ROSS’S RULES USGA’s Novel GS3 Sytem Could Revolutionize Putting Green Maintenance

THEY MIGHT HAVE NAMED IT STIMPMETER PLUS. Or Stimpmeter 2.0. Or Beyond Stimpmeter. But when the USGA Green Section developed a device to measure the speed, firmness, smoothness, and trueness of putting greens, they dubbed it “GS3” -- a techy name for the revolutionary technology that the USGA hopes will help course superintendents better maintain their greens to achieve consistent characteristics.

The fabled Stimpmeter was developed in the 1930s by Edward Stimpson, an accomplished amateur golfer at The Country Club in Brookline who won the Massachusetts Amateur championship in 1935. After decades of persistent lobbying by Stimpson (who never patented his invention), the USGA formally adopted the Stimpmeter in 1977 as the approved method of measuring green speed. Stimpson achieved fame if not fortune; his name became synonymous with green speed.

There is nothing technologically advanced about the Stimpmeter. Green speeds are calculated by rolling balls down a chute on a flat portion of a green and measuring how far they go. Your local muni course might roll from 7-8. The greens at the Masters can approach 13.

GS3 takes green analysis to a new level – a bit like moving from the Model T to the Tesla Autopilot. The system employs a rechargeable smart ball that is the same size and weight as a standard golf ball. The USGA explains that GS3 “creates accurate, measurable, first-of-their-kind agronomic benchmarks” that superintendents can use to make analytics-driven course maintenance decisions. The GS3 ball has sensors that collect over 15,000 data points. Not quite the dimple pattern on the Titleist Pro V most of us tee up.

“We are excited to provide a tool that enables the industry to objectively quantify putting green metrics, besides just green speed,” said Matt Pringle, managing director of the USGA Green Section. “GS3 can clarify the impact of different maintenance practices, provide benchmarks, and communicate how the course is performing.” In short, the idea is to provide the data and metrics that will help superintendents and course managers understand how maintenance practices affect surface performance.

GS3 will be incorporated into the DEACON course management platform (a USGA app) through a Bluetooth

By Jack Ross

connection. This will permit superintendents to manage weather factors, mowing practices, resource application, and course setup through an integrated platform.

Initial feedback from pilot testing of GS3 is positive. “I love being able to compile all of the information it provides in one spot,” said Justin DePippo of Bel-Air Country Club. “We are using the numbers to chart our green conditions and create benchmarks, which allows me to make course care decisions based on the data.”

But Edward Stimpson (who passed away in 1985) would be pleased to know that the advent of GS3 has not rendered the Stimpmeter obsolete. To operate the system, you must roll the smart GS3 ball down a Stimpmeter. But you won’t need that tape measure. The ball does the rest, computing not only speed but trueness and smoothness data. You’ll need a separate drop device to measure green firmness.

The USGA hopes to use GS3 at every major championship in 2023, and will start to distribute the system to golf courses this spring. But don’t look for a GS3 ball at Dick’s Sporting Goods. It will not be sold to golfers. And it’s not designed to be hit with a golf club. You might still have to gauge green speed during your rounds by feel. If you’re looking for personal swing performance data, stick with Trackman.

Jack Ross, who resides in Holden, MA, has been a columnist for Northeast Golf for more than a decade with a focus on the rules of golf, the USGA, and regional golf topics.