Rough! Players Told To Quit Their Whinging

The Telegraph's James Corrigan on Tony Jacklin holding court Monday and suggesting that the players need to quit the their whinging/whingeing (definition for Yanks here).

“You really don’t get the guys in with a shot complaining about the golf course,” said Jacklin, the last Englishman to win an Open Championship on home soil. “It’s controlling the golf ball that wins you majors. If you don’t drive well here you’ve got no chance.”

“Golf courses are to be played. The rough was high at Muirfield in 1966 when Nicklaus won – they had two stewards on the left and right of every hole. He drove with a one-iron all week. Tiger [Woods] won at Hoylake with a one-iron all week. You cannot get out of the fact that it’s controlling the golf ball that wins you major championships and that’s the examination.”

Ewen Murray of The Guardian quotes Peter Dawson, who is chalking the rough up to the weather and nothing more.

Dawson, however, delivered a firm "no" when asked if conditions are unfair. "The rough is up but the course is reasonably generous on width and most of the players seem happy with it, at least those I have spoken to, maybe 20 or so," he said.

"It's nature. We are not starting bailing rough on seaside courses. It grows in the month before the championship. Some years we have a dry summer [and] you get wispy rough; in wetter warmish conditions you get thick rough and a softer course. We don't cut the rough other than the first and second cut."

Meanwhile this was odd, but I'm going to chalk it up to Ian being out at a strange hour and perhaps the greenkeeping crew washing away some clippings.

"When I was out there at 4.50am this morning I did see them watering the rough. I can't even remember on what hole but I was scratching the top of my head thinking‚ 'Wow.'"