Ernie Els calls for "KNEE-HIGH ROUGH" on Tour golf courses
Els backs modern golf club technology and calls for a premium on accuracy...
Ernie Els believes the only way to prevent the likes of Bryson DeChambeau and co. from destroying golf courses with their distance is to make the "Tour rough knee high."
Els, 50, tweeted his opinion on the topic just days after R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers sent a warning out to the world's best golfers that changes would be forthcoming as "it's important to have a balance of skill and technology."
Our game is in a good place. Equipment improvements and distance are here to stay. Full stop. We need a ‘serious’ premium on accuracy. Golf courses don’t need to be longer. Make the Tour rough knee high, fairways fast and firm which is fair for all players. pic.twitter.com/rwUvJ14vq2
— Ernie Els (@TheBig_Easy) July 18, 2020
"Our game is in a good place," tweeted Els, who not only spends his time on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour these days, but also as a golf course designer.
"Equipment improvements and distance are here to stay. Full stop. We need a 'serious' premium on accuracy.
"Golf courses don't need to be longer. Make the Tour rough knee high, fairways fast and firm which is fair for all players."
Els is likely exaggerating slightly when he says "knee-high rough", but we get his point. He wants the rough to become more penal than we typically see on a regular basis out on the PGA Tour and European Tour in 2020.
Spoken like a man who has won a couple of US Opens.
There should be a difference between tour rough and what members/recreational golfers face. Tour players should be held accountable for a missed fairway, costing upwards of .5 stroke for a missed fairway. https://t.co/jPnSczH00q
— Brandel Chamblee (@chambleebrandel) July 18, 2020
Brandel Chamblee was also quick to side with the Big Easy.
"Spoken like a man who has won a couple of US Opens," tweeted Chamblee.
"There should be a difference between Tour rough and what members / recreational golfers face.
"Tour players should be held accountable for a missed fairway, costing upwards of .5 stroke for a missed fairway."
