Removing Stones - Bunker Maintenance

[Senseicads]

The management at our place are being a bit reticent about cleaning up our bunkers which seem to have an increasing amount of stones being washed into them. A few of us were thinking about tackling some of the worst bunkers and trying to de-stone them ourselves. Has anyone done this...is it worthwhile doing them...what is the best approach? Currently out plan is to literally rake the bunkers and pick out the stones by hand...although this sounds a fairly miserable way to spend an afternoon. To be fair the bunkers are the only real gripe I have with the quality of our course, but the management have said that it would be cost prohibitive to fix the problem! grrr!!! Any tips/advice anyone can think of would be appreciated!

Cheers

 

[pokerjoke]

Its a good idea after all its your course and you want it in good condition.

If the ground staff don't do it when the sand is delivered then maybe you and a few mates could get out the sieves.

 

[Senseicads]

Actually sieves isn't an absolutely terrible idea!!

 

[Capella]

The problem I see is that if the stones are washed into the bunkers, you are faced with a Herculean task, because you might have to repeat your effort after every big rainfall or at least every spring. Could you not try to convince your club to put a local rule in place that stones can be removed from bunkers by the player before taking his shot? That's what we have at our course (and I know quite a few others as well).

If you want to go down the sieves route, you can build pretty good effective sieves by nailing chicken mesh to a wooden frame. It's what we used for sieving compost at a farm where I helped out for a while. It's a bit of effort to build such a sieve, but it is bigger and better suited to the task than any sieve you can buy.

 

[Norrin Radd]

where the hell do these stones come from that are washed into your bunkers ,?do you play in a quarry.

 

[hovis]

About a grand a year on subs and you have to maintain the course yourself!!! crazy!

 

[Senseicads]

where the hell do these stones come from that are washed into your bunkers ,?do you play in a quarry.

no clue to be honest...our bunkers are stony...people say the stones have "washed" into them...w just want them gone! They vary in size from like an inch in length down to like small gravelly stones. Like I said, its the only issue I have with the course, worst bunkers ever!

 

[Hosel Fade]

Stones generally come into a bunker from below, you want to install some type of liner in the bottom (not sure what method is the best here for drainage)

 

[clubchamp98]

no clue to be honest...our bunkers are stony...people say the stones have "washed" into them...w just want them gone! They vary in size from like an inch in length down to like small gravelly stones. Like I said, its the only issue I have with the course, worst bunkers ever!

we had this problem the stones come from underground we put linings in the bunkers and problem solved.
Only problem is linings make bunker shots difficult if the sand is shallow as you strike the lining.

The best thing I have seen for this is a rake with a basket or sieve behind the tines.
It was on a beach in France and the guy said it was to remove any pieces of glass from bar area.
Dont know if you can buy them but am sure some handy diyer could knock one up to try.

 

[pokerjoke]

Stones generally come into a bunker from below, you want to install some type of liner in the bottom (not sure what method is the best here for drainage)

Or it could be the source the sand comes from and that usually is all about cost

 

[LincolnShep]

The problem I see is that if the stones are washed into the bunkers, you are faced with a Herculean task...

More like a Sisyphean task if we're getting all classical.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It's something my club asked members to help with about 5 years ago. They are still not in great. That said, I played Caversham Heath yesterday and they had gone through a huge bunker refurb, doing every one on the course and lining them with a rubber based (derived from old tyres from memory). I was surprised how many stones they had in them yesterday and how inconsistent the depth of sand was and so not sure how successful this programme has been

 

[hovis]

the stones just come up from the earth. when water sinks through the levels it displaces the soil around the stones and they get pushed up. it happens more in bunkers as the sand doesn't act as a natural barrier. thats why clubs should invest in bunker liners.

 

[Slab]

I can imagine the old links courses not having some kind of liner when they were built but with inland courses and maintenance over the decades wouldn't this have been resolved at most places by now to prevent stones entering from below?

Seems these concrete bases are all the rage now