Should centreline bunkers be used more?

[Scott Warren]

After playing North Berwick and TOC, some of my favourite holes (NBW #9, TOC #12 & #16) were made so great, in my view, through the use of centreline fairway bunkers.

But it seems rare to find them on a modern course. Why is this?

[Ross Tuddenham]

Scott, like you I really liked playing the ninth at North Berwick; do you go left right or long (is then even possible)?

I also like the concept of a centreline bunker but I can think of one argument as to why they may not be used more often.  If we look at the 16th at St Andrews and the 9th at north Berwick we can see that whether the bunker is there or not one side of the fairway is still the preferable line.  The ideal side of the fairway is dictated because of the design of the slopes in the green and the placement of the hazards around the green. 

The bunker in the middle is in a way an unsubtle way of telling the player that a choice must be made as to which side of the fairway you want to approach the green from.  Is it better if the player has to work out the strategy for themselves?  Could the effect of a centreline bunker be achieved by the use of a ridge in the middle of the fairway?  Then a ball hit down the middle does not find a hazard but may then roll to the less favourable side of the fairway?

I suppose it depends how severely you wish to punish a player who fails in the attempt of an accurate shot?  Does it then mean it works better on a par five as finding the bunker means you cannot get there in two?

I liked it but that’s just a reason I could see why others may not be so keen on the idea.

[Scott Warren]

I went left and ran past the traps, then took another five shots to get down from 190 out

The reason I like the bunkers is that it makes the preferred line more difficult to get to If you pull/push it a bit you don't just have a poor angle, you have to extracate yourself from a bunker.

On 9 @ NBW it also adds some interest to what could be a pretty Plain Jane drive otherwise.

[Sean_A]

Scott

Yes, centreline bunkers should be used much more often.  If hazards are to be used, they are the most effective way using the least amount of sand to create options.  That said, the use of centreline bunkers works best if there is another daring element creating concern for achieving the best line of attack - the use of oob for instance or simply the opportunity to reach the green if the bolder option is taken. 

I also like centreline bunkers if they pose another dimension in terms of the carry.  However, sometimes its difficult to get the placement distance right with such varying degrees of player's length. 

Ciao 

[Niall C]

After playing North Berwick and TOC, some of my favourite holes (NBW #9, TOC #12 & #16) were made so great, in my view, through the use of centreline fairway bunkers.

But it seems rare to find them on a modern course. Why is this?

Scott,

I also like the use of centreline bunkers but not to the extent of being an excuse to create a double fairway. BTW, interesting comment that you find them rare on modern courses. Without sitting down and working out where I've seen the most centreline bunkers, I would have said they were more common in modern design than old. Thats maybe one for a long car journey.

Niall

[Carl Rogers]

Is it possible that if they were used a lot over many holes might lead to a lot of property being consumed? ... and thus not acceptable in development golf?

Riverfront has fairway bunkers on holes 1, 10, 14 & 16 that fit this description.  Hole 9, a dogleg right, has a bunker that stretches across the inside of the dogleg well out into the center of the fairway.  Depending on wind condtions, a south wind from behind makes it possible to clear this bunker, but only for a few.