As we used to say in Racing , " Speed cost money , How fast do you want to Go ? "
The cost of sand can vary significantly , In the greater Houston market ( my numbers are a few years old ) the cost of sand can be as little as $ 20.00 per ton delivered and as much as $ 120.00++ per ton delivered .
The big dog clubs are using the expensive stuff , it's plays great and you pay for it ... The regular guys are using the less expensive stuff , when conditions are right , it plays good.
My experience has been that the biggest factor is drainage ... If the bunker drains well , it generally plays well ... If it does not drain well , it's always going to be a challenge.
I don't think I've ever met a supt. that would agree to using a bunker sand that did not meet specs ... If you want your head to spin around , get into a technical discussion about sands with an expert ... You might be surprised
Final thought : If you hit it in the bunker , accept whatever challenge you get ... The architect did not hit it in there , the supt. did not hit it in there ... Nobody ever said this thing was supposed to be fair .