Golf


Artificial Surfaces


Fine Golf


A return to a running game


Having been a typical amateur low-handicap golfer all my life, I’ve always preferred fast greens, but possessed little knowledge about grasses, until about six years ago, says Lorne Smith of Fine Golf. In this article, he looks at a return to a running game


40 I PC JUNE/JULY 2014


the most enjoyable courses to play, with what I describe as a high star rating of ‘joy to be alive’ feeling, were the links, heathland and some of the downland and moorland courses, rather than lush parkland courses.


O


In my opinion, the appeal of such courses is: • The tight fairway turf is cleaner from which to squeeze the ball and gain some backspin control.


• The firm greens mean one has to be


ne of my life’s hobbies has been playing new golf courses, the figure currently totalling over 400, and I instinctively discovered that


creative and imaginative in how one gets the ball near the pin, rather than relying on soft turf to hold one’s ball having hit it the exact measured distance (ie target-golf).


• The mown sculptured run-offs around the greens are more predictable in their bounce and more interesting in the use of their contours. In short, required more imagination to master them.


• They provide the finest, truest greens where putts will run-out predictably, thereby improving your confidence.


I came to call this “fine golf” after Frank Pennink’s ‘Golfer’s Companion’ book,


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