I agree with your point Simon. However, given the trees further up the fairway that bunker is pointless. My bigger issue with 9 and generally about Prestbury is trees. Just imagine the view from 9 tee and the halfway house with loads of trees removed. One day clubs will realize what is buried in trees.
Ciao
I agree that from the high point of the tee on the 9th, the view down the length of the course and general overall feeling of space would be improved considerably by removing trees within what is already quite a compact site. I doubt that this will likely happen though, as whilst the club had removed a large number of trees from within existing copses, several existing open areas had been planted with saplings...
Concerning the bunkers on the 9th, from the daily play tee you are forced towards the first fairway bunker on the left due to trees cutting in on the right-hand side, so much so, that the bunker feels unnecessary. These same trees restrict your view up the fairway and of the right-hand fairway bunker.
When we played, the members in front of us who had been playing from the daily play tees, used the back tees as these gave a much better line down what was already a difficult driving hole.