MacKenzie

[Lance Rieber]

I was reading The Little Red Book and came across a quote of Dr. Mackenzie's where he said that golf courses have to many bunkers and they should be strategic(Bunkers) and not penal in their construction.  
I don't really think of a MacKenzie layout as being one with a small amount of bunkers and I also don't really understand the quote as strategic vs penal.  I can't really think of a bunker that isn't penal.  A way to punish a wayward shot.  Could someone give me some ideas on what his quote was about and what you think the difference between a penal and strategic bunker?
Thanks
Lance

[Bill_McBride]

I'll give that one a go.

A penal bunker is a forced carry.  Fail to carry the bunker and suffer a penalty.  Dr MacKenzie's rules of good design say that there is always a way around for a player who can't make that carry, so by definition he didn't design any penal bunkers.

By contrast a strategic bunker is one that definitely allows a way around it, but by playing either over the bunker or as close to it as possible, the skillful player gains an advantage on the hole.

A lot of MacKenzie's bunkers establish strategy from the tee even if they are 400 yards away at the greensite. #7 at the Valley Club is a good example.  The greenside bunker is on the right side, so the tee shot must be hit as far left as possible to avoid having to play over the bunker onto a falling away green surface.

That's my take on the difference; I could be wrong!  

[Wayne_Kozun]

I can't really think of a bunker that isn't penal.

What about a bunker that stops balls from going into a hazard or OB - that may have not been what Mac was talking about but it isn't penal.

[Lance Rieber]

Wayne I thought of that also but I still think of that as a penal bunker as opposed to no bunker at all.  It may stop your ball but the next shot will be played from a spot that is tougher to most than just being grass, and hence penalizing.
Bill, I think you nailed it.  I wonder if a cross bunker that has fairway short and to the sides of it would be considered a penal bunker with the option of staying short or going around it?  I think every bunker would be considered strategic(many options to play around it or short etc..) and penal.  Maybe I am overthinking this.  Any bunker that is across the line of play would be considered penal. I need a time machine to ask the good doctor exactly what he meant.
Thanks for the replies
Lance

[James Bennett]

Tom Doak (in his architecture book) wrote up the three types of hazards generally used - penal, strategic and heroic.  A course (and a golf hole) uses all 3 types, with different architects/courses empahasising one more than others.  This was a fundamental learning for me when I became interested in GCA.

Penal and strategic are well described above.  Heroic carry is a slant on strategic - you can play around the hazard, but if you can carry the hazard you get a significant reward.  If you play wide of the hazard, you can but a more difficult shot awaits you.  

A strategic hole might allow a player to go close to the hazard, and get home in one more shot whereas if he played wide of the hazard he might need a second shot followed by a pitch.

Tom Doak referred to MacKenzie/Jone's Augusta Amen Corner as a classic combination of the three styles.  
The 11th is classic strategy - you can take on the water hazard by the green or play wide and chip on.  
The 12th must carry Rae's Creek - you can't avoid it (penal).
The 13th combines all three types, but the heroic carry involves the tee shot (carry the creek at the corner) and the second shot (carry the fronting creek, especially from the lhs , ie more strategic position).

Penal and strategic do not imply the severity of a hazard, rather the design purpose.  A strategic bunker can be very deep, whereas a shallow cross bunker (penal) may be quite easy to play out of.  Contrast the penalty of a ball lost in Rae's Creek on #11 and #12 (lost, never to be seen again) and #13 (retrievable, possibly enticing you to play it from the creek.

Hope this helps.  I recommend Tom Doak's book (Anatomy of a Golf Course) for the full explanation.

[Lance Rieber]

Thanks guys, good stuff.
Lance