How Wide Should Fairways Be?

[Jeff_Brauer]

They don't have to be correlated.  Fw width may dictate strategy, but corridor width is mostly about containing high handicappers.  My experience shows you need at least 250 feet/83 yards to adequately contain the D player.  225 feet/75 yards contains a lot, and 210 feet/70 yards still puts 3 out of 4 even mid handicap players in the weeds. 


The actual corridor width is often limited by the irrigation budget, i.e., 3 row sprinklers usually cover about 70 yards wide.

[Tom_Doak]

TD,


So what height of blue and or fescue/blue rough might affect spin, if you know?

Probably the trickle down effect of the US Open roughs and the prevailing attitude of the day.  I think resorts and publics always kept the rough at perhaps 1.5-2" and anything else was considered too tough for hackers.

I don't know for sure; maybe you should ask DeChambeau as it sounds like he's been working with his equipment guys and a Trackman on such things.


My guess would be that one-inch bluegrass/fescue rough still has minimal effect on spin, but 1.5 starts to matter and 2 inches in bluegrass would definitely matter some.  But 2-inch bluegrass rough isn't as tough for elite players as 1.5-inch bermuda.


P.S.  I was surprised when I learned that the pros' safety buffer to hit away from hazards is 32.5 yards.  That implies if the native is difficult, even they want 65 yards of width to aim driver down the middle and keep the rough out of play!