Stimpmeter

A stimpmeter is a simple metal device that golf course staff use to measure the speed of a putting green. It works by rolling a golf ball down an angled ramp and recording how many feet the ball travels across the green.

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What is a stimpmeter?

A stimpmeter is a slim aluminum bar with a groove down the middle and a notch near one end. A green that someone calls “fast” or “slow” is a matter of opinion until a stimpmeter turns that feeling into a number. That number is the distance, in feet, a ball rolls after leaving the device, and it tells golfers and course staff exactly how quick the putting surface is playing.

The point of the tool is consistency. Before it came into wide use, green speed was guesswork that changed from one course to the next and one person to the next. A stimpmeter gives a green superintendent an objective reading they can repeat day after day, then compare across all eighteen holes so the greens roll evenly. It is the same reason the device gets mentioned so often during televised tournaments: when a commentator says the greens are running quick, a stimpmeter reading is usually the source.

One thing worth separating early: the stimpmeter is the tool, and the “stimp” or “stimp rating” is the number it produces. People use the two loosely, but they are not the same thing.

How a stimpmeter works

The mechanics are basic. The bar is 36 inches of extruded aluminum with a V-shaped groove running its full length, and a notch sits 30 inches from the tapered end that rests on the ground. A ball placed in that notch stays put until the bar is lifted to roughly 20 degrees, at which point gravity pulls it free and sends it down the groove at a repeatable speed of about six feet per second.

Where the ball stops is what matters. The operator measures from the end of the device to the ball’s resting spot, in feet, and that figure is the green speed. To cancel out any hidden slope, the test is done three times in one direction and three times back along the same line, with the readings averaged. For USGA validation, the three balls in each direction need to finish within eight inches of each other.

Finding a flat enough patch can be tricky on a sloped or fast green. Newer models include a second notch that releases the ball over a shorter run, so the test fits on a level area as small as six feet, with the result then doubled.

What is a stimp rating?

The stimp rating is the number the device produces, and it is the version golfers actually talk about. A reading of 10 means a ball rolled ten feet; a reading of 13 means it rolled thirteen. The higher the number, the faster the green.

This is the figure behind phrases like “the greens are stimping at 11 today.” It travels well because it is a single number anyone can picture: a small one means the ball needs a firm stroke to reach the hole, a large one means the gentlest tap can send it sliding well past. Knowing the rating before a round is a practical way to calibrate touch on the first few putts.

What is a good stimpmeter reading?

For most golfers, a reading between 8 and 10 feet is a comfortable, fair pace, and it is what public and municipal courses typically aim for. The USGA’s general guidelines call 8 feet slow, 10 feet medium, and 12 feet fast.

Tournament golf runs quicker. PGA Tour events tend to sit between 10.5 and 12, and major championships push to 13 or higher. Augusta National’s greens during the Masters are rumored to top 14 in some years, and Oakmont Country Club, where the device was first imagined, has been measured around 15. Speed has limits, though: the Old Course at St Andrews is often kept near 10.5 for The Open because Scottish winds would start moving balls on faster surfaces.

Stimp reading	Pace	Typically found at
7 to 8 feet	Slow	Older or wetter municipal courses
8 to 10 feet	Medium	Most public and private courses
10.5 to 12 feet	Fast	PGA Tour events and top private clubs
13 feet and up	Lightning fast	Major championships, Augusta National, Oakmont

Greens were not always this quick. When the USGA surveyed more than 1,500 greens across 36 states in 1976 and 1977, the average came out around 6.5 feet, and only about 2% of courses measured over 9. Improved grasses and lower mowing have lifted speeds well past that today, helped along by modern rolling.

What affects green speed?

The same course can read differently within a few hours. Green speed responds to a handful of things, and mowing height is the biggest lever of all: the shorter the cut, the faster the roll. Grass type plays a part too, since bred bentgrass and Bermuda varieties hold fast speeds that older turf never could.

Moisture works the other way. Dew or overnight rain can slow a green by one to three feet, which is why the same surface often plays slower early and quicker by mid-afternoon once it dries. Wind and slope also factor in, as does how often the greens are rolled. There is a cost to chasing speed, too: a 2017 USGA study found that every extra foot of green speed added about 6.4 seconds per player per hole, which stretches a foursome’s round by several minutes.

Why is it called a stimpmeter?

The device is named after Edward S. Stimpson Sr., the 1935 Massachusetts state amateur champion and a former Harvard golf captain. Watching the 1935 U.S. Open at Oakmont, he saw a putt by Gene Sarazen roll clean off a green and became convinced the surfaces were unfairly fast. He wanted a way to prove it, so he built a wooden ramp that released a ball at a fixed speed.

The tool stayed mostly out of sight until 1976, when the USGA’s Frank Thomas redesigned it in aluminum. It appeared at the 1976 U.S. Open and reached course superintendents in 1978. A third-generation version arrived in 2013, painted blue and built to tighter tolerances by USGA engineer Steven Quintavalla, with a second notch for awkward greens.

Related Golf Terms

• Stick — Slang for the flagstick or a shot that lands close to the pin.
• Stiff — A shot hit very close to the hole.
• Stance — The position and width of the feet at address.
• Starter — The person at a golf course who manages the first tee and tee times.
• Stableford — A scoring system where points are awarded based on performance relative to par.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who invented the stimpmeter?

Edward S. Stimpson Sr. built the first wooden version in 1935. Frank Thomas of the USGA redesigned it in aluminum in 1976, and the device carries Stimpson’s name.

What is the difference between a stimpmeter and a stimp rating?

The stimpmeter is the physical device. The stimp rating is the number it produces, meaning the distance in feet that a ball rolls.

How fast are Augusta National’s greens?

They are among the fastest in tournament golf, with readings rumored to reach 14 or higher during the Masters.

Does weather change a green’s reading?

Yes. Dew, rain, or humidity slows a green, often by one to three feet, while dry and windy conditions speed it up. The same green can read slower in the morning than in the afternoon.

Can you buy a stimpmeter?

Yes. The USGA has sold them for around $50, and many clubs keep one so staff can check green speed regularly.

Sources

• United States Golf Association (USGA), green speed recommendations and Stimpmeter instruction booklet.
• Golf Monthly, “What is a stimpmeter and how does it work?” Roderick Easdale, October 2024.
• Keiser University College of Golf, “Stimpmeter Explained,” Bradley Turner, PGA.
• PrimePutt, “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Stimpmeter and Green Speed,” Brendon Elliott, PGA.
• MyGolfSpy, reporting on the 2017 USGA pace-of-play study.
• Wikipedia, “Stimpmeter,” with cited sources including Golf Digest and The Wall Street Journal.