The same 20-yard chip with the same pitching wedge lands 10 paces out on a slow green and 6.5 paces out on an ultra-fast one. That 3.5-pace gap is more than 10 feet, which is the difference between a tap-in and a lag putt. Green speed is the variable most golfers never check, and it moves your landing zone more than any other.
Where green speed comes from
Green speed has a number because of one bad putt. At the 1935 U.S. Open at Oakmont, amateur Edward Stimpson watched Gene Sarazen putt off a green, and decided greens needed a fair, repeatable measurement (GOLF.com). He built a grooved wooden ramp, and the distance a ball rolled off it, in feet, became the green's speed.
The USGA rebuilt the device in aluminum. It debuted at the 1976 U.S. Open and went on sale to superintendents in 1978 (Wikipedia). A 2013 update added a second notch for shorter, more accurate runs. Back in the 1970s, average U.S. greens rolled only about 6.6 to 7 feet (GOLF.com).
How a Stimpmeter reading works
A Stimpmeter is a 36-inch aluminum bar with a V-shaped groove. The ball sits in a notch 30 inches from the end, and the bar is raised slowly until the ball releases at about 20 degrees, so every ball starts at the same speed (GOLF.com).
The superintendent rolls three balls one way on a flat part of the green, then three back the other way. The average distance, in feet, is the stimp reading. A green that "stimps at 10" sends that ball 10 feet.
What the numbers mean
The USGA's long-standing guidance puts regular-play greens at about 8 feet for slow, 10 for medium and 12 for fast (Wikipedia). Major championships run quicker: the U.S. Open and the Masters usually sit around 13 to 14 (National Club Golfer).
ELZS groups those readings into four charts, each with its own color:
| ELZS chart | Chart color | Stimp reading | | --- | --- | --- | | Slow | Green | Under 9 (most public courses) | | Fast | Blue | 9 to just under 11 | | Super Quick | Yellow | 11 to just under 13 | | Ultra Fast | Red | 13 and up |
How speed moves the landing zone
A faster green lets the ball roll farther, so you land it shorter. On the ELZS charts, every chart step changes the landing zone by the same amount at every distance and with every club:
- Slow to Fast: land it 1 pace shorter.
- Fast to Super Quick: land it half a pace shorter.
- Super Quick to Ultra Fast: land it 2 paces shorter.
That last jump is the big one. On ultra-fast greens, some short chips with less lofted clubs have no landing zone at all: even a ball landed at your feet would roll past the hole. The chart leaves those cells blank, and the right play is a more lofted club or a landing spot on the fringe.
How to find today's green speed
You don't need to own a Stimpmeter. Use these sources, in this order:
1. Ask the pro shop or the starter at check-in. Many courses measure green speed regularly, and staff usually know the number. 2. Check the course's website or daily notes for a posted speed. Some courses list it for members and events. 3. Test it on the practice green. Chip three balls to your landing zone for the speed you expect. If they run well past the hole, move to the next faster chart. If they die short, move to the next slower one.
Green speed changes with mowing, rolling, moisture and weather, so a course that was quick last month may not be quick today. Ask on the day you play.
Grass type doesn't change the number
A stimp reading measures how the ball rolls, not what it rolls on. A 10 on bentgrass and a 10 on Bermuda should roll the same distance on a flat, level green. What grass does change is grain, which we cover in adjusting your landing zone for real greens.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good green speed?
For everyday play, the USGA's long-standing guidance puts slow greens around 8 on the Stimpmeter, medium around 10 and fast around 12. Most public courses run slower than tournament courses, and major championships often reach 13 to 14.
How much does green speed change a chip?
A lot. From 20 yards with a pitching wedge, the ELZS landing zone moves from 10 paces on a slow green to 6.5 paces on an ultra-fast green, a difference of more than 10 feet.
How do I find out how fast the greens are?
Ask the pro shop or starter before you tee off; many courses measure regularly. Then confirm it on the practice green by chipping to your expected landing zone and seeing whether the ball runs past or stops short.
Start with your home course
Ask your pro shop for the green speed next time you play, and note which ELZS chart it falls on. Once you know your home course's chart, every chip you practice there teaches you the right carry.
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