“That rough is thick” - Fans React to the ‘challenging’ course at the 2023 PGA Championship
The PGA Championship is set to kick off this Thursday (May 18), which means it's officially a major week in the world of golf. That means all eyes will be at Oak Hill for the tournament beginning early Thursday morning. As with all courses, it has its own unique aspects that make it interesting and challenging for participants.
That includes the rough. Some roughs are more difficult to get out of and based on a test done by a reporter, the rough for the PGA is pretty deep.
Major week doesn’t officially start until we’ve got a ball drop in the rough video ✅✅✅ https://t.co/kkKN2rHPTU
Fans are shocked by how thick the rough appears to be based on this video. The ball sunk in pretty deep, which can and will impact the play this weekend during the tournament.
One fan remarked on how thick it was and how challenging it might be for some players to navigate this:
@Daniel_Rapaport That rough is thick. Looking forward to seeing those guys getting up and down from there.
Another says that golf is much better when the grass is short, which is apparently not the case at the Oak Hill Country Club.
@Daniel_Rapaport What a pity the mowers aren’t working, much better viewing watching golf played off short grass 🏌️
One fan commented that the grass appeared to be extra sticky, which will only serve to further slow balls down and make it harder to get them out on the next swing:
@Daniel_Rapaport Walking the course yesterday, that rough is no joke. Seems to be super sticky too.
It was so thick that it reminded one commenter of an infamously thick rough from several years back. Oak Hill is evidently known for its roughs:
@Daniel_Rapaport Not as deep at 2003 ! That was ridiculous at Oak Hill then
Another comment made a good point. When a ball is hit off a tee, it will be traveling with an angle and with good speed. A ball falling straight down into the rough and stopping won't happen in the actual tournament:
@Daniel_Rapaport No ball struck by a player will drop like that...it will be at speed and an angle. So while that looks brutal, the lies won't be like that most of the time.
One fan lamented what would happen if he had a shot get stuck in the rough here at the PGA Championship:
@Daniel_Rapaport My back would be toast the first or second time trying to get out of that 😬
Other fans noted that they have played in significantly worse conditions. However, they weren't playing in a major tournament:
@Daniel_Rapaport I play in worse rough all the time
Others advised the 156 golfers in the PGA Championship field to simply not hit the ball into the rough. They won't have to deal with this issue if they avoid it:
@Daniel_Rapaport Dont hit it in then rough babay
If golfers do land in the rough, it could be challenging to get out. As the last fan put it, it may be best for Scottie Scheffler, Dustin Johnson and the rest to just avoid it if at all possible.
Can Justin Thomas repeat as PGA Championship winner?
Justin Thomas is the reigning PGA Championship winner. He defeated Will Zalatoris in a playoff to emerge victorious. Can he repeat this year? He used to be in a slump, but he appears to be breaking out at the right time.
He said (via the PGA Tour):
“I'm starting to see a little bit of a light at the end of the tunnel. Like anything in your golf game, you've got to practice it,” Thomas said. “I felt like I had a good week practicing it, tried to get a little bit more accustomed to it, a little bit more fluid, and just making it easier routine-wise.”
Thomas is currently 20-1 to win the PGA this year.