[JSPayne]

I'm sitting here pondering why fairway bunkers, especially those sitting literally 1-3 yards off the fairway cut, are more often than not surrounded by rough, even if it's just a little strip.

Is there architectural merit for this? Forgiveness to the golfer should he mishit just soft enough that the rough will grab the ball and prevent it from going into the bunker and creating a harder shot?

I think here with Meadow Club and other MacKenzie designs in mind, where most fairway bunkers have the fairway cut RIGHT UP TO THE ENTERING EDGE of the bunker. Esepcially on courses catering to the F&F mentality, wouldn't all designs want misplaced shots that roll out too far to end up in the bunker?

[Dan Herrmann]

I'm pretty sure it's much easier to maintain a rough height than fairway height around a green.

[Patrick_Mucci]

I'm sitting here pondering why fairway bunkers, especially those sitting literally 1-3 yards off the fairway cut, are more often than not surrounded by rough, even if it's just a little strip.

Is there architectural merit for this?  I don't believe so.

Forgiveness to the golfer should he mishit just soft enough that the rough will grab the ball and prevent it from going into the bunker and creating a harder shot?

It's a weak minded concession to the concept of "fairness", definitely a "country club" mentality.

I think here with Meadow Club and other MacKenzie designs in mind, where most fairway bunkers have the fairway cut RIGHT UP TO THE ENTERING EDGE of the bunker.

That's the way it should be.
Why buffer a penal feature unless you want to provide additional margins for poor shots or poor planning ?

Esepcially on courses catering to the F&F mentality, wouldn't all designs want misplaced shots that roll out too far to end up in the bunker?
That seems reasonable to me.

[Ben Sims]

I started writing something about Pat Finlen.  Remembered the lack of fairway bunkering at Olympic.  Backspace backspace backspace. Then read Mr. Mucci's post.

What he said is very good.

[Bill_McBride]

Rough in front of fairway bunkers is my biggest pet peeve.

At this point in the discussion I usually post these photos from Ran's review of Hoylake.  This tells the tale:

Look how there is nothing to stop a tee ball from running into these bunkers, and how the fairway contours feed shots toward the bunkers!





I don't think there are many fairway bunkers in the US that play like these, and they are just two of many on the course at Royal Liverpool.

[JSPayne]

Looks like I'm preaching to the choir so far. Guess I'm hoping some architects will chime in as I know that many designs of those who frequent this DG implement rough surrounds with their fairway bunkers in most (if not all) cases.

[Sean_A]

Bill

I hate rough marooning bunkers as well.  I suspect its a ease of maintenance issue.  However, I did have one guy who should know tell me that rough creates a natural barrier which will inhibit golfers from parking their cart, trolley or bag too close to the edge of the bunker - thus saving a bit of erosion grief. 

Ciao

[Adam Clayman]

When I asked the archie, of a links course, why they have this type of maintenance presentation he remarked how he liked the contrast in texture. For me, all it did was preclude creative shot making around the Greens because the furry rough reduced the area where I could try to use the slopes with a lower trajectory. Needless to say it was oxymoronic on a course with "links" in it's name.

[Greg Chambers]

JS,

During the grow-in phase and subsequent fairway mow line planning, our architect here told me he wanted the fairway cut to go right up to the front edge of the bunkers.  He said that if a shot was wayward enough to reach the bunker locations, then the ball should end up in the bunker.  However, I, being the pussy I was at the time, left a strip of rough in front for ease of maneuvering the fairway mowers around the bunkers.  A few years into maintaining and playing the course often, I realized exactly what it was that he (the archie) was after, and I mowed down that evil piece of rough in front, and the course plays just the way it was designed to play.  I also implimented f&f a few years ago and the increased strategy of the balls being able to bound into the bunkers rather than get caught up just short has dramatically changed the way golfers should play off the tees (more irons/fairway metals, different lines and angles ie more thinking).

I have also widened quite a few fairways to bring even more bunkers into play.  I'm thinking of eliminating the rough altogether next year!  (if the club will approve an additional fairway mower). 

[michael damico]

Dan - it is much easier to grow at rough height as opposed to a tighter cut.

Payne - if there is ample room adjacent to the hazard (as was more than likely originally planned in a MacKenzie design) it should never be up for debate. MacKenzie believed in Mr. Low's principle that there is no such thing as an 'unfair' bunker; it is up to the player to avoid obstacles en route to the green. As for the tight lie around the bunkers, I would have to say that was influenced by his adolescent experiences in Scotland. Although I haven't been there yet, with all the photos and written accounts I have read and collected the sanded areas are very small in surface area, but the bunker itself plays much larger due to the undulations directing balls towards the sanded areas. This concentrates emphasis on placement - which I wouldn't say is a bad thing.

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