Convex Bunkers

[Tim Gavrich]

I played in a tournament at Toftrees Resort near State College, PA this past August, and encountered a convex bunker to the right of the 4th green--i.e. one whose middle is higher than its sides.  Does anyone here know how this came about, or if there are other instances of it?

Thanks

[ed_getka]

I believe I remember seeing one on the Ross Memorial course up in Michigan.

There is an interesting bunkering approach at Bandon Trails to the right of #11 fairway. The bunker slopes down towards the pond to the right, and undulates as it goes, sort of like widely-spaced moguls on a ski slope.

[Brad Klein]

Other convex bunkers:

Short right side of the par-4 9th green at Inwood CC on Long Island, a Herbert Strong design restored by Tom Doak

White Bear Yacht Club, St. Paul, Minn., par-4 14th hole, mid-fairway bunker, also restored by Doak

Rhode Island CC, Barrington, R.I., par-4 first hole, left side of fairway, restored by Brad Faxon.

[Tyler Kearns]

Tim,

I believe GCA favorite National Golf Links of America features a number of convex bunkers, namely on holes No. 9 and 17. They are certainly not my cup of tea, and as hazards, the ability to putt out seems a contradiction.

TK

[Peter Galea]

Tim,

I believe GCA favorite National Golf Links of America features a number of convex bunkers, namely on holes No. 9 and 17. They are certainly not my cup of tea, and as hazards, the ability to putt out seems a contradiction.

TK

I seriously doubt that you will be putting out of any of the convex bunkers at NGLA.

[ed_getka]

#17 NGLA is convex, but more like a formalized sand dune than the bunkers I'm thinking of.
   Where on  #9 NGLA is a convex bunker, I'm having trouble remembering that one.

[Tyler Kearns]

Pete,

I have not played NGLA, and realize the convex bunkers I mentioned are not located directly adjacent to the green complexes. The statement about putting out of them was more general in nature, however, what feature at NGLA would prevent playing this stroke? Unmanicured sand?

TK

[Tyler Kearns]

#17 NGLA is convex, but more like a formalized sand dune than the bunkers I'm thinking of.
   Where on  #9 NGLA is a convex bunker, I'm having trouble remembering that one.

Ed,

The fairway bunker just beyond the pond on No. 9 are convex, as are two others in the right rough and the central hazard at the far end of the landing zone (4 in total). You can clearly make them out on page 108 of Mr. Bahto's book, "The Evangelist og Golf".

TK

[Jeff_Mingay]

Garden City also features some convex sand hazards.

[A_Clay_Man]

Wild Horse # 5 is my favorite. The story on it's inception is priceless.

[ed_getka]

Adam,
   Don't keep us in suspense, what's the story? Inquiring minds want to know.

Jeff,
  Which holes at Garden City?

[PThomas]

I think there's one at Southern Dunes

[George_Bahto]

There are any number of "sand hills" at National. (Sand hills are what Macdonald himself indicated and labeled them as such some of his detailed plans).

The Bill Salinetti and his boys have done a wonderful job carefully figuring it out and "exposing" them for over a year - all this according to the Macdonald plan(s).

No one ever figured out what they were before for they were overgrown with all sorts of grasses over the years and you couldn’t really see what the land form was. It was just an evolution of growth on those hills over the years much the same way the saplings grew into trees.

The sand hills look terrific now and will even look a lot better as they blend in more naturally with their surrounding areas.

(it is hard to keep them "bare sand" because in a few months the blue stem and fesques begin to grow quite quickly)

It is an another interesting feature of the complexity of the National.

[Ian Andrew]

Garden City still has one on the third

Patrick Mucci, was the first hole ridge a sandy ridge before ?

Travis asks for many "whins" to be built at various courses (CC of Scranton had the most).

Tyler, you can not putt out of them, think natural dunes and very fine sand.

[Pat_Mucci]

George Bahto,

I would imagine that GCGC's convex bunkers were the inspiration for CBM's creations at NGLA.

[A_Clay_Man]

Ed, Since winter is setting in, I'm hoping Dick Daley will chime-in and tell the story correctly. What else is there to do in Green Bay the day after Thanksgiving? If I recall, it does involves a disagreement in a collaboration. Just to whet alittle mo'.

[George_Bahto]

Patrick said: "I would imagine that GCGC's convex bunkers were the inspiration for CBM's creations at NGLA. "

I absolutely agree, Pat

[Pat_Mucci]

Garden City still has one on the third

Patrick Mucci, was the first hole ridge a sandy ridge before ?
Yes.

Don't forget the convex bunker to the left side of # 1 about 60-80 yards from the green.[/color]

Travis asks for many "whins" to be built at various courses (CC of Scranton had the most).

Tyler, you can not putt out of them, think natural dunes and very fine sand.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

I walked over NGLA very early one morning this summer. The green staff (there seemed to be hundreds of them) were preparing the course for a handful of members to play.  Those conxex bunkers were raked by hand and some of them were enormous.  What a maintenance bill!

[Jeff_Mingay]

There's also a convex bunker at the 10th hole at Garden City, I recall.