Stones in the Bunker

[Barking_Mad]

It seems very common these days for a course’s weak link, condition wise, to be the bunkers. Ours are absolutely appalling - full of stones, what sand there is has become very compacted, all in all an absolute mess.

To dig them out, re-line and refill them will cost upward of a quarter of a million quid (yes, really), but they are beyond awful. It’s impossible to have any confidence, as you never know until you’ve played a shot what you have beneath the ball, and it is extremely common to see shots bladed 20/30 yards through the green. Add to that the fact that many members have now invested in wedges of varying bounce to take out on the course depending solely on bunker condition and it is becoming costly!

But I know of any number of clubs nearby with similar issues. Bunkers, it seems, cost way more to maintain than most of us realise.

I understand this is true also. Played Ganton a couple of months ago and was amazed by the quality of the bunkers, all 100 or so of them. Sand and consistency was amazing. Must be a real challenge to keep them up to spec.

 

[srixon 1]

Ours are shocking. Apart from an occasional refill with too much sand I don’t think they have changed since James Braid dug them out over 110 years ago.

 

[rulefan]

I understand this is true also. Played Ganton a couple of months ago and was amazed by the quality of the bunkers, all 100 or so of them. Sand and consistency was amazing. Must be a real challenge to keep them up to spec.

Did you check the big one on the 16th?

 

[Barking_Mad]

Did you check the big one on the 16th?

Hah, dinosaurs fossils don't count ?