Pat M:
I'll say this again -- if Bergstol had created a narrow corridor of 20-25 yards fairways with grass of the type you have indicated then your argument would have standing. That's not the case -- if people can't hit such targets then the real fly in the ointment isn't the course but likely the golfer themselves.
Pat, you keep on leaving out one element I've mentioned countless times --it's not just narrow fairways but courses which COMBINE narrow fairways and then have extremely penal rough that borders the course. Bethpage Black is now much more narrower than it was meant to be played or how it was played prior to the US Open formula they now follow. Then the rough at BB is extremely dense and lush and likely lost balls are the norm there. It's even worse than Bayonne. You don't find the ball within five minutes as you so quickly opine. I can attest to that after having played there this year and sitting behind group after group conduct a full scale FBI search for their lost ammo -- the result being six hour golf.
Like I said before -- I've made my case. You won't convince me - or vice versa. I've played the course (Bayonne) more than once -- likely far more times than the people who are bellyaching on this lone aspect.
Mike C:
When people play certain tee markers many times they'll choose to play markers on the edge of their respective games. What this means is that people will NEED to marry both sufficient distance and optimum accuracy in order to attempt to successfully handle the demands presented.
If these same people were to move one box forward it's likely the self-imposed pressure to do both things as I mentioned above would be less so and the likely possibility that they would hit more fairways and be in better position to score would in all probability increase.
Mie, c'mon for God's sake -- the fairways at Bayonne for many of the holes are 50+ in terms of total width. How much wider should they go -- 100, 200, 1/4 mile?
Yes, the site does feature wind but Bergstol was smart to provide such width as to allow people ample maneuvering room to get around.
Mike, if someone truly can't hit a 50+ yard fairway then it's not the fault of the course -- even if hay-like rough exists. Mike, if you played Dunluce at Royal Portrush or even the exalted County Down you would, for your argument to have any sustained logic / credibility, need to denounce in likely even stronger terms those respective courses even more so because they don't have anywhere near the width of fairways Bayonne consistently provides.
Tom D:
If you think Crystal Downs plays wider than Bayonne then we see those two courses in very different light.
I found CD on the two separate occasions that I played it to be extremely snug in terms of fairway widths -- narrower than Bayonne without question on any number of holes.
Let's keep in mind that the 15-yard secondary is quite dense in its overall character and even playability. In my times at CD it was much more than a secondary function but to be fair I have not been back to CD for several years so I can understand your point until I have had an opportunity to return.
Tom, when you say Bayonne had more consistently thick secondary rough I don't see that as being the case. For the sake of argument I'll say it's a draw w CD at worst. When a golf course offers a player 50+ fairways I don't see much of a case that someone can piss and moan about its overall playability. Like I said Tom to Mike, check out a number of courses across th epond where the secondary dimension is no more than a strip of 10-12 feet before you hit the really hay-like stuff. No one argues that such courses are too penal or prepared incorrectly. If Bayonne is to get thrown under the bus because of that one dimension then it's long overdue for that same criticism to be applied to other courses too.
On your last point about "standing on one's head." I find that rather amusing because I'd have to know exactly what hole / situation you were outlining in such a comment. Is such a demanding stance possible? Sure it is. But I don't see situations like that which border immediately on top of any fairway there. If a shot is hit in such a wild fashion then the penalty for such a play will be handled accordingly and that mean dire results for the poor player who failed to execute. That's fair game in my mind.