The Stimpmeter

photo credit: rioncm   The Stimpmeter is a device used to measure the speed of greens.  Edward Stimpson, a Massachusetts golfer and winner of the state’s amateur championship in 1935, became interested in the subject of green speeds after the 1935 U.S. Open at Oakmont C.C., notorious for it’s lightning fast greens.

Stimpson invented a device using a simple wooden shaft, along which a ball would roll after the shaft was raised at a certain angle.  With the shaft’s open end placed on the green; the distance it traveled over the grass would reflect the green’s speed. 

It was not until the 1970s that Frank Thomas, a USGA technical director, modified the design to ensure consistent operation of the device.  With Stimpson’s permission, it was christened the Stimpmeter.  This useful tool is used prior to every major golf event.