Widths vary for a variety of reasons, including course theme, hole design, natural conditions and the effective throw of the irrigation system. For example, dense trees often suggest narrow fairways, while prairie sites and public courses may feature wider fairways to fill space and account for windy conditions and poorer players.
Full Answer
Should golf courses narrow the fairways?
However, the impact on golf must be considered before undertaking such measures, since the course exists for golfers’ pleasure. At most courses, narrow fairways decrease revenues by slowing play and reducing enjoyment. Players go elsewhere, offsetting much of the cost savings.
Why are golfers splitting fairways?
While the strategy on many golf holes comes down to placing the ball down the correct side of the fairway, the overwhelming majority of golfers don’t have the skill to be that exact. The ideal solution is to improve fairway width, but that is often expensive to maintain. In its place, architects have turned to split fairways.
Why do golf courses have different widths?
Widths vary for a variety of reasons, including course theme, hole design, natural conditions and the effective throw of the irrigation system. For example, dense trees often suggest narrow fairways, while prairie sites and public courses may feature wider fairways to fill space and account for windy conditions and poorer players.
Should short par-5 holes have wide fairways?
Longer par-4 holes should generally get wider fairways since golfers need to hit big drives to get home in regulation. While longer hitters probably want short par-5 holes to have wide fairways to let them really rip a tee shot to get home in two, shorter hitters see this as an unfair advantage.
How do golf courses keep their grass so short?
To keep the grass so short on greens, special mowers are used. Golf course mowers are reel mowers, not rotary like most lawn mowers used at home. The reel spins and cuts the grass like a tight scissor cut. The cut height is set by adjusting the difference between the front and rear rollers.
What height are golf fairways cut at?
0.38 to 0.45 inchesFairways can be mowed from 0.38 to 0.45 inches while roughs are maintained between 1.0 to 1.25 inches in summer. Mowing heights are raised slightly in the fall, as soil temperatures decrease and the turf thins from peak season cart traffic.
How often should fairways be mowed?
two to four times per weekDuring the growing season, greens are mowed five to seven days per week, fairways are often mowed two to four times per week and roughs one or two times per week. While greens mowing is usually completed in advance of play, it is often not possible to mow 25-50 acres of fairways ahead of play.
How long does it take to mow fairways?
Mowing 20 to 30 acres of fairways can easily necessitate between 6 and 10+ labor hours each mowing. In addition to labor costs, fairway mowing costs includes fuel use, mower wear, equipment maintenance and blowing or removal of clippings.
How do you mow fairways?
9:0915:52Basic Fairway and Rough Mowing - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipMake a slow wide turn to avoid scuffing the turf then line up your second pass to slightly overlapMoreMake a slow wide turn to avoid scuffing the turf then line up your second pass to slightly overlap the first by about three inches. With gang mowers move completely on to the fairway.
How wide are the fairways at Augusta?
45 yards wideThe fairway is probably 45 yards wide just short of the bunker. It's probably 15-20 yards wide at the end of the bunker.
How do golf courses keep weeds out?
Golf courses also adhere to a regular schedule of applying pre-emergent herbicides as well as weed killers and fertilizer. The key behind pre-emergent herbicides is weed prevention. Of course there are no “magic bullets” that keep all weeds out for the entire growing season.
Why do golf courses roll greens?
Rolling is a practice that improves surface smoothness, uniformity and increases green speed. There are a variety of lightweight rollers used on greens, including sidewinder units and roller attachments that can be mounted on a triplex mower.
How are golf fairways maintained?
Try to keep the surface as dry as possible. Regular aeration work will help in this regard (see earlier). Occasional brushing or harrowing will also help to remove moisture and create an upright sward. If nutrient levels are too high this can encourage lush, soft growth which is susceptible to disease attack.
How often do golf courses mow the lawn?
Greens typically need to be mown at least once every three days. Without that regular tending, they become overgrown. Getting them back up to speed is tough. Sometimes it's impossible, and the entire putting surface has to be reseeded, and you're looking at least two months before they're ready for play again.
How often do golf courses spray?
