Why has the Melbourne ‘sand-belt’ style bunkering not been used anywhere else?

[Scott Warren]

Some more pics of Sndbelt bunkering just to further the point that the aesthetics differ greatly across the area.

Royal Melbourne (West) 4th:


Royal Melbourne (West) 5th:


Royal Melbourne (East) 16th:


Kingston Heath 7th:


Kingston Heath 12th:


Metropolitan 1st:


Metropolitan 14th:


Peninsula (North) 6th:


Peninsula (North) 13th:


Yarra Yarra 11th:

[David_Elvins]

No, I have not been to the Sandbelt, hoping to get there sometime next year (hell, I'm already halfway there!).... Anyways, I have seen my fair share of Sandbelt photos, even played Royal Melbourne on my Playstation... That counts right?

To answer your second question, yes, I still would have posted these photos.

Ryan,

Without wanting to cause offence, I don't think that those bunkers have any resemblence ot the sandbelt bunkers at all.  I would be interested to see how the American courses you talked about turned out. Do you have any photos of them.



Greg Norman has used 'sandbelt style' bunkers a bit.  There are a few immitations at pebble beach too. 

[Ryan Farrow]

To keep the education process going, Smyers Sandbelt Bunkers (All I could Find off of Google anyone please feel free to add):












Norman @ Ellerston:

[Scott Warren]

Steve Smyers apparently built the bunkers at Chart Hills with the intention of paying homage to the Sandbelt.

They neither look nor play like sandbelt bunkers.

[Ryan Farrow]

More Melbourne:



















Metropolitan














Kingston Heath:











Quite a bit of variety throughout the Sandbelt....... what is right, what is wrong?

[Ryan Farrow]

Augusta National ?:

[Scott Warren]

Ryan,

Given we don't just look at golf courses, are you not overlooking the crucial aspect of how the bunkers play?

I have played from lots of bunkers with flashed faces. Very few of those outside of Melbourne are even remotely similar in playability to the bunkering at Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath or Metro (and others I've not played, I'm sure).

IMO this is an example of the dumbing down of golf to pretty pictures and ignoring the most crucial aspect: how it plays.

Here's a picture of a flashed face bunker on my home course in Sydney. We routinely see balls plug in the face of this and other bunkers on the course due to the native sand being far different from that on the sandbelt. You'd need some impressive ball speed to plug a ball in the face of a bunker at RM!

[Mike_Clayton]

Scott,

Keep that photo - it may make an interesting before and after.

[Scott Warren]

I'm keeping them all, Mike.

Could make the most amazing before and after this site has ever seen!