Bunker renovation preview

Features on a golf course have an expected life that they can last. Tees and greens can last many years. Fairways even longer. But bunkers’ expected life is much shorter because of the shifting sand, debris clogging drains, and creeping in of sod edges. Typically, we try to keep our bunker renovation on a 5-8 year timeline. This year (and actually started last week) we are renovating the bunkers on holes 14, 15, and 16.

The yellow paint line indicates how far out
from the bunker we will cut
and remove sod.

We will continue to post updates as the work progresses. This is a process we have already carried out on all the bunkers on holes 4-9. You can read specifically about the work on #7, starting with an overview here, and a recap with many pictures here.

The biggest issue for bunkers is the way that the sand gets into the sod edge and gradually the edge moves in closer to the middle of the bunker. The shape of the bunker can change as well as the overall size. There is also a pronounced build up of a lip immediately around the edge. These are all detrimental to the playability of the bunker and are the key factors to determining when a bunker needs to be redone.

At the bottom of the picture you can see
some tan Bermuda grass, just
inside the yellow line, that we will be able
to remove during the project.

Occasionally, the bunker sand in a particular bunker may also be so contaminated with finer particles that it no longer drains properly. The water gets hung up in this thicker material and sits in the bunker much longer than it should. This requires the total removal and replacement of the sand. Luckily, we don’t see this issue in any of the bunkers we are working on this year.

For this year's work, we will be removing the old sod around the bunkers. We then scrape away the built up sand and soil that was not originally part of the bunker shape and remove it.

Lastly, after we have re-established the proper edge of the bunkers, we put down new sod. With this new sod, we can remove poorly performing areas of green surround rough and replace with fresh, healthy turf, and remove patches of Bermuda grass. Some bunkers require

more sod to be laid around them than others, depending on how many other issues may surround a bunker.

This will be weeks-long project, with the bunkers we are currently working on being temporary Ground Under Repair. Thank you for your patience.

Also, November thru February will have only one post each per month. Thank you 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Now that it is legal to leave the flag in for putting, please be extra conscious to not damage the lip of the cup when retrieving your ball.

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Bunker etiquette

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org