Yes, we no longer lay out grids. The 50x50 grid that Dino mentioned is a rough spacing between points, and it's the spacing we would often use to get a topo with relatively high accuracy. With some surveys, we don't need that accurate a surface, and we might go more like 100' or more spacing between points. If we are trying to fix a drainage issue in a relatively flat area, we might go 10' spacing between points.
The critical thing is that we do NOT shoot a grid. We shoot all the important feature points, such as edges of asphalt and concrete, distinct grade breaks, etc. Then, in areas where there is no distinct feature to shoot, we make sure we get a shot roughly every 50', to fill in the areas between distinct features.
The big problem with field surveying is that it is mostly a mixture of experience and common-sense. So there are few hard-and-fast rules. As Surveyors, one of the most important things we do is know how to deal with error. There is ALWAYS some amount of error. As Surveyors, we must be able to make judgment calls about how we do our work. That means we must know the purpose of our survey, and the choices we make will take into account the demands of the situation. If we went out and did every topo survey with a 25' grid (again, this doesn't actually mean we lay out a grid, just that we have a max of roughly 25' between points), it would be a waste of time, and we would spend far too much time on each job for the accuracy we need. That would not make good business sense.
This is why Surveyors typically start out as a second- or third-man (or fourth- or fifth-man, if you work for some government agencies) on a Survey crew - they have a LOT to learn from the more-experienced Surveyors before they can really do the job themselves.