Fairway mowing

[Mark_Rowlinson]

I am sorry if this is an old chestnut.  If it is someone will, no doubt, re-direct me to an old thread.  

I've made a number of aeroplane journeys in and out of London Heathrow recently and I've been interested to see the considerable variety of mowing patterns used at different golf courses below me.  There are broad stripes, narrow stripes, longitudinal stripes, latitudinal stripes, criss-cross, diamonds, wavy lines....

In his thorough way Tom Doak briefly raises the subject of mowing patterns in 'The Anatomy,' but does it make any difference to the way a hole plays if it is mowed differently?

[JESII]

Interesting question Mark. I am not sure, but this may be an agronomy question best answered by the people that play the course as opposed to those that prepare it.

I played a tournament at Tom Paul's Gulph Mills Golf Club (just outside of Philadelphia) a few weeks ago. They practice the GCA approved up on one side and back on the other side mowing pattern so there are two distinct 'colors'...a lighter shade where the mower goes up, and a darker shade where it comes back. I noticed a substantial difference in playability of approach irons from the 'into the grain' side than the downgrain side. It actually made it worth trying to fit a drive into the downgrain side. On top of that it seemed the ball frequently ran to the side of the fairway that was mowed towards the tee.

I'll have to go back through the course to see if there is a standard up on the right and back on the left type of pattern or if my suspicions are confirmed that TEP intentionally has them mow the lower side of the fairway towards the tee for the little added challenge.

[Jim Nugent]

Sergio Garcia complained that some mowing patterns at ANGC this year were cut towards the golfer, taking ten or so yards IIRC off his tee shots.  

[Adrian_Stiff]

Mark- I think mowing patterns are largely 'in the eyes of he beholder' personally I like halves, I think its more natural and minimal but its probably a minority opinion the members seem to like the multi-stripes.
Into the grain, the ball will not run as far as down grain and down grain more spin can be imparted. Height of cut would also impact the degree of run on the ball, we are cutting currently at 14mm (a fraction over half an inch) in the winter we go to 22mm. I think fairways in the summer at 18mm are around the best for normal golfers hcp 6-28, the shorter = the more difficult although low h'cp golfers would probably prefer.
Cost wise to mow, halves are cheapest. The narrower the stripe the more expensive, fairways can be mown with 3 unit 68 inch greensmowers or say 5, 7 or even 9 gang units. Usually if you are cutting with narrow units the clippings would be collected which adds cost, plus ups your fertiliser bill.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Except for Bermuda does grain really eeffect the ball?  Many fariways are cut so close that they might stimp out at 6 or 7.  Many of the newer strains of bent don't have as much grain as osder strains.  Can it really make a perceptable difference?

[Anthony_Nysse]

Has anyone noticed the patterns that John Zimmers is mowing at Oakmont? He's mowing in a side to side, 9-3 pattern. I love this-There are not stipes visable from the tee nor the green and you do not get an advantage from hitting one side of the fairways or the other. Love it!

Tony Nysse
Sr. Asst. Supt.
Long Cove Club
HHI, SC

[Jim Sweeney]

Until I saw it with my own eyes this year, I though the mowing-toward-the-tee complaint at Augusta was nonsense. But there they were, mowing from green to tee.

But, at the height they mow, I think the effect is more psycological (it seems to work on Sergio) than practical.

I'm sure Sergio et al would argue that the fairways should be mowed toward the green- that would be much fairer.

[Jeff Taylor]

Aerial shots show a lateral mowing pattern on #3 (side to side)and a diagonal pattern on #4. Why would this be?

[Anthony_Nysse]

Jeff,
  I'm going to guess that the pattern is a side to side fashion parallel to the tee or to the green, hence the diagonial patter you may be seeing.

Tony Nysse
Sr. Asst. Supt.
Long Cove Club
HHI, SC

[Jeff Taylor]

I recall noticing the cross mowing as if it were the approach to the green. When the camera panned back, I realized we were seeing the middle of the fairway and thtat the mowing pattern persisted for the entire hole. The fairway next to #3 was mowed at different angles.
I dont think it was an optical illusion.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Is there a visual deception to be practised here?  If you mow in a certain way do you make it harder to work out where a green is, a bunker is, or a ridge is?  Or are we so wedded to yardage charts that all of this is irrelevant?

[Josh Smith]

Help.  This was not the thread that I am looking for, but it is similar.  Does anybody know where a similar thread is from last year.  There was a pretty thorough, and thoughtful discussion last year about distracting fairway striping versus more old style mowing.  Would love to read it again...

Can anyone assist me in finding it, my last hour proved fruitless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!