Did America introduce width to the game?

[John Kavanaugh]

In other words, America introduced width by making bunkers less penal.

[Mike Sweeney]

In other words, America introduced width by making bunkers less penal.

I probably agree from an overall perspective, but not sure the early courses such as Shinnecock, Garden City, and National had less penal bunkers. Certainly Ross could be an entry point for the "less penal" bunker era in the USA, but others would know better.

[RSantangelo]

Gents

I think we should reframe this in terms of practical width or effective width

We are comparing fairway widths of courses established and played with a feathery ball and those made with a pro v1 era ball...the ball is traveling roughly twice as far

Reading the Mackenzie and other period writing and Knowing the cost of golf balls in at the time and the pace of play (under 2.5 hours) I just don't believe lack of width, searching for balls was an impediment to the enjoyment or speed of the game

I have an intuition as the courses became longer with back tees and newer course designs, the width did not keep up until the modern renaissance of design

I think the need for width has gone up dramatically with length and the proportion of time in the air...and I think architecture is just starting to capture to make the game pleasant for the long handicap man, as Mackenzie would say