[Mark_Fine]

So the story goes – Ben Hogan playing in the 1953 U.S. Open at Oakmont hardly missed a fairway yet after each round, his shoes and slacks were soaked from walking through the high grass from the tee to get to his ball in the fairway.  That didn’t seem right and hence the “dew path” was born  

Do you like them or not?  What are your thoughts when you have three or four offset tees and you end up with three or four dew paths running toward the fairway at all different angles?  

[Bill_McBride]

So the story goes – Ben Hogan playing in the 1953 U.S. Open at Oakmont hardly missed a fairway yet after each round, his shoes and slacks were soaked from walking through the high grass from the tee to get to his ball in the fairway.  That didn’t seem right and hence the “dew path” was born  

Do you like them or not?   Well done dew paths - walking cut - whatever you call it - are a highlight when you are walking.  

One of my favorite courses for unusual walking paths is Apache Stronghold, where you just dive off the front of the tee and there's a path through the desert!  If you walked around on the cart paths, you'd walk another 2 or 3 miles...

 What are your thoughts when you have three or four offset tees and you end up with three or four dew paths running toward the fairway at all different angles?   That would be a problem.  What's the solution? I suspect it's more closely aligned tees.

[Ron Farris]

Mark,
I love dew paths.  I play the majority of my golf between 5:20 and 7 am.  My friend and playing partner, Dr. Habbe, and I always walk.  The days of dew are few, but the irrigation and long grass does a job on a new pair of Kahki pants.  I don't find them too disruptive to architectural lines.  

[Tim Bert]

Our caddie told us that story at Pinehurst #2, but he called it the Hogan Path rather than the dew path.

Anything that's good enough for Hogan is good enough for me.  I agree with him.  If you hit the ball in the short grass, then why should you have to walk through the high grass to get there.  These are almost essential at places like Whistling Straits and Sand Hills

[Guy Phelan]

I have always enjoyed the walking path from tee to fairway. It certainly makes a tremendous difference in the early morning.

As far as multiple tees, I've witnessed courses that converge the paths to one at the earliest possible point and then the single path to the fairway. However, when the tees are at such drastic angles and there may be 3 or 4 walking paths, it does not bother me in the least. I would imagine that the maintenance of the paths becomes a wee bit onerous and raises the cost a little also.

[Anthony_Nysse]

Here is a link to a past thread.

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forums2/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=22227;start=msg404407#msg404407

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

[Eric Morrison]

I like them when I'm walking but not when my staff takes an extra hour or so to mow the stepcut.

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

Eric..that is a classic..really brought a smile to my face this morning...a wonderfully practical comment..to a great topic.
Dew paths are great...Merion springs to mind..the most wonderful walking paths I know.
Of course the great links courses have some marvelous paths as well...some even derived from those original pesky little sheep!

[tlavin]

Given the amount of extra labor, I think it would depend on the number of walkers on a golf course.  If the course is basically a cart path haven, a dew path would seem an unnecessary affectation, but at a place with caddies and a walking culture, it would seem a necessary item in the maintenance regime.

[Dan Herrmann]

Shivas,
Unless, of course, you're in Pennsylvania - land of rock pops.

[Forrest Richardson]

They are much better than do-do paths.

[Mike_Trenham]

Thoughts on this in 2021?


While I am a big fan of Ben Hogan, really hate these on courses that existed before Ben Hogan. 


If you really want to encourage walking they should be 18 feet wide as golfers I know that walk like to walk astride each other not in single file.

[David_Tepper]

Playing here in the SF Bay Area, dew paths should be mandatory. The summer fog and the winter rains can leave the grass wet well into the late morning/early afternoon. Having your shoes and pants legs soaked by the 5th or 6th hole is no fun at all.

[Kyle Henderson]

I’ve been pegging my pants continuously since 1989, so I find them irrelevant.

[Tom_Doak]

They have gone crazy with these in the UK and Ireland - irrigating them and making curves in them.  Trump Aberdeen set the new [ugly] standard.

[mike_beene]

Perfect for push carts. And a nice break from conversation. Look great with square tees.

[Jeff Schley]

Was just at Oakmont and afterwards our host arranged for the club historian, a wonderful storyteller, spoke once again of Hogan's displeasure of getting his pants wet when he was in the fairway all day.


I love the waking paths myself and level ones make for a cushioned walk of joy.

[Ian Mackenzie]

Nah...


If you're wearing long pants, just roll the pant legs up a bit and make a cuff...just like Hogan did.


Since we are all NOT like Hogan, we will be in the rough anyway during the round.


What's the issue: wet shoes or wet pant cuffs?


If there is a real dew out there, then more likely than not, I have shorts on...except in Bay Area, of course....


Roll your pant cuffs and suck it up. Or, buy a decent pair of shoes that will also protect you when you are in the rough.
Lots of GCAs I've spoken with dont like the visual disruption of a "courtesy cut".

[Joe Hancock]

Dew away with multiple heights of cut, aside from greens.

[Tommy Williamsen]

It is just club courtesy to have them. If you want to suck it up, roll your pants up, buy good shoes, then by all means walk in the rough. I'd rather use the "caddie walks" and stay a bit drier.

[Dan_Callahan]

 Wear shorts and waterproof shoes and it’s a non issue.

Living in New England, I appreciate these paths more to avoid ticks than out of concern for soggy socks.

[Bruce Katona]

I love 'em.  cushions the walk and at most of the places I've played that have 'em, the caddy cut usually provides a great aiming line to the landing point in the fairway.

[Daryl David]

I’ve seen a few topped tee shots end up with a perfect lie smack between 2 foot fescue. Doesn’t seem right….when it’s your opponent. 

[Tim Martin]

Can anyone corroborate the story that the dew paths came about as a result of time saving? My understanding is that back in the day the mower operater had to jump off and manually unlock the reels to lift them not unlike the requirement on an old Jeep to lock/unlock hubs when switching into and out of four wheel drive. The mower could finish the tee and leave the path as he drove away without getting off.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Can anyone corroborate the story that the dew paths came about as a result of time saving? My understanding is that back in the day the mower operater had to jump off and manually unlock the reels to lift them not unlike the requirement on an old Jeep to lock/unlock hubs when switching into and out of four wheel drive. The mower could finish the tee and leave the path as he drove away without getting off.

Tim, I have heard that as well from a couple of my supers.

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