The idea that's difficult for many existing courses, but that I've thought would be great would be to bring in is the idea of having a "rough" area like ball golf. And it would be the ultimate compromise. I've played on a few courses with high grass in certain places (Am Worlds this past year at Meyer Broadway is an example), and I think it would be neat to have a boundary for the high grass, or "rough". The rule could be you'd be forced to stand & deliver any time you're in the high grass "rough", but you still get all your run up options if you want when you're in the fairway.
This does a lot of the things being discussed. Allows designers options to place a premium on approach game. Well-designed holes can add another risk/reward element, without the actual stroke penalty being the risk. Allows upkeep of the courses because those with high grass sometimes eventually give up on maintenance of the high grass, as when people throw from the high grass they ultimately tear that grass up throwing out (because they are running up), and there'd be less of that. Incorporates S&D as a skill to practice without making it a mandatory thing -- stay in the fairways and you'll never have to -- kinda like using a sand wedge in the bunker in ball golf. and there may be others.
The downside is that the overwhelming majority of existing courses don't have this element designed already, so it'd be a future design thing going forward. But ever since I first played Jones East in Emporia (back when it had the tall grass OB), and on the few other courses I've seen where it's applicable/possible, I've thought it might be an interesting way to make S&D a skill you'd have to practice without making it an every time thing. I'm also a fan of elements around the greens to challenge. I am open to smaller baskets, but maybe not the Marksman/bullseye type for tourneys. Maybe something in between that and what we have now.
This does a lot of the things being discussed. Allows designers options to place a premium on approach game. Well-designed holes can add another risk/reward element, without the actual stroke penalty being the risk. Allows upkeep of the courses because those with high grass sometimes eventually give up on maintenance of the high grass, as when people throw from the high grass they ultimately tear that grass up throwing out (because they are running up), and there'd be less of that. Incorporates S&D as a skill to practice without making it a mandatory thing -- stay in the fairways and you'll never have to -- kinda like using a sand wedge in the bunker in ball golf. and there may be others.
The downside is that the overwhelming majority of existing courses don't have this element designed already, so it'd be a future design thing going forward. But ever since I first played Jones East in Emporia (back when it had the tall grass OB), and on the few other courses I've seen where it's applicable/possible, I've thought it might be an interesting way to make S&D a skill you'd have to practice without making it an every time thing. I'm also a fan of elements around the greens to challenge. I am open to smaller baskets, but maybe not the Marksman/bullseye type for tourneys. Maybe something in between that and what we have now.