Technical
In this final article in the series, Andy Watson (Andy Watson Golf Design) will consider fairways. Specifically, he will discuss their structure and placement within the golf course. The fairway is the glue of the golf course holding all other elements together, and becomes the target point for the golfer if the green is not in sight or range. It is typically a mown strip of turf consisting of principally a landing zone or set of landing zones and a run to the green. Fairways should consist of a clean sward of turf cut short enough that it is an advantage for the golfer to play towards them. They should reward
accuracy, but give options as to how the golf hole is played, where possible
fairways that would be recognised by today’s manicured standards, but the term originates from the fairer ground created by continual grazing by the animals that were kept on or naturally inhabited the links land, and it is these areas that will have defined where best to place bunkers near, or greens upon.
T Structure
The fairway consists of two main parts, the fringe which links the fairway with the green, and the landing zone(s) which are designed to receive a ball and set up a shot to a second landing zone or to the green. The size and shape of a fairway is usually governed by its surroundings, but should also provide strategic options as to how the hole should be played by the approaching golfer.
The fringe is the section of the
fairway, typically forming an apron shape at the front, that links the green and the fairway together. The fringe is usually cut at an interim depth to the shorter green and the longer fairway,
he fairway was originally a description of the desirable area within which to land the ball. The original links golf courses wouldn’t have had clear cut
but all should allow for a ball to roll across the surface. The fringe has become a fashionable element of the golf course, as the nature of the shorter cut turf allows the maintenance teams to create attractive cross hatch patterns. The fringe can stretch out and
around the green to encompass approximately the last fifty yards of the hole, creating great short game interest. A golfer missing the surface, or intentionally laying up short, has the option of playing a variety of shots, including bump and runs, flop shots, or even putting. Hollows that were once easily attacked with a lob wedge can now be putt through, adding another decision making point for the golfer to consider. Fringes can provide aesthetic
interest, but in the guise of a short mown hollow they are now considered an equal or even greater challenge than the bunker, due to their unpredictable nature. The picture right shows an example of a large fringe area. Conversely, some designers and tournament organisers prefer to remove a lot of the fringe to force the golfer to play chip shots from relatively thick rough if they miss the green, and this can also provide a stiff challenge.
The anatomy of a golf course - FAIRWAYS
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148