There are lost balls and there are lost balls. In this day and age with narrowed fairways, on most holes, to lose a ball within 10 yards of the fairway due to rough is poor maintenance. On a 40 yard fairway 10 yards wide is ONLY 30 yards from centre. I think golf is slowed down by this sort course presentation simply because of numbers. Nearly every golfer on the planet will hit a ball 30 yards off centre-line in any given round of golf. I wonder how much that percentage drops when we take it to 40 yards off centre - John - I think you can see where I am going.
Besides, not including hazards obviously, what is the point of a fairway corridor which has a part of it unplayable? As an example, walking around Sutton Coldfield is a real eye opener in terms of width 85 years ago compared to now. One can easily see the many abandoned bunkers in the trees/deep rough. I look at these areas and wonder how much better the course would be if the playing corridors were pushed back out and the bunkers reinstated.
Ciao