Tom Doak,
I like the concept of graduated rough.
Unfortunately, we don't live in a perfect world, and as such galleries and corporate tents have become an integral part of the golf course.
You're point about PM being one tree away from the title is a valid one.
But, absent removing spectators and facilities, how do you address graduating the penalty for mis-hits ?
Do you think Ed Furgol would have one the 1954 Open at Baltusrol with today's Open set ups ? Probably not.
I think the scope of these events is causing more and more facilities to become invasive to the field of play.
When a tournament was recently held at Inverness I thought the 18th hole bleachers were highly intrusive to area of play, and that the designated drop zone gave a competitor a far better position from which to play his next shot.
It's clearly a dilema, but, I don't think graduated rough is the culprit.