Green Speed is More Than a Number

I've collected data on green speed and on dispersion of golf balls as they roll across a putting green. The analyses I've made of these data are not so much about the exact measurements, or the average of the measurements, but more about the variation in the measurements. That is, what is normal variation if I measure green speed at location X on green 1 and then move to location Y on green 1. Is the speed identical? What if it varies by 7 inches, is that normal, or is that unusual? What is the normal variation in green speed from all 19 or 20 greens at an 18 hole facility? What is abnormal variation? And what is normal dispersion of ball roll across a green? What is abnormal dispersion?

Transcript

1. Green Speed is More Than a Number Micah Woods 22 January 2018 Chief Scientist Asian Turfgrass Center www.asianturfgrass.com
2. creeping bentgrass, Japan
3. Today’s topics 1. Green speed described, compared to what we actually report
4. Today’s topics 1. Green speed described, compared to what we actually report 2. Measurements I’ve made of green speed
5. Today’s topics 1. Green speed described, compared to what we actually report 2. Measurements I’ve made of green speed 3. Measurements under tournament conditions
6. Today’s topics 1. Green speed described, compared to what we actually report 2. Measurements I’ve made of green speed 3. Measurements under tournament conditions 4. Measurements of ball dispersion
7. Today’s topics 1. Green speed described, compared to what we actually report 2. Measurements I’ve made of green speed 3. Measurements under tournament conditions 4. Measurements of ball dispersion 5. Case study: 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine
8. Green speed described, compared to what we actually report
10. First sentence: “One of the most significant aspects of a golf course is the uniformity of its putting greens.”
11. Second sentence: “Variations in speed, whether from one green to the next or on different parts of the same green, can do more to negate a player’s skill than can ragged fairways or unkempt bunkers.”
18. Measurements I’ve made of green speed
19. creeping bentgrass, Japan
21. Novotek bermudagrass, Thailand
24. Variation between greens
25. korai, Japan
28. What does a standard deviation of 0.3 feet look like?
30. Measurements under tournament conditions
31. Keya GC, Fukuoka, Japan, greenkeeper Andrew McDaniel, on Twitter as @drumcturf
32. Keya GC, Fukuoka, Japan
33. Keya GC, Fukuoka, Japan
40. Measurements of ball dispersion
41. korai, Thailand, project of Dr. Eric Reasor, on Twitter as @TurfBlade
42. korai, Thailand
43. bermudagrass, Thailand
44. bermudagrass, Thailand
50. Case study: 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine
51. Hazeltine National GC, superintendent Chris Tritabaugh, on Twitter as @ct_turf
52. creeping bentgrass, Minnesota
53. creeping bentgrass, Minnesota
58. For more, please see www.asianturfgrass.com or @asianturfgrass on Twitter.