Why Let The Rough Grow?

[Slab]

Assuming it’s not for a big tournament and that weather doesn’t prevent cutting, why do some clubs want to toughen up their course by letting the rough grow and exactly who do they think it toughens it up for i.e what’s the purpose

I got to thinking (probably flawed) but it might add a stroke or two at most to a single figure player but they’re hardly ever in the rough anyway so what do they care how long it is, the course is basically the same to them
Medium handicappers are probably good enough to avoid it by playing a little conservatively
High handicappers are going to lose balls, rack up shots & penalty strokes, play slower and generally get less enjoyment from the round

I’m not having a go or saying it’s an injustice or unfair to high handicappers, I’m sure that there’s no intent to just stick it to the players with less ability

I’m just wondering if the above is in anyway true then does anyone know from their club what is the intention in letting it grow

I can only think that aesthetically the course will look superior in some respects, perhaps with better definition and shape to the holes but I wonder if that's worth the trade off

Any other ideas?

 

[CheltenhamHacker]

No idea on why they grow it.

What also annoys me is when they grow the rough long, in between the trees at the edge of the fairway or something. I know it's meant to punish bad shots, but for me, the rough, and the trees are both normally about a 1 shot punishment. You either have to go out sideways in the trees, or hit a wedge in the rough (or something like that). It feels overly punishing when it ends up costing you 2 shots because you're blocked out by trees, AND you can't properly hit the ball because you're in 1 foot of rough.

For me, the length of the rough should be enough that you can still see your ball, but you can't play a normal shot.

 

[duncan mackie]

there are a number of reasons -
1. course design; many courses will have a design blueprint for both shape and depth of cut
2. cost; many courses will have areas that are simply not maintained at all! (this is very true in Scotland and that's not a negative)
3. rating; associated with 1 your course rating (SSS) will be based on a particular design and depth of cut
4. aesthetics
5. wildlife; increasingly courses are working with 3rd party wildlife groups and the cut heights and cycles are very deliberately controlled. generally this affects areas that are not anticipated to be 'in play' but that doesn't mean you can't hit a ball into them on occassion!

your comment re the play of handicap categories suggests that you are really referring to 'the areas beyond the maintained rough', and 4-5 above will certainly be the major influence on these. Sometimes they can be more in play that anticipated, and that's certainly when things can go very wrong on a course, causing long delays and frustration!

 

[Foxholer]

My view is that better golfers are better golfers because they stay out of the rough - sort of reverse logic to your assertion.

If 'poorer' golfers stayed out of the rough - instead of being obsessed with hitting it further - I believe they'd turn into 'better' golfers!

 

[garyinderry]

I played upwards of 20 courses over the last year. I cant think of any that had unusually long rough unless I well off the beaten track.

ive seen posts on here of people talking about foot high rough a yard off the fairway. what courses are these? I must either play them or stay well away!

the only course that sticks out in my mind as having really penal rough was rossapenna links. that was 4 years ago and I was terrible at golf then. I owe that course a good round!

 

[CheltenhamHacker]

I played upwards of 20 courses over the last year. I cant think of any that had unusually long rough unless I well off the beaten track.

ive seen posts on here of people talking about foot high rough a yard off the fairway. what courses are these? I must either play them or stay well away!

the only course that sticks out in my mind as having really penal rough was rossapenna links. that was 4 years ago and I was terrible at golf then. I owe that course a good round!

The main course I can think of that was really punishing (for me) for being offline was Blenheim Palace. Lost a few balls in that rough!

 

[chellie]

From what I've seen at our course better players (Cat 1's)still go in the rough it's just that they can get out of it eg our first hole Par 5 - they can spew a drive right or left into rough, 2nd shot nearly onto green

 

[Qwerty]

A lot of courses would look incredibly bland if they shaved the rough down, I'd also imagine it would involve a hell of a lot more work for the greenkeepers.

