Bunkers and Vegetation

[Alan Gard]

During a recent round I noticed bunkers on consecutive holes where the surrounding vegetation could have a significant influence on play.  The first was a greenside bunker with birch trees all along the back.  Their branches hung down so low that a shot from the front of the bunker required trajectory control to not hit the branches.  On the next hole was a fairway bunker with a large bush that hung down over the bunker.  One of our group hit it in there and had no chance to take much of a swing at the ball.

Is this good design to make bunkers more of a true hazard, or should a well-designed bunker generally be hazard enough?  What are some examples of vegetation infringing on a bunker's "personal space" that work well?  What are examples of bunkers most in need of bush/tree removal?

I appreciate your thoughts.

[John Mayhugh]

Bunkers are hazards and I don't mind a little bit of flora making them more difficult.  I don't think it makes sense to do it too often, but every now and then it's OK.  I definitely prefer trees to ornamental grass or bushes that you can lose a ball in.

These birch trees are OK with me.

[Grant Saunders]

Note the pile of leaves in the front where it appears they have been raked out of the bunker.

Trees that close to a bunker are a maintenance headache. Leaves need to be removed constantly and roots can extend into the bunker and make play and raking difficult.

Im not for or against them, it is just important to consider that it will require higher maintenance inputs.

[Adam Clayman]

Go to almost any coastal area that has sand dunes or an area with sand blowouts and see how the vegitation is dispersed around and within the blowout. This random dispersion is sexy due to its naturalness.

[Tim Bert]

I'm not a fan of the look of the bunker in John's picture.  One tree might work, but the number of trees in that picture appear to be a bit excessive.  Particularly since many of the low branches are low-hanging over the blast area and the trees are positioned such that they may impact a left-handers stance.

This is a much superior bunker in my opinion.  A nice thick bush where one could lose a ball, and where the right-handers stance would be much more impacted than the lefty.

[Jon Wiggett]

I'm not a fan of the look of the bunker in John's picture.  One tree might work, but the number of trees in that picture appear to be a bit excessive.  Particularly since many of the low branches are low-hanging over the blast area and the trees are positioned such that they may impact a left-handers stance.

This is a much superior bunker in my opinion.  A nice thick bush where one could lose a ball, and where the right-handers stance would be much more impacted than the lefty.

Tim,

you appear to think that it is fairer to impede right handers more than left handers. I don't think this is something that should be taken into account in GCA.

I believe such vegetation is alright as long as it doesn't over run the bunker completely. The player should be challenged and fairness is not something that should be taken too much into account but it must be playable in one form or another.

[Tim Bert]

Tim,

you appear to think that it is fairer to impede right handers more than left handers. I don't think this is something that should be taken into account in GCA.

Jon,

Perhaps I'm just a left-hander with a misunderstood sense of humor.

[Eric Smith]

7th at Forest Dunes

Push your second shot just a smidgen on this par 5 and hope to find it in the sand portion of this bunker.  The tree alone would be tolerable, but the low growth ornamental stuff is a penalty drop every time, IF you can find it in there.

[Jon Wiggett]

Tim,

you appear to think that it is fairer to impede right handers more than left handers. I don't think this is something that should be taken into account in GCA.

Jon,

Perhaps I'm just a left-hander with a misunderstood sense of humor.

It would seem so. I never understood the fasination of that side of the ball

[John Mayhugh]

Tim,

you appear to think that it is fairer to impede right handers more than left handers. I don't think this is something that should be taken into account in GCA.

Jon,

Perhaps I'm just a left-hander with a misunderstood sense of humor.

You can say that again.