Are You Losing More Golf Balls After Lockdown?
With thicker rough and looser swings, some golfers are losing more balls than usual after courses in the UK re-opened last month
With thicker rough and looser swings, some golfers are losing more balls than usual after courses in the UK re-opened last month
Are You Losing More Golf Balls After Lockdown?
With many greenkeepers furloughed or working in skeleton teams during lockdown, plus the advice that only essential maintenance was necessary, cutting the rough at many courses hasn't been top of the agenda for the past couple of months.
Add to that warm temperatures and perfect growing conditions, and rough has been fairly thick when golfers stray off of the fairway.
That has resulted in more lost balls for some, especially after three months without usual visits to the driving range or regular games of golf to keep swings in check.
WATCH: 7 Tips To Find Lost Golf Balls
For me personally, I've definitely been losing more golf balls in spots that I would usually find them in - guess I should start finding a few more fairways.
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Related: How can clubs help balls being lost?
We asked our Twitter audience if they had been losing more balls since lockdown, and the split was very even!
Here are some interesting comments we received on Twitter, Facebook and the Golf Monthly Forum after we asked if golfers have been losing more balls lately:
"I’ve certainly been finding more."
"4 rounds only 1 lost ball. Learn to keep it in the fairway."
"Went 3 rounds last week without losing a ball then lost 7 in one round afterwards."
"About 16 over 4 rounds ! Rough is really rough."
"No from me, rough was slightly longer a week or 2 back, but course still in great condition."
"No I hit the fairway."
"Sadly yes. Very rough rough."
"Yes as anything off the fairway hasn't been tended which for 20 handicap isn't helping."
"Yes, so many that I just ordered a ball retriever on Amazon."
"4 rounds. Same ball. All net under par scores. I am 52 and have (finally) grasped that the aim is to hit it better not harder."
"Bought shares in Srixon, at least i get something back."
"Yep. The rough was hella rough!! I know I know, shouldn’t be in the rough in the first place."
"In places the rough is now so long I could lose myself in it let alone a golf ball."
Have you been losing more golf balls lately? Let us know on social media
For all the latest golf news, check the Golf Monthly website and follow our social media channels @golfmonthlymagazine on Facebook and @golfmonthly on Twitter and Instagram
Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!
Elliott is currently playing:
Driver: Titleist TSR4
3 wood: Titleist TSi2
Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1
Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
Ball: Srixon Z Star XV
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