[Scott Coan]

Played this course last week (world top 100) and was confronted with these conditions in nearly every bunker I was in.  Look for the deepest heel print and that's where your ball normally came to rest.  A couple of the lies were basically unplayable.

The course itself was incredible and I'm sure a few of you will recognize the course from the unique "rakes".

The staff at this course obviously were not maintaining the bunkers themselves (or if they do they certainly had not done so in many, many days...) so whenever a player entered one I'm pretty sure their feeling was, "why the heck should I rake this thing if nobody else has".  

My theory is this.  If the staff had maintained the bunkers to a satisfactory state then players entering them would see that they had been taken care of and would rake (or "plow" in this case) their own footprints/dirtywork accordingly.  But since there was no evidence of any maintenance whatsoever, then the players themselves took the same attitude and simply left the bunker in a worse state than how they found it.

A bit of a reverse take on ther "broken windows" theory of crime fighting...

 

[Craig Sweet]

Scott, its a hazard, remember?

Perhaps the ponds should have an 8" lip around them to keep balls from rolling in?  

[Scott Coan]

Craig, yes of course they are hazards.  I just thought they were meant to be playable hazards and in many cases they were not.

Having said that, my understanding is that many of the bunkers on this course were put in place to prevent lost balls so I suppose I should have been happy just to find my ball!

 

[Craig Sweet]

Bunker to prevent lost balls! That's a new one!

For the most part I think "bunkers" are un-natural eyesores, regardless of maintinance levels....

[Paul Payne]

I honestly wish they'd give up on the whole raking bunkers thing everywhere. Ever since the invention of the sand wedge the role of the bunker has been neutralized. It should tell you something when you breathe a sigh of relief because you went in the bunker and not in the rough.

Just my humble opinion which I know is not widely shared.

 

[Scott Coan]

For the most part I think "bunkers" are un-natural eyesores, regardless of maintinance levels....

I can assure you that the bunkers on this particular course were anything but unnatural but it really was a struggle just to get out of the footprint, let alone the bunker itself.  Forget about trying to hit it anywhere near your intended target.

But it is, as you say, a hazard.

I can promise you Jim Furyk would not have been picking a 190 yard 3 iron out of them, that is for sure!!!

[Jay Flemma]

Well there are some bunkers to protect against lost balls.  Silva does it alot with his strip bunkering...strantz and dye too.

Where's Mike Cirba and his "I reckon I prefer the dirty bunkers" tagline

While I think running a herd of charging buffalo through the bunkers is a bit much, bunkers are for penalty and repentance (or however the saying goes

In short, that bunker you were in was a bit too far on the dirty side, but then again, if they all were like that...its the same for everyone...

[Ryan Farrow]

I kind of like all the little bumps in the bunker like that. They don’t even look like footprints. Perhaps courses should start letting the local kids run around in each bunker about once a week.

[paul cowley]

...its the best looking bunker I have seen of late.

[Scott Coan]

I kind of like all the little bumps in the bunker like that. They don’t even look like footprints. Perhaps courses should start letting the local kids run around in each bunker about once a week.

Ryan, if you were in some of the bigger and deeper "little bumps" then you were lucky to advance the ball one foot, and then it would most times fall into another one.  So unless you enjoy sticking needles in your eye, then I don't think you would have enjoyed them.  

[Jonathan McCord]

Maybe this is how the USGA could toughen courses.  Players wouldn't want to go anywhere near bunkers if they weren't maintained.  No more bailing out into bunkers during the U.S. Open.  

[Tyler Kearns]

Scott,

The rakes look similar to those found at Sutton Bay, although I think they have a more square appearance. I'll have to check my photos.

TK

[Ryan Farrow]

Scott, I would not hit my ball in the bunker.Or die trying.

[Scott Coan]

Scott,

The rakes look similar to those found at Sutton Bay, although I think they have a more square appearance. I'll have to check my photos.

