Recommended fairway width?

[huskerfan]

Help!
The local park district wants to reduce mowing and add some prairie grass 'no mow' areas, this not a bad idea, but I think what they're planning will make the fairways pretty narrow. Is there a 'rule of thumb' for a fairway width?
What would be a good width for a 300'-350' fairway?
thanks,
Mark

 

[ILUVSMGS18]

It depends on the course as elevation, obstacles, and other factors that cause a fairway to have to have a weird width. I would talk to the locals about the course and see where the areas can be allowed to grow in. Beware of Ticks and other parasites though.

 

[TimSyl]

We've had this issue in the past at Meyer Broadway in Three Rivers. Former parks director limited mowing, so we had "crop circle" holes, and a tick issue. To me, all long meadow grass does is make it difficult to find a disc, doesn't really add much to the hole. We have spent the last couple years widening the fairways and have realized a significant increase in play.

 

[thirtydirtybirds]

Yeah, that type of grass equates to brush in my view. If it's a wide open fairway, wind will carry discs in there. Wide is good to me, the tall grass doesn't make your lie much tougher but does make for a more unpleasant round.

Maybe an alternative type of grass that stays short without mowing?

 

[chevis]

It does depend on what the hole shape is. if it is a straight 300-350ft w/no obstacles, i would say 50ft is plenty, but as mentioned, no one wants to be searching for their disc for hours in long grass.
fantasy budget: line the fairway with large rocks, creating a rough where footing is difficult and the grass won't grow.

 

[jeverett]

Help!
The local park district wants to reduce mowing and add some prairie grass 'no mow' areas, this not a bad idea, but I think what they're planning will make the fairways pretty narrow. Is there a 'rule of thumb' for a fairway width?
What would be a good width for a 300'-350' fairway?
thanks,
Mark

One tool that can be helpful for that is Steve West's Throw Simulator:

http://www.stevewestdiscgolf.com/Throw-Simulator.html

You can put in the parameters like hole length and player skill, and it will simulate thousands of throws so you can observe the scatter patterns. What you'll generally find, however, is that 'real' fairway widths are much wider than most people think. Just to ensure that 75% of throws (across all player skill levels) stay out of the rough, for example, you generally need fairways at least 150-200ft. wide.

 

[Tim_the_Enchanter]

We've had this issue in the past at Meyer Broadway in Three Rivers. Former parks director limited mowing, so we had "crop circle" holes, and a tick issue. To me, all long meadow grass does is make it difficult to find a disc, doesn't really add much to the hole. We have spent the last couple years widening the fairways and have realized a significant increase in play.

We are fortunate to not have ticks around here, but otherwise I agree. One course in our area has several holes in a field where the grass is at least waist high at the peak of the growing season. The fairways are mowed down the middle, and the tall grass is supposed to be considered OB. The immediate result was that any disc that went in required much stomping around to locate the disc (if found at all), and if playing in the early part of the day, anyone would come out with soaked shoes and pants. The long term result was that I chose not to play that course again.

That being said, if the tall grass is only ankle high or so, then I'm more or less OK with it.

 

[DavidSauls]

See if you can negotiate for the prairie-area to be the first 150' off the tee, with just a walking path cut through it, instead of running the length of the hole. As well as large areas between holes, behind and to the sides of tees. Depending on the course and clientele, not a lot of discs are landing in the first 150' or 200'. But further down, you need a wide landing area, or its a nuisance.

BUT, if there is a prairie area, see if they'll cut a maze of walking trails through it, so you can search for your discs. (We do this in summer on a private course, where some of the grass is long for the reason that we just can't get to it. Believe me, it makes a huge difference to be able to walk on mown grass, and peer into the tall grass, until you find the disc).

 

[biscoe]

See if you can negotiate for the prairie-area to be the first 150' off the tee, with just a walking path cut through it, instead of running the length of the hole. As well as large areas between holes, behind and to the sides of tees. Depending on the course and clientele, not a lot of discs are landing in the first 150' or 200'. But further down, you need a wide landing area, or its a nuisance.

BUT, if there is a prairie area, see if they'll cut a maze of walking trails through it, so you can search for your discs. (We do this in summer on a private course, where some of the grass is long for the reason that we just can't get to it. Believe me, it makes a huge difference to be able to walk on mown grass, and peer into the tall grass, until you find the disc).

I spent a good part of the past 2 weekends watching the FA2 division play at local events- there were plenty of discs landing in the first 150 feet.

Agreed on the cutting walking paths in the grass though.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

BUT, if there is a prairie area, see if they'll cut a maze of walking trails through it, so you can search for your discs. (We do this in summer on a private course, where some of the grass is long for the reason that we just can't get to it. Believe me, it makes a huge difference to be able to walk on mown grass, and peer into the tall grass, until you find the disc).

Plus the paths create clearly defined sections. MUCH easier to find discs in one of 3 smaller sections of tall grass/weeds, as opposed to a single, larger expanse that 2-3 times as big.

 

[thirtydirtybirds]

^this is a great idea. We do this on a private course as well. It definitely makes it easier to find discs, and gives a better idea of where they landed in the first place

 

[DavidSauls]

I spent a good part of the past 2 weekends watching the FA2 division play at local events- there were plenty of discs landing in the first 150 feet.

Agreed on the cutting walking paths in the grass though.

Well, that's why I said, "depending on the course and clientele". Some courses draw more women, kids, families, and very casual players than others. Some have shorter tees, so the "first 150'" could be from the long tees. Still, forced to make a choice, I'd rather have tall grass where fewer discs land, than where more discs land; and closer, because at least short throws are easier to note where the disc landed.

I'd rather not be forced to make a choice, of course, but this seems to me to be a less-bad way to do it.

 

[nate22]

general rule of thumb...the wider ya make em, the more miffed you are when a whole group doesnt land on a fairway once playing a hole.

 

[DavidSauls]

general rule of thumb...the wider ya make em, the more miffed you are when a whole group doesnt land on a fairway once playing a hole.

Very true! We have a 180-foot-wide fairway lined by dense rough, and too often people throw into the rough. "Why do you think I mowed all this grass for you?", I want to ask. Except when I'm the one in the rough, in which cases my comments won't get past this site's moderators.

(This hole has a 60 foot elevation drop, and is frequently windy, which is why this happens. In case anyone cares.)

 

[Shade]

'Meadow grass' of a foot or so used as rough (lining fairways) can hide errant discs especially drives of significant distance. I have used stakes with various colored ribbons attached to the top in prominent rough landing areas to provide an easy to locate landmark near the off track throws.

 

[Shade]

Another excellent point David.