I played a course yesterday, a newish course, which has quite a reputation and was designed by a man of repute.
It was my third visit, the previous two being a couple of years back. This time there was a distinct difference,
indeed the entire character had been altered dramatically.
Whereas before there was space, now there is penal rough of an unforgiving nature.
Please don’t get the wrong impression as the course was a delight to play.
Visually it is stunning, conditioning was the best I have seen in 35 years of playing and the place oozes class.
But the four of us found it tough going. We are a scratch, two fours and a six handicap but were collectively looking
for 14 balls in the rough with 5 never being found. Despite trying to speed things up, it still would have added a good
40 minutes to the round.
We spoke to the superintendent on the way round, a delightful and clearly knowledgeable man,
and he explained how his members were complaining bitterly about his introduced rough.
The question is, is he right to have introduced it, or have the strategic intentions of the architect been a
little too compromised?
To aid any discussion, here are 2 pics. The first is of the first hole, the second of the 4th hole.
Both are about 380 yards. The 4th hole shows bunkers left and right, both of which can be carried.
The far bunkers could be reached with a long drive. In both instances the bunkers are a much-preferred
location to the severely punishing rough.
#1
#4.
