Golf Stat Pro: First Three Yards off Fairway Is Most Penal

[nevets88]

It drops off significantly after that, 7 yards is least penal and then ramps up to 13 yards, which is just as bad as 0-3. So if you're going off line, guess it's better to go 5-7 yards off the fairway.

[3jacker]

Interesting and jives w/my own experience.  The rough on a lot of courses often thins out further away from the fairways.  If you're not behind a tree or bush, it can often be a non-event.

[billchao]

I'd take 0-3 over where I end up any day. I'm trying to wrap my head around the scoring average being higher from 0-3 than 15-25. On most of the courses I play, I'm not finding those balls and even if I am there probably isn't even a hero shot opportunity. 

[nevets88]

There are some unknowns in the above chart. Dunno if that's data from professional tour or amateur amateur (like not college players hoping to turn pro), what kind of courses, etc...  And I'm not sure of the reputation behind the stats, but I see people who I trust following him on social media, so guessing this is someone who is an authority? It would be interesting to see more written about the chart.

[iacas]

Steven, it’s PGA Tour data.

And the sprinklers hit the rough near the fairways. Not farther into the rough though.

Could be part of it. Also the crowds trample down rough farther off fairways.

[paperclip]

Also seems to me that the fertilizer spreader would overshoot the edge of the fairway by a few feet

[iacas]

8 hours ago, paperclip said:

Also seems to me that the fertilizer spreader would overshoot the edge of the fairway by a few feet

And even if it doesn't, the roots are part of the same system and irrigation can spread the fertilizer throughout the immediate area, too.

[paperclip]

On 3/29/2019 at 10:16 AM, iacas said:

And even if it doesn't, the roots are part of the same system and irrigation can spread the fertilizer throughout the immediate area, too.

Makes sense

[Buckeyebowman]

OK, so it's PGA Tour data which means it won't have much bearing on most of our games. Those guys are incredibly skilled at getting out of trouble. I think some of it depends on the course. I remember my first time at the WGC at Akron Firestone. They have sprinkler heads so far into the rough it's amazing. They water everything! 

And I think there might be a psychological component here. Being just a little off the fairway, with a fairly clean look at the green, might tempt ams like us to try the hero shot. Which rarely turn out well. When we're buried deep, that's when we'll take our medicine and punch out.

[RayG]

In the "real" world- players aren't all THAT familiar with the "flyer lie" in the short rough, so that 150 7 iron becomes a 170 missile over the back into trouble. They don't always think about going down a club or two.

BUT- the further left or right you go on many courses, you end up in a pristine lie in the fairway. It may not be YOUR fairway, but barring obstructions like trees, it's a relatively easy shot back to the hole you're on. With yardage devices and rangefinders it's a piece of cake to pick the right club and get on in regulation.

[Bucki1968]

This is absolutely the case at my club. I'm always yelling the "get way left" or "get way right". 

[p1n9183]

Same at my club, i always say: "It´s so bad it´s good". That´s when i hook it or block it hard and end up in the fairway of another hole. 

[Foot Wedge]

On 4/3/2019 at 10:52 AM, Bucki1968 said:

This is absolutely the case at my club. I'm always yelling the "get way left" or "get way right". 

Thanks for making me feel better.  This weekend I felt like I cheated since I hit 2 GIR on the 3 holes where I ended up on the next hole over....it was a somewhat wild day off the tee.

[pganapathy]

I think this has more to do with players who are just off the rough trying to go the same shot as from the fairway and winding up in a situation that costs more than the one stroke to get it back into play, but from a closer position to the green, making it easier.

[iacas]