A green speed of 10 means a ball rolled 10 feet off the Stimpmeter, a 36-inch ramp. A bigger number is a faster green. The USGA calls 8 slow, 10 medium and 12 fast for standard greens, and the mats in the table below are rated between 9 and 14 by their makers.
The ChartWhat a Stimp reading means
| Speed | Standard greens | U.S. Open |
|---|---|---|
| Slow | 8 ft | 10 ft |
| Medium | 10 ft | 12 ft |
| Fast | 12 ft | 14 ft |
Source: Wikipedia, Stimpmeter, recommended speeds (USGA).
Each number is the run length in feet. Golf.com describes slow greens as "about 8 to 8.5 feet" and fast ones as "12 feet or more." The Indoor Golf Shop's help page puts slow at 8 or lower and fast at 12 or higher.
Real greensWhere real greens sit
| Where | Stimp reading | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Public courses | 8 to 10 feet, or 8.5 to 10.5 on the Stimpmeter (the page gives both) | BirdieBall |
| Tournament greens | 11 to 12 feet or more | BirdieBall |
| Major championships | 13 to 15 feet | BirdieBall |
| The Open | Usually 9.5 to 10.5 | National Club Golfer |
| U.S. Open and the Masters | 13 to 14 | National Club Golfer |
| Oakmont | 15 feet | Wikipedia |
Source: BirdieBall, "What Green Speed Rating Actually Means"; National Club Golfer, "What is a Stimpmeter and how does it measure green speeds?"; Wikipedia, Stimpmeter.
Pitchcare, a turf-care site, lists club greens on a lower scale. For regular membership play it runs from 4 ft 6 in (slow) to 8 ft 6 in (fast). For tournament play it runs from 6 ft 6 in (slow) to 10 ft 6 in (fast).
| Standard of play | Slow | Medium slow | Medium | Medium fast | Fast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular membership | 4 ft 6 in | 5 ft 6 in | 6 ft 6 in | 7 ft 6 in | 8 ft 6 in |
| Tournament | 6 ft 6 in | 7 ft 6 in | 8 ft 6 in | 9 ft 6 in | 10 ft 6 in |
Source: Pitchcare, "What speeds are your greens?", Stimpmeter readings by standard of play.
The deviceHow the Stimpmeter works
The Stimpmeter is a 36-inch bar with a V-shaped groove down its length. A ball sits in a notch 30 inches from the tapered end. You lift the other end slowly, and at about 20 degrees the ball rolls out of the notch onto the green. The distance it travels, in feet, is the green's speed.
A reading uses a flat part of the green. Roll three balls one way, then three the other way. The three balls in each direction have to stop within 8 inches of each other for the test to count. Then the six distances are averaged. National Club Golfer gives an example: readings of 10, 10, 11, 11, 12 and 12 average out to a Stimp of 11.
If the flat patch is too short for a full roll, the bar has a second notch 14 inches from the tapered end, which gives a half-length roll (Golf.com). Edward S. Stimpson Sr. invented the device in 1935, and the USGA's aluminum version came out in 1976 (Wikipedia).
Practice matsWhat mat makers say their speed is
A mat's Stimp number is the maker's own rating. Some list one number, some a range, and some say it changes with the floor underneath.
| Mat | Stated speed | What the maker says |
|---|---|---|
| BirdieBall, Slow | 9 to 10 | Labeled "Public Municipal" |
| BirdieBall, Medium | 10 to 11 | Labeled "Private" |
| BirdieBall, Fast | 11 to 13 | Labeled "Championship" |
| Perfect Practice Roll-A-Putt | 10 to 14 | "Hard floors roll closer to 14 whereas thick carpets tend to roll closer to 10." |
| PrimePutt | 9 to 11 | A 10 on a hard floor or low-pile carpet; 9 to 11 depending on the floor |
| Wellputt 13ft Classic | 10 / 11.5 ft | "Premium fabrics deliver the purest roll at 10/11.5ft stimp" |
| SIGPRO Golf Putting Green & Turf | About 10 | "Rolls about 10 on the STIMP" |
Source: BirdieBall, 3' x 10' Standard Package page; Perfect Practice, Roll-A-Putt Putting Mat page; PrimePutt, putting green page; Wellputt, 13ft Classic page; Indoor Golf Shop, help page "What is the stimp speed of your putting greens?"
BirdieBall adds two things. Its mats are listed as indoor use only, and you can change the speed at home with a stiff brush: brushing against the grain slows the surface and brushing with the grain speeds it up. PrimePutt notes that deep, padded carpet "can take a little speed off."
Using itHow to use this chart
Start with the greens you play most. If your home course is a public course, the 8 to 10 range in the table is the one to look at. If you are getting ready for a club event on faster greens, look at the 10 to 12 rows and the faster mat tiers.
Then match the mat to that number. A mat listed as 9 to 10 sits at the slow end of the table, and one listed 11 to 13 sits at the fast end. When a maker gives a range, the floor decides where in the range you land, so a hard floor and a thick carpet will not feel the same.
Treat the mat's number as a starting point. Do a few putts of each length you care about and see whether the roll looks like what you see on the course.
Watch forCommon mix-ups
The number is feet, not points. A 12 is a ball that rolled 12 feet off the ramp, and a 10 is a ball that rolled 10 feet off the same ramp.
Scales from different sources do not line up. Pitchcare's club greens top out at 8 ft 6 in for regular play, while BirdieBall puts public courses at 8 to 10. Check which scale a number comes from before you compare.
One mat, one number, is rare. Perfect Practice lists 10 to 14, and PrimePutt lists 9 to 11. The same mat can roll differently on a hard floor and on carpet.
A tournament number is not an everyday number. The U.S. Open and the Masters are listed at 13 to 14, and The Open at 9.5 to 10.5. "Major speed" is not one number.
FAQQuick answers
What does a green speed of 10 mean?
A ball rolled 10 feet off the Stimpmeter. For standard greens, the USGA's recommended speeds on Wikipedia list 10 as medium, with 8 as slow and 12 as fast.
What is a normal green speed?
BirdieBall says public courses run 8 to 10 feet, or 8.5 to 10.5 on the Stimpmeter. It puts tournament greens at 11 to 12 feet or more. Pitchcare's club figures are lower, from 4 ft 6 in to 8 ft 6 in for regular membership play.
How fast are greens at the majors?
National Club Golfer lists The Open at usually 9.5 to 10.5, and the U.S. Open and the Masters at 13 to 14. Wikipedia lists Oakmont at 15 feet.
What Stimp is a putting mat?
It depends on the maker. BirdieBall sells 9 to 10, 10 to 11 and 11 to 13. Perfect Practice lists 10 to 14, PrimePutt 9 to 11, and Wellputt 10 / 11.5 ft. See the mat table above, and our putting mat guide for length and features.
Can I make a putting mat faster or slower?
BirdieBall says a stiff brush does it: against the grain to slow the surface, with the grain to speed it up. The floor under the mat matters too. Perfect Practice says hard floors roll closer to 14 and thick carpet closer to 10.
How do you measure green speed?
Roll three balls off a Stimpmeter on a flat part of the green, then three in the opposite direction. The balls in each direction must stop within 8 inches of each other. The average distance in feet is the Stimp reading.