How long is the rough on your course?

[delc]

Last year, our rough was not cut until quite late in the Autumn, and it remained possible to find and play balls out of it through the Winter and early Spring. However since about mid May it has been totally unplayable. I believe that the club did purchase a rough cutter during the Winter, but they don't seem to be using it for whatever reasons. The general excuses for not cutting the rough include toughening up the course (it does that OK), improving the definition of the course, beautifying the course (it just looks scruffy to me, something like my back garden!), and providing a habitat for wildlife and butterflies. I suspect the real reason is so they can employ one less green keeper and save money.

 

[palindromicbob]

Rough at my place isn't too bad to look at but a nightmare to end up in. Generally easy to find a ball unless it sits down put even then there is a decent radius around it were the ball would be visable.

Its thick and lush and even when dry the club sticks in it like it was velcro. Difficult around the greens to try delicate chips etc.

 

[JCW]

Ours at parkstone is very bad in places , CSS was 74 yesterday , par is 71 now that the 6th is a par 4 at 493 yards , its just not fun anymore and to lose a ball is the norm even on the 1st, the CSS use to be last year at 70 or 71 for a par 72 , this year its 73 more times then not and its a par 71 ...............seems the in thing to grow the rough ..........................EYG

 

[dewsweeper]

No its easier - simple as that

Bit of a joke of a rule they created tbh

In your humble opinion of course!
I think a local rule like that,in exceptional circumstances ,that does not affect handicaps at all is quite sensible.
Sure you will disagree.
Dewsweeper

 

[Oddsocks]

Too long.

CSS has risen from average 70(par 72) to 74 for most comps... The rough is just too penile.

Overall depth of around 2ft, the biggest problem lies from a mix of clover and deep think lush grass that's about 8 inches deep. This stays damp most of the day and is impossible to get out of,mother on top of that we have around 6 inches of club grabbing grad that rips the club face on the down swing,... And if your really lucky certain areas now have a tangle week growing across the top like a net.

I'm all for penile rough, but when people are blabbing holes when they missed the fairway by 2/3 feet it's ridiculous. On the plus side we have the club champs this coming weekend, then it's due it's summer cut .... Which will make it near on playable again.

 

[Mastercracker]

penile.

Heh

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Not difficult to get into knee high stuff around our track - though 2nd cut has been taken quite some way back. Very easy to lose ball. CSS for last weekend was +2 - with about 25 NRs (out of field of 112)

 

[Rumpokid]

Bit like Manaus at mo..Green, sticky,(when rained on),quite long, and no hope of getting out with a positive result.....

 

[delc]

Very long rough at the British Ladies Open, and what happens? A short hitting nobody wins it and many great players miss the cut! What is the British obsession with long wild rough. They have rough in the States, but at least it is cut and graded, and normally not impossible to hack out of the stuff. At our course providing a suitable habitat for butterflies seems to be considered more important than providing a fair test for the players who pay for it! :angry:

 

[patricks148]

:cheers:Very long rough at the British Ladies Open, and what happens? A short hitting nobody wins it and many great players miss the cut! What is the British obsession with long wild rough. They have rough in the States, but at least it is cut and graded, and normally not impossible to hack out of the stuff. At our course providing a suitable habitat for butterflies seems to be considered more important than providing a fair test for the players who pay for it! :angry:

then surely the best player won for that course as they managed to keep out of the rough?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

then surely the best player won for that course as they managed to keep out of the rough?

Quite - she worked out how she would play the course and stuck to her clubbing.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Is it me or has this become more common recently, either we are all spraying the ball everywhere with our drives or the courses are letting rough grow for various reasons. My pet hate is the "You should not be in there" one, if its part of the course make it playable!

 

[Evesdad]

Update on ours, it's nearly all gone! Greens staff have taken it all back! Certain areas are thick jungle but areas where you really shouldn't end up!its in the best condition I e seen it in a long time. May have something to do with holding a county championship at the weekend. Fairways have more definition now too, top job guys.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Is it me or has this become more common recently, either we are all spraying the ball everywhere with our drives or the courses are letting rough grow for various reasons. My pet hate is the "You should not be in there" one, if its part of the course make it playable!

I reckon it's just a money thing - it's cheaper to leave it long, you don't need to spend any time on it and can then try to improve other areas of the course, with fewer greenkeepers.
The only problem is if you start to lose members and visitors because they are fed up with losing balls and having to play too safe instead of risk/reward golf. Then it could become a false economy.