To the casual observer, spraying greens every one or two weeks may appear to be overkill. However, short spray intervals allow superintendents to observe putting green performance throughout the season and apply products only at the appropriate time to maximize their efficacy.
Why are golf courses striped?
How the operators mow the turf also helps to define each of the playing surfaces. The striping of golf course playing areas has been done for decades, with a light stripe occurring when turf is mowed away from the viewer and a dark stripe occurring when turf is mowed toward the viewer.
How high should a golf fairway be?
In general, fairway heights in the range of 0.350-0.500 inch will serve most golf courses well.
Why do golfers need a clean lie?
In general, the goal is to provide golfers with a clean lie in the fairway, so that the ball sits up with little grass between it and the clubhead. A clean lie allows the clubhead to impact the ball before the turf, thereby allowing the golfer to impart more spin and gain greater control of the shot.
What is the USGA?
The USGA promotes and conserves the true spirit of the game of golf as embodied in its ancient and honorable traditions. It acts in the best interests of the game for the continued enjoyment of those who love and play it. The USGA: Celebrating 125 Years. Design Philosophy From Female Golf Course Architects. GIVING.
Is hitting behind the ball good?
Hitting behind the ball rarely produces a good result, but hitting a shot fat from a tight lie produces especially poor results. Hitting a little behind the ball from a fluffy lie won’t allow for much spin, but the extra grass under the ball is more forgiving.
Is mowing height higher or lower than fairway grass?
Optimal mowing heights could be slightly lower or higher than this range depending on the fairway grass and other factors specific to the golf course you are playing. Additional Resources.
Why are golf fairways wide?
Widths vary for a variety of reasons, including course theme, hole design, natural conditions and the effective throw of the irrigation system. For example, dense trees often suggest narrow fairways, while prairie sites and public courses may feature wider fairways to fill space and account for windy conditions and poorer players.
Why should par 4 be wider?
Longer par-4 holes should generally get wider fairways since golfers need to hit big drives to get home in regulation. While longer hitters probably want short par-5 holes to have wide fairways to let them really rip a tee shot to get home in two, shorter hitters see this as an unfair advantage.
How long is a par 4 layup?
Layups work best where they create a two- to three-club approach difference with a maximum length of 175 yards, because few lay to create substantially long approach shots. If all long par 4s have wide fairways, while short ones get narrow fairways, they may get too similar.
Why do superintendents strive to reduce maintained areas?
Superintendents strive to reduce maintained areas, and it makes environmental and economical sense to reduce fairway acreage. However, the impact on golf must be considered before undertaking such measures, since the course exists for golfers’ pleasure.
Is it better to be conservative on forward tees?
So, it’s better to be somewhat conserva tive, especially for the forward tees. A little design thought goes a long way in creating enjoyable golf, and fairways are too important to be designed, cut, or maintained without thinking through play considerations first – even if there is some mowing to be saved. GCI.
SoundandFury
Recently read an op-ed in one of the golf mags where the editor opined that courses with the fairway mowed nice and tight are making the game too hard for amateurs. This makes no sense to me.
SoundandFury
Where I work and play the fairway grass is too long and too thick (for several reasons I won't go into). At this time of year it's even worse because the grass is allowed to grow even longer to avoid winter kill.
Pinseeker81
I used to prefer being in the rough back when I was under the mistaken impression that I needed to get under the ball. Nowadays, I like the grass as short as possible.
Perfect Slicer
Tight lies at my local public course are tough due to the hard clay under the grass. Taking a divot can be difficult at best. I learned subconsciously to pick the ball rather than hit down, due to the negative feedback of hitting the hard ground.
GaijinGolfer
A lot of new players think its easier to get under the ball if its sitting up because they havent learned that you must hit down on the ball.
MEfree
EJ summed it up pretty well- there are a lot of mid to higher cappers that prefer it when a ball sits up on a slightly longer fairway because they don't have the swing to make good downward contact consistently enough from tight fairway lies. I am a 6.3 index currently and would say that I find it easier to chip on a less tight lie.
Wally
Recently read an op-ed in one of the golf mags where the editor opined that courses with the fairway mowed nice and tight are making the game too hard for amateurs. This makes no sense to me.