GS3 Ball Data

In last week's Minute, we introduced the GS3 ball, a tool we’re using to get a more objective read on how our greens are performing. After two full weeks and over 2,500 rolls across all 18 greens, we now have our first solid set of numbers. Here’s where we are for the month of June so far:

• Smoothness: 3.73

• Trueness: 0.86

  
  

So, what does that mean???

According to the USGA, which has now gathered more than a year’s worth of GS3 data from courses around the country (including U.S. Open venues!), the following are the typical ranges for everyday play:

• Smoothness: 0.0-5.0 is considered a "high-quality ball roll, with minimal vertical bounce".

• Trueness: 0.0-1.0 is seen as "high-quality in terms of the ball staying true to line with minimal wiggle".

We are thrilled to see that our numbers are falling within those ranges. This certainly doesn’t mean there isn’t room to tighten things up, but we certainly are happy that the USGA would consider things "high quality".

What’s especially exciting is that we now have a tool that allows us to track changes day to day and see exactly how things like mowing height, rolling, verticutting, or even weather events, like heavy rain, impact playability, not just by feel or opinion, but with real data.

As the USGA wisely points out on their website, the goal here isn’t to chase a specific number or try to match championship conditions (those require extreme resources and aren't sustainable day to day). Instead, it’s about tracking our own greens over time, setting our own benchmarks, and aiming for consistency, which is the real key to great playing conditions.

We’ll continue collecting data each week and sharing what we find. The early results are encouraging, and we’re looking forward to using this information to fine-tune things even more as we move through the summer and into next season.