As for "don't hit it in there", try explaining to someone that you've just had to follow a 3 ball of 20+ handicappers look for at least a ball a hole for the last 5 hours without being let through. No doubt because the group in front of them were doing the same and they figure there's no point letting you through as you'll just be stuck behind them!
Excruciating!

 

[Foxholer]

Too long.

CSS has risen from average 70(par 72) to 74 for most comps... The rough is just too penile.

Overall depth of around 2ft, the biggest problem lies from a mix of clover and deep think lush grass that's about 8 inches deep. This stays damp most of the day and is impossible to get out of,mother on top of that we have around 6 inches of club grabbing grad that rips the club face on the down swing,... And if your really lucky certain areas now have a tangle week growing across the top like a net.

I'm all for penile rough, but when people are blabbing holes when they missed the fairway by 2/3 feet it's ridiculous. On the plus side we have the club champs this coming weekend, then it's due it's summer cut .... Which will make it near on playable again.

The change to CSS doesn't seem right 'Average' 70 implies it's below that at times, while 74 is past the R/O point if 69 is a legit CSS. That's if the same pair of 9s are used for comps each time - a you have 3 to choose from. Otherwise it's a slightly misleading statement!

And I think you mean 'penal'! :rofl:

As to the question.. I hadn't played for a couple of weeks and in that period, The Shire have ripped their rough back to sensible length - 3 levels as per LPP's description. 3 weeks ago (last time there) it was horrendous from 2nd cut - growth that week or so had simply outstripped the greenies' ability to control it, a fairly widespread situation around the country this year!

As for the 'extra' ability to drop, under penalty either at point of entry or in semi at estimate of where ball 'lies', this seems a very sensible addition when the main purpose of the round is enjoyment! Not applicable every course/year/'competition' of course!

 

[Fish]

As for "don't hit it in there", try explaining to someone that you've just had to follow a 3 ball of 20+ handicappers look for at least a ball a hole for the last 5 hours without being let through. No doubt because the group in front of them were doing the same and they figure there's no point letting you through as you'll just be stuck behind them!
Excruciating!

Not sure why you feel the need to label this at 20+ handicappers, I was behind 2 groups of Cat1's with a couple of very low Cat2's amongst them do exactly this at the weekend! Do you think they want to let a couple of higher handicap players through, even though they should as we were waiting on a few holes consistently, do they hell! When the long hitters get it wrong their well into the cabbage and with little or no shots to fall back on they look for everything every time to the hilt, where-as I sometimes abandon looking early knowing I have shots to pull back on to keep the game moving.

Its a problem right across the board, I think pigeon holing higher handicappers is unjustified IMO.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Not sure why you feel the need to label this at 20+ handicappers, I was behind 2 groups of Cat1's with a couple of very low Cat2's amongst them do exactly this at the weekend! Do you think they want to let a couple of higher handicap players through, even though they should as we were waiting on a few holes consistently, do they hell! When the long hitters get it wrong their well into the cabbage and with little or no shots to fall back on they look for everything every time to the hilt, where-as I sometimes abandon looking early knowing I have shots to pull back on to keep the game moving.

Its a problem right across the board, I think pigeon holing higher handicappers is unjustified IMO.

I understand what you mean, and no offence was meant, but I wasn't using a hypothetical situation, they really were 20+ handicappers.

I too had my problems in the long rough, including a round last year when I shot 72, and hit 6 or 7 provisional balls, just to be safe!

 

[Fish]

I understand what you mean, and no offence was meant, but I wasn't using a hypothetical situation, they really were 20+ handicappers.

I too had my problems in the long rough, including a round last year when I shot 72, and hit 6 or 7 provisional balls, just to be safe!

No problem, we can be easy targets at times, especially when not on the fairway :smirk:

 

[Deleted member 1147]

No problem, we can be easy targets at times, especially when not on the fairway :smirk:

Only time I'm likely to hit you

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Very long rough at the British Ladies Open, and what happens? A short hitting nobody wins it and many great players miss the cut! What is the British obsession with long wild rough. They have rough in the States, but at least it is cut and graded, and normally not impossible to hack out of the stuff. At our course providing a suitable habitat for butterflies seems to be considered more important than providing a fair test for the players who pay for it! :angry:

Why do you constantly want to make the game easier ?!

Everyone has to play the same course - if you can't keep your ball in the fairway then expect to be punished.