Now you see it, now you don't

[Mike_Cirba]

Time for another positive about Tom Fazio.  

The Fazio-created right side green on the 8th at Pine Valley has a DEVILISH back bunker that is DEEP and almost vertical, as well as blind to the approach.

With a back pin, this bunker is seriously consequential.  Somehow, the last time I played there, I was able to hit the most perfect sand shot I may have ever played to a hole cut maybe 12 feet from the back edge, almost holing out and saving par.  I could have probably stood in that bunker with 50 balls and got up and down perhaps twice.  

Such is the joy of a well-placed, penal back bunker, in that it's a shot I will never forget.  

[Doug Siebert]

My home course had some of the bunkering around the greens reworked 5-10 years ago, three holes had little pot bunkers snuggled into the contours just up against the fringe to catch balls long and towards the left side of the green.  While they can be difficult to get and down from, they are no worse and in some cases better than what you'd have otherwise, since just about every green has a large back to front slope.  I still haven't decided whether the intent was to make things more difficult, less difficult, or more aesthetically pleasing.  A number of other holes had mounding added to the rear of the green, generally on the left side as well.  Perhaps the designer took a page from Ross' book with this attention to making life more interesting for better players who miss it long and left.

[Jerry Kluger]

Pat: I was away on a family trip for the weekend but I'd like to answer your question.  I think for today's player of  some skill the bunker shot is no doubt the one which he would most prefer playing.  You can work the ball from a good bunker better than any other option.  The chipping area is the next perferred shot as you can practice that and use any number of clubs to pull the shot off.  I've seen Tiger use his 3 wood from chipping areas and you can try putting, etc.  The shot from the rough is no doubt the most difficult although with today's wedges and balls you can do alot more than we ever thought was possible a number of years ago.  I think when playing a course with deep greens I would much sooner go long into a bunker than have an extremely long putt.