Is This "Proper" Golf?

Steve Marino makes triple bogey after nearly losing his ball in the primped-up rough just right of Turnberry's 15th green. Is this what the R&A and Turnberry thinks represents pure golf? Links golf? Proper golf?

It's rough clearly hit with irrigation overspray. Yet it's been a wet spring we've been told. So why are they watering?

Comments

[Dukerson]

um, yes?

[OB]

The course clearly is overwatered. You can see most of the roughs closest to greens and fairways are a darker green, indicating they are getting hit with fertilizer and irrigated water. But to be losing balls is stupid. Have they ever heard of sheep at Turnberry?

[Tim in Hoylake]

I think the sheep are in the field behind the cows. Just consider rough that deep as a water hazard. Basically, don't hit it there. It's a shame, Marino looked great in his wooley sweater, although looked rather sheepish about his success yesterday. Best quote so far from Steve ... the weather (on Friday) was brutal. Ha.

[Tim in Hoylake]

I think behind those cool grey eyes of Mr. Watson lives a early model Terminator. Look out tomorrow boys.

[Tim in Hoylake]

I can't say enough about how fantastic Tom Watson has been. He's played 16 twice in less strokes that Tiger and Sergio took to play it once. Brilliant.

[Ky Laffoon's Ghost]

Well, no, Geoff. That particular cabbage patch doesn't comport with links golf, but the rest of the Championship looks like a reasonable facsimile to me. At least that is what Tom Watson is playing. Too bad for Marino, but he didn't exactly have to hit it there. It's not as if it was a surprise. But, the larger point is well taken and was made by Bob Jones himself in a letter to Pat Ward-Thomas about irrigation of classic links courses. Why are they watering? Maybe even the R&A has succumbed to the American perversion of green, green grass?

[Morg]

The fact that some of the guys like Luke Donald are playing on fragile anatomy makes me wince when they must chop out of that stuff.

[Levy]

A lost ball is a lost ball whether you hit it OOB, into the trees or in the rough. It's all your own fault for hitting there. You have no water in play at Turnberry and almost no OOB, so there can be some other penal traps, can't it? Just because you only have boring artificial courses in the US who look all the same, don't call out a style of golf that is different to your own. Continue playing your pointless target golf and leave Links golf alone

[Hawkeye]

I don't understand that point. Isn't lost balls in the rough a part of the game in America? Wet spring = Lost balls in the rough in July. Dry spring = Low scores in July. Problem?

[Tim in Hoylake]

Mr. Marino could have taken it back to the tee to hit his third. Making par that way gives him double-bogey. Having made the mistake to bail right the first time, he didn't need to compound his error by playing from further right, under the hole, and taking four more strokes.

[Jack]

Levy said:

"Just because you only have boring artificial courses in the US who look all the same, don't call out a style of golf that is different to your own. Continue playing your pointless target golf and leave Links golf alone"

Methinks you don't know Geoff or his work very well... let's go with not at all.

[Taylor Anderson]

@Levy - are you serious? Or are you kidding?

If you're serious, then you totally wiffed on Geoff's point. And must not know either Geoff or American golf very well.

[Tom]

It was a seaward-facing slope with only the width of the 8th fairway between it and the beach, so any wet weather off the firth hits it directly . I'd be surprised if that slope gets purposefully irrigated at all.

[Scott]

Why is it so green? Well, it is a resort course. And that's what visitors expect at the Pebble Beach of Scotland.

The commentators talked about how green the greens are also.

I think the hole would be better with that entire area shaved. Then the ball would not be lost but bounce down the hill. It would still be a difficult up and down.

Why does it take so long to play Turnberry?

[greenfee]

Of course it's proper golf, just different to the type the pros play week in week out.
Marino will have had ample practice time to identify trouble spots on the course and realise that to hit your ball in that rough is dangerous. He should have played away from it, links golf is about strategy and plotting a way around the course.
As for Donald's fragile wrist. Tough. Keep the ball on the fairway!
Simples!

[Jock]

Gawd , some of you non-links players are SO ignorant .

[cmoore]

I am no links golf expert, but there are always places in the rough on the 15 or so courses that I've played that are thicker than other places. In fact, as you play the courses on holiday, the caddies will point those locations out and tell you not to hit it there. And if you do, forget about hitting it even if you can find it. I just don't understand the outcry.

[question?]

What the hell is proper golf? Why can't people be more accepting of different designs,approaches, opinions, or styles? Links golf MUST be brown, bunker sand must NEVER be white, ball MUST go shorter, blah blah blah blah. Play the ball down. Add up the scores. Low score wins.

[Aunt Blabbie]

It's the same for everybody. I don't think Mr. Watson would be moaning and groaning because the rough was too thick. Hopefully, he will join Mr. Vardon as owners of six Open titles.

[Pete Blaisdell]

Not that anyone really cares but I was surprised that no one picked up on the illegal drop that Steve Marino took when he took the unplayable. The rule is pretty simple (20-2a) in that it requires the player to drop the ball at shoulder height not 12 inches(at least) above the shoulder line. The official who was standing on the hill by the green should have had Steve redrop the ball to rectify the error. He played the ball and should have been penalized one stroke. The only reason I bring this up is because this is a major championship and not the member -guest. A rule is a rule.