When is a bunker not a bunker?

[stevie_r]

Now that, my friend, is precisely the sort of sensible answer I was hoping for so thanks for taking the time to reply. BTatHome's responses, on the other hand, smacked of almost sneering at my lack of knowledge and I don't appreciate that. When I want sarcasm, I'll ask for it.

Not the way I read his posts I'm afraid.

 

[delc]

A Bunker is a prepared area of ground, often a hollow, from which turf or soil has been removed and replaced with sand or the like. [see Definition of a bunker.

Have any of these hollows been "prepared"? Has turf or soil been removed and replaced with sand or "the like"?

A grassed over hollow is certainly not a bunker.

Perhaps you could describe what it is about these hollows which make you say they are clearly intended to be bunkers?

I have played quite a few courses where there are former bunkers that have since been grassed over. You might consider them to be grass bunkers, but they are generally 'through the green' where normal rules apply, i.e. you can ground the club before playing your shot.

 

[Colin L]

Del, the term "grass bunker" gets used, I know, but it has no meaning at all in terms of the rules and is a bit confusing. Exctinct, deceased, ex-, former etc bunkers now grassed over are always through the green. (Apologies but I haven't been able to keep Monty Python out of my mind since this thread began.)

 

[rulefan]

Don't overlook Duncan's very clear point - if your ball is on grass it cannot be in a bunker.

I think the old bunkers that are clearly no longer bunkers include these ones at the north end of the course

View attachment 8382

Yes, it looks as if a fair number of greenside bunkers have been 'exed'.

 

[BTatHome]

BTatHome's responses, on the other hand, smacked of almost sneering at my lack of knowledge and I don't appreciate that. When I want sarcasm, I'll ask for it.

Not in the slightest. But you were given a definition of a bunker at the start of the thread. What you described met none of the conditions of a bunker and yet you continued on the same path (even using old photos).

For rules questions it is generally better to try and lead someone to form their own decision of how the rule is formed/defined. In this case you clearly read my words with a completely different tone.