Rough collars against the fringe

[Rob Marshall]

Is there a school of thought on how high the rough should be that borders the fringe? Should any of the ball be above the rough? I noticed watching the memorial that they had a one foot or so “first cut” between the fringe and the heavy rough.

[Alan FitzGerald CGCS MG]

You could probably get 1000 different answers to this.


At the end of the day, it comes down to how the course is to be presented and how the membership want it to play. There is no set rule of what heights of cut should be where. A lot of courses now have done away with intermediate cuts around fways and greens and we are seeing more collars going away too. I've seen it all from 4 steps (green, 24" collar, 36" intermediate, 3" rough) to greens height right to whispy thick fine fescue. There is also the benefit of the less step cuts, the less labor is needed.

[Thomas Dai]

Once there were two heights of cut …. putting surface and fairway.
No fringe cut, no semi cut, no rough cut.
And golf was still fun.
Atb

[Carl Johnson]

Once there were two heights of cut …. putting surface and fairway.
No fringe cut, no semi cut, no rough cut.
And golf was still fun.
Atb

And why not fun?  Beats me.

[Thomas Dai]

Once there were two heights of cut …. putting surface and fairway.
No fringe cut, no semi cut, no rough cut.
And golf was still fun.
Atb

And why not fun?  Beats me.

It’s essentially a simple ball, stick, hole game. It’s all the various other aspects around it that make it complex and expensive.
Atb

[Kyle Harris]

Personally I want an explanation, using the definitions in the rules of golf, that tells me why a "fringe" isn't part of the Putting Green.

[Erik J. Barzeski]

Personally I want an explanation, using the definitions in the rules of golf, that tells me why a "fringe" isn't part of the Putting Green.

That's easy:





The fringe does not meet the definition.

[Kyle Harris]

Personally I want an explanation, using the definitions in the rules of golf, that tells me why a "fringe" isn't part of the Putting Green.

That's easy:





The fringe does not meet the definition.

Why is the fringe cut so short and topdressed with the geeen of not being specially prepared for putting?


I remember an interview given during a US Open where the superintendent said they were preparing those areas to encourage putting.


Not being privy to the hard card for the local rules but I’ve never seen anything specifically mentioning anything in regard to what constitutes a putting green outside of that definition.

[Erik J. Barzeski]

Why is the fringe cut so short and topdressed with the geeen of not being specially prepared for putting?

Because the areas "specially prepared for putting" are cut even lower. It's that simple.

I remember an interview given during a US Open where the superintendent said they were preparing those areas to encourage putting.

Encouraging putting doesn't mean "specially prepared for putting." We've all seen players chip from the green; that doesn't mean it's no longer a "putting green."

Not being privy to the hard card for the local rules but I’ve never seen anything specifically mentioning anything in regard to what constitutes a putting green outside of that definition.

The definition is all that's needed.

[Kyle Harris]

Why is the fringe cut so short and topdressed with the geeen of not being specially prepared for putting?

Because the areas "specially prepared for putting" are cut even lower. It's that simple.

I remember an interview given during a US Open where the superintendent said they were preparing those areas to encourage putting.

Encouraging putting doesn't mean "specially prepared for putting." We've all seen players chip from the green; that doesn't mean it's no longer a "putting green."

Not being privy to the hard card for the local rules but I’ve never seen anything specifically mentioning anything in regard to what constitutes a putting green outside of that definition.

The definition is all that's needed.

The rules states nothing about height of cut.
Just the intention of the preparation.


If the cleanup pass is not mowed that day do the squared off portions at the edge of the green cease to be putting green?


If I mow one green higher than the others, does it cease to be putting green?


If I mow a portion of the putting green but not another for recovery, does it cease to be putting green?


Do the rules dictate HOW I must specially prepare the surface? Could you please cite where?


No. You can’t.


Fringe is putting green.

[Erik J. Barzeski]

The rules states nothing about height of cut.
Just the intention of the preparation.

And again only the shortest cut is "specially prepared for putting."

If the cleanup pass is not mowed that day do the squared off portions at the edge of the green cease to be putting green?

There are times when the edge of the putting green is uncertain.

If I mow one green higher than the others, does it cease to be putting green?

It's still "the putting green" for that hole, but I appreciate your stubbornness to accept what has basically been settled fact since well before you were born.

Fringe is putting green.

Except that it's not.

[Kyle Harris]

The rules states nothing about height of cut.
Just the intention of the preparation.

And again only the shortest cut is "specially prepared for putting."

If the cleanup pass is not mowed that day do the squared off portions at the edge of the green cease to be putting green?

There are times when the edge of the putting green is uncertain.

If I mow one green higher than the others, does it cease to be putting green?

It's still "the putting green" for that hole, but I appreciate your stubbornness to accept what has basically been settled fact since well before you were born.

Fringe is putting green.

Except that it's not.

There is nothing in the definition that stipulates length of cut as the special preparation. Nor is there anything that says the bench setting of the mower must be lower for the putting green.


I could paint a circle in the rough, stick a hole there, and call it a putting green. Thats all the special preparation required.


The rule is broken and needs to be reworded.


“Established fact” is not “just generally accepted because we never thought it would get this far.”

[Erik J. Barzeski]

There is nothing in the definition that stipulates length of cut as the special preparation. Nor is there anything that says the bench setting of the mower must be lower for the putting green.

There doesn't need to be. The fringe is not "specially prepared for putting." The putting green itself is. The lowest cut is the area that's "specially prepared for putting."

I could paint a circle in the rough, stick a hole there, and call it a putting green. Thats all the special preparation required.

Go for it. See how the players like that. And technically… that's what temporary greens are.

The rule is broken and needs to be reworded.

Yet somehow it's worked for, again, longer than you've been alive. It's fine.

You've got nothing here. You can't even claim pedantry, as it's known to all what counts as the "putting green" and the current definition is sufficient.