Bar right outside the course is still the place to be? I had a beer with Ernie Els and his caddie in there one night. Let's just say the place was, um, "talented."