Early indications on the ground at Royal Troon suggest this edition of the Open Championship could be a true Major test, with penal rough and shot-sapping bunkers lurking around every corner.
While the goal will be to find the green with minimal damage to the scorecard, competitors won't necessarily find solace on the putting surfaces. The green speed at the US Open was a hotly-debated topic, with certain players stating they felt the surfaces were rolling at around '15 or 16' on the stimpmeter.
The reality is Pinehurst No.2 was intended to be set-up at a speed of around 13, which is something we are unlikely to see this week. However, with plenty of undulations, the traditional links golf elements, and the pressure of pursuing the Claret Jug to contend with... just how fast are the greens at Royal Troon on the stimpmeter?
How Fast Were The Greens The Last Time Royal Troon Hosted The Open?
When Henrik Stenson famously vanquished Phil Mickelson in the 2016 epic at Royal Troon, the greens were set-up as you'd expect for a traditional Open Championship.
Speeds of under 10 on the stimpmeter were recorded, which to put into context is far slower than the average PGA Tour event (12). This is partly out of necessity, due to the weather that often challenges players at the oldest Major Championship, allowing play to continue in the trademark high-winds that are synonymous with links golf.
The pace did fluctuate from round-to-round the last time Royal Troon hosted the Open, with reported speeds of 9.5 on one of the competition days, but the greens remained playable while still posing questions to even the finest with the flat stick.
How Fast Are Royal Troon's Greens On The Stimpmeter for the Open Championship 2024?
While the official speeds are yet to be released, the Open Championship website has stated that greens "tend to run at around a 10 on the stimpmeter". That will require plenty of pondering for players arriving from the United States, who will be used to quicker and slicker surfaces.
Those who teed it up at the Genesis Scottish Open last week may have a slight advantage in that respect, due to having an opportunity to putt on greens at a similar speed to those we can expect at Royal Troon this week.
The likes of Aaron Rai, Matt Fitzpatrick, Viktor Hovland, Adam Scott and Wyndham Clark all ranked in the top-10 for Strokes Gained: Putting at the Renaissance Club last week, so could be ones to watch as they look to transfer their putting prowess to Royal Troon.
How Are Players Preparing For The Challenge Of Royal Troon's Greens?
World No. 2 Rory McIlroy has reportedly been taking putting advice from Ryder Cup Captain and short-game sensation Luke Donald. McIlroy explained, “Obviously I grew up playing a lot of links golf, but when you only come back to play once or twice a year, it just takes you a little time to adapt.”
With expert putting coach Brad Faxon and former World No.1 Luke Donald in his corner, McIlroy appears to have all the help he needs to rid himself of the sour taste left from Pinehurst No.2 last month and contend again.
It is also suggested that Tiger Woods has added "lead tape to his putter to help give it a little extra wrap". This minor modification is part of Tiger Woods efforts to claim a fourth Claret Jug and a first major win since his mesmeric victory at the Masters in 2019.
