In golf, what is the rough?
VerifiedAnswer: The rough is the longer, unmanicured grass bordering the fairway and green, designed to make shots more challenging.
Explanation:
Think of a golf course as having different zones, each with its own purpose and challenge level. The rough is essentially the "wild" area of the golf course - where the grass grows longer and thicker than on the carefully maintained fairway. It's like the difference between a neatly trimmed lawn and the tall grass you might find in a meadow.
When your golf ball lands in the rough, it becomes much harder to hit cleanly. The longer grass can grab your club during the swing, slow it down, and affect the direction of your shot. This is exactly what course designers want - they're creating a strategic challenge that rewards accurate shots while penalizing wayward ones. It's golf's way of saying "stay on the right path, or face the consequences!"
The rough typically surrounds the fairway on both sides and often encircles the green area as well. You'll usually find it in varying degrees of thickness - some courses have light rough that's only slightly longer than the fairway, while others feature deep rough where your ball can practically disappear into the grass. Professional tournaments sometimes let the rough grow extra long to make the course even more challenging for the world's best players.
