Alternatively, an extension to Michael Hendren topic “A Brief Bunker Pictorial (No Frills) including Island Greens.
Courses with shallow bunkers (both fairway and adjacent to the Greens) and island Greens appear to me to have been designs (sorry I use that words lightly) more like rushed through, as we say here a ‘Friday afternoon job’ (rushed to get away for the weekend).
The shallow bunker is not a hazard or deterrent let alone a serious trap to the average golfer. It represents no challenged to a Professional unless he is still suffering form the night before. So pray, tell me just what good are they and what is their purpose. Before others add to the already interesting posts on Michaels thread, let me try to see if I can find a reason. I can’t find a golfing reason for them, but I can see the modern trend of being lenient to the golfer, the lets not upset or test them mentality, the opinion may even encourage golfers to utilise these bunkers to detract them form the better approach to the pin. However once the hole is played the secret is out for the more competent player (or if accompanied by a Caddie, what secret, as all would be revealed).
Some use the same excuse for dislike of blind holes, yet more skill is required to finally understand these holes but over numerous rounds. Yet skill can still be tested by the quality of the Green Keeper with his regular placement of the hole. The shallow fairway bunker unless lipped allows the ball to run straight throw, showing how good a hazard or trap it in the modern game.
These bunkers in MHO are just a total waste of effort, I was going to say design effort but where is the design in the following picture from Michael’s thread.
Or
Worst still is the cost to build or to maintain these things, which puts more of a burden (only financially) on the golfer, so just what use let alone deterrent are they on a golf course. Penal but only on the cost front, as for good design, well very debatable, so why have them?
No, I am not a supporter of the shallow bunkers and I feel they are a weakness, much used by designers more perhaps out of convenience than for any constructive purpose.
The Island Green, they have been breeding over the last 20-30 years and regrettable still not on the threatened or pending extinction listing. Whilst they may add to the overall picture quality and pretty grandeur of the Chocolate Box course, they have the habit of just killing the game dead. Not just the whole round but match can go face down by these pointless golfing monstrosities. I am reminded of the saying that ‘Beauty is skin deep’, yet in the case of Island Greens, in fact any water hazard more that 6-10 feet wide is IMHO pointless. In a game of golf they are the most penal, thus prosecute the golfer with extreme prejudice resulting and achieving a big fat Zero in pleasure or a sense of achievement. I understand playing over a small burn and drainage channel, gully etc., etc., but building a Green in a lake, no matter how big or small, it’s not natural. The ideas of having to cross, small rivers, burns, channel and gullies, is acceptable and natural, being based upon the most fundamental of all the original golf design practices of working and blending with Nature plus the surrounding land. But, sorry guy’s lakes, that is just again IMHO a cop out by the designers. All a golfer has to do is be proficient and hit a straight ball, but we discard the poor to average players, I may even go as far as to say discriminate against them by allowing these simplest of design features, plain water. I can just hear the excuses for having these, but mainly the lake hold the water supply for that part of the course. Bollocks, keep the lakes away from the Greens and courses. Incorporating them within a course design is that not an easy way out plus I expect one of the most expensive to construct.
On the matter of Island Green I am reminded of Ian’s Caddyshack blog of the 14th Nov 2007, from which I attach a couple of photos of these Island Greens, God where are the battleships when you need one to blast these thing clear out of the water.
So do you like pretty, pretty or do you want to play golf is, I suppose the question we all need to ask ourselves. As for the Designers, may I be so bold to suggest working over the weekend, hopefully, alleviating these need for the quick fix/fast finished design options.
To the designers, no disrespect intended, as I am only stating my opinion. Not being aware or knowing the limitation you are required to follow or for that matter your Clients brief only you can answers the question WHY do we need Island Greens and/or Shallow Bunkers?
Melvyn