Tee to Green Series, Part 5: Green Target

Green Target is an evaluation of the difficulty of hitting the green with the approach shot. It is based on the following items:
•    Green Size;
•    Approach shot length; and
•    Green surface visibility and firmness

How does the Green Target affect a golfer? Think of the green like a dart board: if a person is standing 30 feet away throwing a dart at board that is only 10 inches wide (vs the typical 18 inches in diameter), it would be more difficult to hit. Relating that image to golf: a player hitting a long shot to a tiny green will find that green much more difficult to hit and hold than a short chip shot to a large green.

The Green Size is factored using fairly simple math:

(Length + Width)/2 = Effective Diameter.

A green measured as 21 X 28=49, 49/2=24.5 where the Effective Diameter would be rounded to 25. That is where we pull up our charts and factor the distance of the shot to the Effective Diameter of the Green. Shots are calculated separately for Scratch and Bogey, Men and Women, and from each separate tee.

When the green is at least 2 times longer in one direction than the other or if the green is shaped so that the golfer cannot putt from all areas to where a hole may be located, there are different formulas to assess Effective Diameter. Here are some samples of oddly shaped greens:

For each one of these differently shaped greens, we have specific math that we use to assess the green size. In the case of #4 at Crestview GC in Waldport it is 11 X 40, we would multiply 11*3, add 33+40, then divide by 4 to get the Effective diameter of 18. Because the green is so narrow, it plays much smaller than if we just calculated Width + Depth and divided by 2.

Some of the features of a green that change the difficulty of a green include: 
•    Visibility: can the player see the surface of the green from the Landing Zone?
•    Tiered: there must be at least 2 feet of elevation change between plateaus
•    Trees: is the green obstructed by trees overhanging or blocking the green 
•    Unusually firm or soft greens

Green Target is an especially impactful factor in Course Rating. It is used to calculate two other factors: Recoverability & Rough as well as Bunkers. Both begin their assessment using Green Target information. If a player misses the green, how easy or difficult will the recovery be?

Did you notice that we didn’t even talk about putting? Green Surface is the Obstacle that covers putting and will be covered in a few months.

Next up: we’ll chat about Recoverability & Rough

If you have any further questions, please contact Gretchen Yoder, gretchen@oga.org