Bunker sand consistency

As we continue working through the renovation of the course according to the Master Plan, different holes are at different stages of completion. Some holes were completed several years ago, some holes were just wrapped up last year, and the remaining holes will be finished in the near future.  These different stages can be determined by looking at tee shape and size, green surrounds, and especially in the bunker shape, size, and sand. Old bunker sand is very noticeable because of its color and difference in playability.

Holes that have not been renovated have very contaminated sand in the bunkers that is a dark brown and has many finer particles of silt mixed in with the sand. These bunkers play differently and have to be managed differently from the bunkers that have been rebuilt. From the perspective of the Grounds department, the sand in the old bunkers has been mixed with enough silt that water has a difficult time draining through the material. So, after a rainstorm, these bunkers require extra time and labor to pump the water out. Meanwhile, playing from an old bunker can be different as well. The old style bunkers are built differently so they are not as deep. Also, the sand and silt bind together and pack very tightly, which can make the bunker too firm.

However, the new bunkers contain fresh, clean sand that meets all USGA requirements for use as bunker sand. The sand that has been added to renovated bunkers is free of any silt or soil contamination and therefore drains correctly. Also, aesthetically, the white sand is a great improvement. However, it can take some time getting used to the way the new sand reacts when taking a shot.

The new sand will dry out much faster during a stretch of hot, dry weather. This will affect how the new sand reacts when taking a shot. The dry sand will seem more fluffy and light, allowing the ball and club to settle deeper. The wet sand, however, will be packed tighter, be more firm and cause the ball to sit up and the club to dig in much less. This can be thought of as similar to the beach: when you first walk out onto the beach the sand is very dry, light, fluffy, and hard to walk on, but once you get to the sand that the tide is washing over, walking becomes much easier because of the firmness of the wet sand. Dry sand in the bunker will be more like initially walking onto the beach and shots must be played differently than from sand that is wet. While you cannot test the sand or ground your club in a bunker, stepping into the bunker can easily clue a golfer in to how the sand may react for the shot, just the way one can tell the difference in sand at the beach.

In the end, bunkers are hazards from which play is not meant. Even though we are in a time when all aspects of course maintenance are reaching such high standards, adjusting to the sand in a particular bunker is still up to the golfer.

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org