Grassed down bunker faces holding balls up

[TEPaul]

Our recently mostly grassed down bunker faces at GMGC are holding balls up in them and on some the balls can be hard to find.

My philosophy has always been just try not to go there but that solution is definitely not selling. Something will probably have to be done. The grass mix I believe is maybe 30% fescue and the rest blue.

The solutions seem to be;

1. Hand mow them more often
2. Alter the grass mix (if possible)
3. Redo the bunkers

Obviously to me the last option would be crazy. Some of the grass faces seem extremely "puffy" with grass. Is there any possible way to perhaps punch the faces like a massive aeriation process to thin them out? Does anyone know of any other possible solutions to get balls to come off those grass faces more readily?

Some of the complaints aren't just playability either---some are complaining they're going to get hurt trying to get up on and off those grass faces.

I'd sort of hesitate to do this but it may be worthwhile to explain to them how to use Rule 28A or 28B since the grass faces of bunkers are not within the hazard.

[Kyle Harris]

Tom,

One idea is to try and limit watering them. If the grounds a bit firmer, the balls are more likely to sit on top of the matted longer grass.

We had a similar problem with the target bunkers on the range at Talamore, and it was a royal pain in the ass to hand pick them day in and day out.

Hand mowing once a week help with that. (Using a hovering rotary mower, i.e. weed wacker).

[Mike_Cirba]

Tom,

I don't have an answer for you but my sense is that a lot of the grassed-down bunker faces weren't kept anywhere near as thick and lush in days past as they seem to be with some of the newer grassing and irrigation techniques.

When playing Merion after the new bunkers were installed, one of our group hit his approach into a bunker on the very first hole.  When we got there, we couldn't find the ball and after a few minutes of searching, I found that it was stuck in the thick, vertical, bluegrass (mixed with fescue) face, about 2 feet below the top of the bunker.  My older playing partner, rather than risk injury, just declared unplayable.  

I remember someone saying at the time that the bluegrass would die off over time naturally, leaving just the thinner fescue, but I'm not sure that's happened.  What type of grass(es) are in the bunker faces at GM?

[RJ_Daley]

If Pete Galea sees this, he might have a technique.  It seems to me many moons ago while visiting him at Half Moon, he spoke of a maintenance technique he used to thin thick bunker faces.  

Although if it wasn't Pete, I might have my super supers mixed up.

[Jim Thompson]

Fly mow every three weeks at 2".  It'll thin out in no time.  Stop feeding it too.  Give it just enough to stay alive and keep it green with Perk if you like.

OR......

Since the sand is well maintained you could leave some teeth in the face of the bunker.

Cheers!

JT

[TEPaul]

Here's a brilliant solution that just came leaping into my head. Get a whole bunch of railroad ties and lean them against those grassed down faces that are holding up balls in them. I think that should take care of the problem of balls holding up in the grass faces quite nicely. I doubt, though, it would solve the problem of some of our members potentially getting hurt climbing on those grass faces or trying to hit shots off those grass faces. What it probably would do rather than hurt them is kill them when a ball came ricocheting off those railroad ties when they missed a shot out of the sand.

Cancel the posts boys, this is the perfect solution. If I can't figure out how to overcome the complaints at least I've figured out how to kill the complainers!  

[Scott Witter]

Tom,

The CC of Rochester, NY completed a bunker renovation/restoration by Gil Hanse last year.  CCof R is a Ross course and they used one of Ross's looks, the "grass faced" slope down to a flattish bottom.  The sod/grass variety used on the slopes leading out of the bunkers and toward the L.O.P. was a 70/30 blend of fescue/blue.  I think the correct blend is key and it sounds like the blend you noted is too high in bluegrass.  No, I don't believe there are any "cutting edge" (ha, ha) technologies to correct the apparent problem you describe.  Though I do believe there were some mistakes made with grass choices and what sounds like too much irrigation used.

I am about to begin a very similar project in September and will also build the bunkers in a similar fashion use the same 70/30 grass sod blend.  Prior to my proposal to the club, also in Rochester, I met with the superintendent of CC of R, Rick Holfoth, and discussed the slopes with respect to maintenence/playability and the members acceptance...

Rick noted that during this season, they have left the grass a bit long on the slopes around 4".  It also follows that the greens committee and Rick have received many complaints where the ball simply sticks in the slope and it is very difficult for the members, older and some younger, to access the slopes let alone play the shot from that position.

In this case, it seems there is no concern as to how to care for the grass slopes, they have plenty of flymows and lots of labor, but rather how long to maintain the grass.  The committee and Rick would love to keep the grass longer, but as Rick noted, the pressure is building and it is quite likely that it will be cut down to 2 and 1/2 " as the season progresses.  Of note, the bunker faces had perimeter irrigation installed around them to keep the grass "nice & green" and clearly this has led to much of the frustration.  Our project will not have any new/additional irrigation on the faces as this is too costly, it seems to contradict the benefit of using the high fescue blend and it should help to keep the grass thinner.  The super and the committee at our project will cut the grass at 2"+ with fly mows etc.