THE PUTTING GREEN

WHAT GOLFERS WANT FROM PUTTING GREEN SURFACES! by Harold Swash with John Nelson UR guide as to what golfers want torn putting green surfaces is OHarold Swash, pictured sizing up a putt on one of the putting greens at The Royal Birkdale Golf Club, the venue of the 1991 Open Championship (Head Greenkeeper, Tom O'Brien MBE, looks on approvingly). Harold is known throughout the world of golf as "Britain's Putting Doctor". It is an accolade deservedly bestowed by the game's top professional names in the world of golf! He is an excellent putter (as well as be- ing a category one amateur golfer) — if your life depended on a putt being sunk, he would be the one you would choose to putt for you. But his reputation as Britain's Putting Doctor rests on his mastery of the theory and practice of putting and putters. He is more than just an excellent putter. He is a successful designer of putters, (he is Harold Swash on the putting green. an automation production engineer by green surfaces and give them the speed ing Management. It is an anonymous en- profession) and he is able to judge and firmness which were wanted. But it quiry so there is no need to sign it. whether or not your putter is right for you. is equally true that the world-wide reputa- 1. Do you use a Stimp Meter Yes/No He is also able to spot the flaws in your tion which Augusta enjoys for the speed 2. How important to you is the putting action (if you have any, of of its putting greens has been made speed of your greens: course!). possible only by having available a tool Very important? Yes/No Recently he achieved further national for measuring and thereby controlling Important? Yes/No and international publicity through their speed and, further, guaranteeing U n i m portant? Yes/No designing the Wilson Long Putter which their consistency and comparability. 3. Do you vary the speed of Sam Torrence and Peter Senior have us- This tool is the Stimp Meter and Harold your greens according to, say, ed to over-come the 'Yips' and give will be describing what it is and its poten- everyday use, weekend com- themselves a new lease of life on the tial value to you later in this Series. His petitions, championships? Yes/No circuit. guess is most of you haven't seen one — 4. How do you vary the speed Harold recognises, however, that suc- let alone used one — and he would find of your greens: cessful putting is more than just having it helpful if you would fill in the short ques- Lowering the cutter blades? Yes/No the right kind of putter with a fluent and tionnaire which accompanies this article Cutting more frequently? Yes/No true putting action. It also depends on be- and return it to him via the Editor. Lowering the cutter blade & ing able to read putting greens correct- He will also be explaining his own in- cutting more frequently? Yes/No ly, and it is this attribute on which he will vention — the Bump Meter — which is 5. Do you consider the be concentrating in this series of articles a relatively more sophisticated tool for Augusta National greens for in "Greenkeeping Management". measuring the undulations on putting the US Masters to be too fast There is no mileage in having a correct greens. for the participating putting action and an appropriate putter He will be covering the design of put- professionals? Yes/No if you can't read putting greens; but, ting greens; analysing qualities of putting 6. How much slower would equally, there is little point in being able greens such as size, slope, shade and ex- you cut the Augusta National to read putting greens if your reading tells posure; and providing his own check list Greens for your own you that they aren't true, and that they are on how to recognise good putting greens Members: unpredictable. (and less good putting greens). A little slower? Yes/No Harold's view is that putting should not He hopes to be able to formulate a Put- Much slower? Yes/No be a lottery. The putting green surfaces ting Green Rating Chart so that a relative 7. What percentage of your should be true, consistent, comparable value can then be assigned to any golf Members could putt on the and predictable. The golfer should be course reflecting the quality of its putting Augusta National greens with provided with the opportunity to read greens. any degree of con- them and putt successfully on them if he Harold is convinced about the crucial fidence/success: reads them accurately and has sufficient importance of putting — he would argue Over 75% Yes/No putting skill. that golf tournaments are invariably won Ove 50% Yes/No Even the fastest of putting greens are and lost on the putting green; and hence Between 25 and 50% Yes/No acceptable if they satisfy these criteria. No his delight in being invited to initiate an Under 25% Yes/No doubt you join the rest of us in staying up ongoing dialogue through the pages of 8. What would be the reaction late on the first weekend in April each Greenkeeping Management with of your own Members if your year to watch via satellite TV the US Members of BIGGA. greens were as fast as are the Masters Tournament at the Augusta Na- JOHN NELSON Augusta National greens for tional Golf Club in Georgia. the US Masters Tournament: I'm sure you are fascinated seeing the Supportive? Yes/No world's finest golfers coping (with difficul- Uperturbed! Tes/No ty) with the lightning fast putting greens. WHAT GOLFERS WANT FROM Hostile? Yes/No (There is only one topic of conversation PUTTING GREEN SURFACES 9. Do you take into account among the players — the speed of the the bumps and hollows on putting greens and whether or not it is A Questionnaire for your greens when deciding the faster than the previous year). Greenkeeping Staff on the Stimp direction of your cut? Yes/No It is true that the former Bermuda Rye Meter and the Speed of Greens Thank you. If you feel that you need to grass at Augusta National was replaced Please tick the appropriate 'Yes' or 'No' accompany any answer with comment, in the late 1970's by Bent grass (actually for each question, and then return the please do so. Penncross) to provide superior putting Questionnaire to the Editor of Greenkeep- HAROLD SWASH