Course "fairness" and why it's a stupid concept
Jun 18, 2015 9:56:33 GMT -5
coruler2, firstblitzer, and 8 more like this
Post by boynsy on Jun 18, 2015 9:56:33 GMT -5
I think as a community, we are far too keen to label a course as "unfair" for a variety of reasons, and this post is here to tell you why we need to stop that. It's something that has been playing on my mind for a little while, and I just wanted to get this out there and maybe see what you all have to say on the matter.
Firstly, there are several arguments as to why the "fairness" of a golf course is a somewhat ridiculous concept, at least in the way I hear it being used. The major argument against describing a course as unfair is that it's the same for everyone - if you think that a certain bunker is making a hole too difficult, just remember that everybody else also has to contend with this bunker. Yes, it might make the hole harder by catching anything less than a perfect shot, but it isn't like that bunker springs into existence when it spots you stepping up to the tee, and then disappears for someone else.
Secondly, (and this point is especially true when playing this game as opposed to real golf) you can see the hazards ahead of you. Even if the shot is blind or the hazard is obscured, you can zoom in, and if you chose to play without zooming to target, you can at least use the course overview. You know that the bunker is there, just aim around it! Hit a long iron instead and come up short or something, there are always alternatives.
Similarly, people seem to expect to be rewarded for their shot too much. If you hit a "perfect" drive that kicks off a hill in the fairway into the rough, then it wasn't a perfect drive, was it? Again, you can see the hill is there, so don't act as though it popped up just to spite you. If your approach lands 5 feet left of the hole and rolls down a tier leaving you with a 25 yard pitch, that was poor planning. Miss right of the pin, where there is a safe approach. It is not unfair to penalise a shot that was short of perfection.
Ideally, courses will be played multiple times and players will learn that missing the green short is better than leaving a 30 foot putt or whatever. This is the sort of thing that makes this game so great, rather than the "grip it and rip it" Tiger Woods games in which you can save yourself from any situation.
Further still, wind is not unfair. If you can't reach a 490 yard par 4 in two because of a ridiculous headwind, that is just bad luck. Windy golf is a skill in itself, and if the conditions happen to favour someone other than you, that is just unfortunate. Course records are (almost definitely) going to be set in favourable conditions, so don't expect to be breaking records every round, and don't complain when you don't. Tournaments are slightly different but I believe HB are working towards a fix again anyway, so if you play in bad weather, suck it up and try to break 90, because other people will be struggling too. No, it is not unfair.
Firstly, there are several arguments as to why the "fairness" of a golf course is a somewhat ridiculous concept, at least in the way I hear it being used. The major argument against describing a course as unfair is that it's the same for everyone - if you think that a certain bunker is making a hole too difficult, just remember that everybody else also has to contend with this bunker. Yes, it might make the hole harder by catching anything less than a perfect shot, but it isn't like that bunker springs into existence when it spots you stepping up to the tee, and then disappears for someone else.
Secondly, (and this point is especially true when playing this game as opposed to real golf) you can see the hazards ahead of you. Even if the shot is blind or the hazard is obscured, you can zoom in, and if you chose to play without zooming to target, you can at least use the course overview. You know that the bunker is there, just aim around it! Hit a long iron instead and come up short or something, there are always alternatives.
Similarly, people seem to expect to be rewarded for their shot too much. If you hit a "perfect" drive that kicks off a hill in the fairway into the rough, then it wasn't a perfect drive, was it? Again, you can see the hill is there, so don't act as though it popped up just to spite you. If your approach lands 5 feet left of the hole and rolls down a tier leaving you with a 25 yard pitch, that was poor planning. Miss right of the pin, where there is a safe approach. It is not unfair to penalise a shot that was short of perfection.
Ideally, courses will be played multiple times and players will learn that missing the green short is better than leaving a 30 foot putt or whatever. This is the sort of thing that makes this game so great, rather than the "grip it and rip it" Tiger Woods games in which you can save yourself from any situation.
Further still, wind is not unfair. If you can't reach a 490 yard par 4 in two because of a ridiculous headwind, that is just bad luck. Windy golf is a skill in itself, and if the conditions happen to favour someone other than you, that is just unfortunate. Course records are (almost definitely) going to be set in favourable conditions, so don't expect to be breaking records every round, and don't complain when you don't. Tournaments are slightly different but I believe HB are working towards a fix again anyway, so if you play in bad weather, suck it up and try to break 90, because other people will be struggling too. No, it is not unfair.