 

[Foxholer]

What also annoys me is when they grow the rough long, in between the trees at the edge of the fairway or something. I know it's meant to punish bad shots, but for me, the rough, and the trees are both normally about a 1 shot punishment. You either have to go out sideways in the trees, or hit a wedge in the rough (or something like that). It feels overly punishing when it ends up costing you 2 shots because you're blocked out by trees, AND you can't properly hit the ball because you're in 1 foot of rough.

For me, the length of the rough should be enough that you can still see your ball, but you can't play a normal shot.

Main reason seems to me to be cost! It probably costs another Greenie (or maybe more) to keep Tree-ed areas clear of grass, bracken, blackberry etc. So for some clubs, the quantifiable cost doesn't justify the non-quantifiable benefit of more, and happier, visitors, quicker rounds etc.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

My view is that better golfers are better golfers because they stay out of the rough - sort of reverse logic to your assertion.

If 'poorer' golfers stayed out of the rough - instead of being obsessed with hitting it further - I believe they'd turn into 'better' golfers!

I can't really argue with this :thup:

 

[Birchy]

I hate courses that have easy rough. You split the fairway and a FC bludgeons one into the rough yet they only get a slightly worse lie and can still hit any club they want out of it etc.

Makes the fairway rather pointless, you may as well just have a big football pitch with a green at the end.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

At the moment the really deep stuff at our place is way off line so if you are in it you deserve everything you get. However in the summer they do tend to let it grow much nearer the fairway and it can be a pain at times as the margin on some holes is pretty small. There doesn't seem to be too much middle ground and bery little semi-rough (no more than 5-8 feet) between fairway and shin high crap. The semi at my course tends to be juicy and so the ball invariably sinks and makes a proper shot hard so it's a half shot penalty (in terms of not reaching the green) and seems a fair penalty for missing the fairway. To be honest I think it ca be overly tough, especially if you are just playing social games. I doubt things will change as it would take more time and manpower (and costs) to keep it more refined

 

[cookelad]

Rough should be staggered, so if you miss the fairway on the correct side by a couple of feet you should only be slightly worse off than if you'd found the fairway, if you're going to miss by 40-50 yards then you deserve to be in the deep stuff!

 

[Qwerty]

I hate courses that have easy rough. You split the fairway and a FC bludgeons one into the rough yet they only get a slightly worse lie and can still hit any club they want out of it etc.

Makes the fairway rather pointless, you may as well just have a big football pitch with a green at the end.

Says the man who splits most fairways

 

[RobertB]

Makes the fairway rather pointless, you may as well just have a big football pitch with a green at the end.

A lot of urban 'parkland' courses are quite like that ... with trees interspersed. Only penalty rough is on periphery of course... But rationale is maintenance cost cut it everywhere and keeping members happy...

I like the definition in links course if they have wet spring and get that awful lush grass in the rough....and the good courses just leave it au naturale... real incentive to keep ball in play....

 

[Simbo]

Could be because the greenkeepers want you to lose balls in the rough so they can find them when they finally do cut it, they can then sell them and put the money in a kitty for their Xmas night out!

Maybe you should use it as an incentive to get a bit better and try and stay out if it though, iv only ever really played a few courses with rough/gorse that's been brutal and right of the fairway.

 

[Slab]

Thanks for the posts, I like Duncan's view on the other reasons rough may be left

In my OP I was considering both 'first cut rough' and the 'longer but still maintained' rough as opposed to the 'off course' type of jungle where it really is just tough luck/poor play

 

[Keeno]

The rough at our course can get pretty wild in parts, but there are plenty of landing area's that are far easier to hit. During the warm period of the summer, the rough was up and the fairways had tonnes of run, during this time it was the better players who adapted, at times they used irons/hybrids off the tee which would run and run rather than risk reaching the crazy stuff.

Normally the "rough moaners" are the ones smashing drivers all day rather than using a bit of common sense and taking a more suitable option.

 

[Robobum]

The rough at ours is reasonable enough just off line - the cabbage is way off line or defines a risky line.

Despite this our SSS is the same as par and rarely goes down.

 

[NWJocko]

Says the man who splits most fairways

Beat me to it!!

Birchy, try playing my second shots for one round and then see how you feel! :swing: