We are in the process of starting 1 more course improvement project before the summer. This one is to add sand to the bunkers. Bunkers are considered a hazard on the golf course, but it is very interesting that over the years any superintendent will tell you they are one part of the golf course where they spend a great deal of their budget to improve and maintain. With the increase of course maintenance, agronomics, and playability over the last 15 years, expectations for bunkers have drastically increased from being your usual hazard filled with sand.
Over time the sand disappears because of wind, gets dragged out of the bunker, and most importantly gets contaminated by the soil that is in the base of the bunker. There are many different scopes of bunker renovations, it might be to competently re-build a bunker with shaping and drainage underneath, or remove the sand and completely replace all the sand, or just add and top of the sand to a 4" depth. We are doing the last one on the list. Many of our bunkers are low on sand, not properly shaped to a bowl appearance, do not have a flat floor, and do not have the appropriate 2" lip around the edge. Staff is currently redistributing and adding sand to all bunkers so they all have a uniform shape and feel to match the above list.
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| New white bunker sand ready to go out on the course |
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| Adding sand to the bunker |
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| Hole #8 front bunker finished |
With any improvement comes challenges. Even though we compact the sand, it will take several weeks to settle and firm up. Through rain and irrigation, hand raking, foot traffic, and more compaction, we will be able to get the sand to play firm, but in the short term there will be soft areas that will create fried egg lies for a few weeks. It will be worth it in the end.
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