How important is FIR?

Does hitting fairways matter that much if your in a position to hit to the green?

Or is it more benifical to have a wedge from the rough than a 8 iron from the fairway (given that sometimes the longer tee-shot will be in the fairway)?

It of course depends on what problems the alternative to the fairway represents

but if you can hit the green then it's not such a big deal - I don't know but would guess at 75%

off the fairway you are still in the game as if you had hit the fairway !? 

I find that these modern course fairways are not of a good enough quality to want to play from them, I much prefer the first cut any time.  They are rock hard mud, not the quality of turf that I was brought up with. Chipping with game improvement clubs is a nightmare on these bone hard surfaces with only an apology for grass. Blades are best for this type of surface.

The thing with hitting from the rough, you never know what affect it has on the club. I'd much rather have an 8 iron from a nice fairway, than a PW from the rough.

The problem of poor fairways occurs only with these new fangled courses that have been built to the USGA spec as they use grass seed that is alien to our country, requires very little maintenance and very little water.

I don't think it is, Ivan for the reason that I was an ordinary person with an ordinary job, yet I could afford membership costs at a private club.

This is an excerpt from the website of a certain golf club that should be on the Open Rota, has two courses that are both tough tests, without the need for ponds and lakes everywhere to attempt to add beauty to a poor landscape. Not one built on farmland but natural, in every sense of the word.

• Upto 50 miles from the club: £750 per annum + £75 Bar and Catering Levy
• Between 51-100 miles from the club: £510 per annum + £40 Bar and Catering Levy
• Over 101 miles from the club: £400 per annum + £25 Bar and Catering Levy

This far cheaper than the club I am a member of and quite honestly is in a completely different class in every respects. What is the anme of this club?

Why? Saunton Golf Club and I will be having the pleasure of once again walking its hallowed fairways in August.

Montrose golf club I enjoyed a couple of weeks ago. Although it was a £50 greenfee for us, the season ticket for the Medal course is £330 plus an £50 admin fee. How do they do it?

I try to hit all the fairways if I can because thats what I am aiming at, but if I just go into the rough then I am not to bothered, normally I can still find the green, I dont like it if I  end up right in the middle of the rough purely because it means I have it a crap drive, I may be able to get a little more stop playing from the fairway, out of the rough it tends to roll a bit further on landing but you just need to allow for it.  GIR is more important I think.