TK

Nope.  I've deliberately left out the course name as I do not want this to be an indictment of the course as I absolutely loved the place.  It's just that my enjoyment factor was decreased a bit with the state of the bunkers.  Having said that I did not have a particulary good score to protect so I just took it on the chin each time and fought my way out.

I understand this whole minimilist theory of non-maintained bunkers but I do think it is a detriment to this course.  As a daily fee course it is depending on customers to show up at it's door to give them cash in exchange for the privilege to play.  Whilst I would be back there in a heartbeat there are some that would not simply because of this factor.

[Garland Bayley]

...was confronted with these conditions in nearly every bunker I was in. ...

After being in the first one, what is your excuse for being in more? Have you been conditioned to aim for the bunker, and couldn't shake your conditioning?

[A_Clay_Man]

Scott,
What do my feelings
have to do with it?

That's a real bunker and you deserve
 whatever lie you get in it.

If you get a really bad lie,
try treating people better.
Karma's a biatch.

And,

Could you please reduce the size of that picture,
 or,
limit the spacing of your text?
Thanx

[Yannick Pilon]

I would probably be pissed about going in the bunker in the first place....

Then I would probably take a sand wedge, and give it a good whack towards the area where my next shot would be facilitated....

Then I would remember myself not to go in those freakin' bunkers again!

Sounds like fun to me.... Isn't this what the game is about?

[Peter Galea]

This is found under "Etiquette-Care of the Course" in the USGA's Rules of Golf.


"Before leaving a bunker, players should carefully fill up and smooth over all holes and footprints made by them and any nearby made by others.
If a rake is within reasonable proximity of the bunker, the rake should be used for this purpose."

Looks like the players of this course need a lesson in etiquette.

 

[Scott Coan]

Scott,
What do my feelings
have to do with it?

That's a real bunker and you deserve
 whatever lie you get in it.

If you get a really bad lie,
try treating people better.
Karma's a biatch.

And,

Could you please reduce the size of that picture,
 or,
limit the spacing of your text?
Thanx

Adam, if you are the owner of the course that has just spent many millions of dollars in it's creation, then I would think the feelings of his paying customers are of uptmost importance.

Why does one deserve to be sitting in a deep footprint when one hits a shot into a bunker?  Do you rake bunkers after you have dug your feet in?  Why?

If you can tell me how to reduce the size of the picture I gladly will.

Cheers

[paul cowley]

Adam...aside from being the first you are a sly one  

[Bill_McBride]

Unfortunately if you eliminated rakes, you would cause what we hate to identify, "unfairness."  

Some players would make a serious attempt to honor the spirit of etiquette and would smooth the sand to the best of their ability.

Others would say "what the hell" and just leave it.

Inequity would result.  Therefore rakes are the best answer.

Is this a valid position?

[Mike_Cirba]

In a word, PRIVILEGED.  

[Matt_Cohn]

I feel like if I find out this bunker is at Pacific Dunes or Myopia Hunt or someplace like that, I'll be OK with it. And if I find out it's at my local muni, then I'll say it stinks.

Anyone else feel this way? Is there any justification for feeling that way?

[Andy Troeger]

I might be on the wrong site, but I'd most likely be irritated, and unless I was actually playing for something I'd probably be very tempted to grab that rake and do something about it

If I was playing for something I'd just take my medicine for hitting a lousy shot into the bunker...and be irritated

[Patrick_Mucci]

Scott,

I agree with Craig Sweet on this issue.

I think bunkers tend to be overgroomed.
I'd prefer to see them raked on a "needs" basis rather than daily or regularly during the week.

While I agree with Pete Galea with respect to etiquette, it's more on the side of not leaving massive footprints in the bunker, as opposed to not leaving any evidence that a golfer has been there.

Specialty equipment and medal play have changed the way many, if not most, view bunker maintainance.

Then again, I'm one of those advocating the return of the "furrowed"rakes, ala Oakmont.

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