Courses without rough ?

[LeeHarris]

I was fascinated (though I shouldnt have been that surprised) to read in the Australian Golf Architecture magazine (superb) about how rough came from courses saving time and money by only tending certain areas of the course rather than everywhere.

I have a photo of a Links course somewhere and it seemed there was little or no rough, looked like the rabbits had been busy, as it was basically just a 500 yd wide fairway with holes streaming up and down it but to be honest it was like one giant open plot where you could play pretty much anywhere (maybe the photo angle was deceptive)

anyway, I loved that course, not sure what it was though.

I know Augusta used to have no rough, although it is tree lined so its not totally free

but what other courses are well known for no rough, super wide open areas and very little in the way of trees, plants, or grass in fact... ie, imagine a links fairway 500 yds wide, 2000 yds long, humped and hollowed and bunkered but nothing else.

Are there any courses that come close to this kind of "feel"?

sorry if this is a stupid question, I am just curious

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

The Ocean Course on Kiawah Island has rough just to keep resort play moving smoothly.  It keeps wayward shots from trickling into the dunes and marshes.  It is my understanding that should we ever get one of the majors here we wouldn't grow up the rough like some courses but shave it down to fairway height so that shots hit off line would have consequences.  And, with our windy conditions, that's pretty often...

[APBernstein]

Mike:

I remember playing The Ocean Course back before there was any rough.  Technically, there was about 5 feet or so of very light rough bordering the dunes and bunkers, but this didn't stop any ball that I ever saw.

I really liked how it played.  If you hit grass, you hit fairway.  I understand the need for rough on holes such as #4, even though it is still minimal comparative to most other courses.

[redanman]

Doral's Great White has no rough whatsoever, but not what you are looking for, I suppose.

[Todd_Eckenrode]

Talking Stick North has "no rough" in principle as far as in areas of play.  The only spots are on peripheries of tees, walk off's, etc.

I'm considering it as a concept for course in SoCal...we'll see.  Would be only one here, I believe.

[THuckaby2]

Todd - doesn't the Greg Norman course at PGA West have no rough?  Given how Tommy N. and several others blisteringly hated that course, well... you'd at least have a favorable comparison!

And do go over to the Golf Week's new rankings threads - lots of kudos at inclusion of Barona Creek.  CONGRATS!

TH

[redanman]

doesn't the Greg Norman course at PGA West have no rough?  

TH

Ground cover..  It has ground cover.  Pretty little purple flowering ground cover.  Sort of an antithetical rough.

And very distinctive, blindingly white bunkers.
  
The ground cover might as well be a water hazard.    It functions about the same.  Ask John V.

[THuckaby2]

Duly noted.  Yikes!

BTW, redanman - you can call me the Tommy Appleseed of those day-glo ball markers you gave me at Lehigh... I have been passing them out wherever I go, giving you full credit.  I gave one to your "brother" yesterday.

TH

[TEPaul]

Basically Pine Valley doesn't really have rough but I know that's not what you're looking for because it doesn't have anything like 500 yd wide areas of playability either. The only rough are thin strips on the peripheries of the wide fairways for turning mowers as I understand it. But the fairways definitely have borders and the other side of the boards is some of the deepest do-do you'll ever want to find on a golf course so that obviously doesn't work too well for your question. But still Pine Valley has extremely minimal rough.

[redanman]

those day-glo ball markers

They are rather catchy, aren't they.  Let me know if you need any more.  Do you  have all 4 colors?  Only $20 each now.

[THuckaby2]

redanman:  DAMN.  I only have the green and orange, and I'm running out of those.  Next trip put I go a-thievin'.

TH

[Tim_Weiman]

Lee:

Secession Golf Club has almost no rough, relatively few trees and pretty wide fairways, if I recall correctly.  Other than the first hole, there are very few places where you are likely to lose a golf ball.

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

I was also going to mention Secession as I remember it being that way as well.

Also since we are mentioning Norman's PGA West in a negative light (no pun intended since you talked of the "Blinding white bunkers" Bill), I must mention that Norman used the "No Rough" concept much more successufully at The Reserve at Litchfield Plantation in Myrtle Beach area.  There he has no grass over fairway height anywhere on the course, however instead of the pulverized stone (or whatever that is at PGA West that destroyed my clubs) it transitions into pine straw areas.  The course plays firm and fast everywhere, and allows for the ground game on most holes.  As Norman said when I saw him at the grand opening "The ball is round for a reason, I believe it was meant to roll!!!"

The "No Rough" concept is quite striking here with the pinestraw providing plenty of tough shots if you should stray that far off line.