What ever happened to gathering bunkers?

[John Kirk]

I want to know the guy that is going to fly mow that bunker twice a week.  I am guessing he has to put a fly mow on a rope and swing it back and forth just to be able to get the grass all the way down at the bottom.  Then you have to blow all that mowed grass into a corner and shovel it out without taking out much sand.  That will be a maintenance nightmare.

Yeah, Pete, you are 100% right, but I think it's kind of cool as a one and only hazard at Chambers Bay.  It's also quite unnatural in appearance.  They probably draw straws in the maintenance shack to see which poor bastard has to mow it.

[Shaun Feidt]

It actually appears that this bunker has been freshly sodded, and it is maintained at fairway height.  I'm not even sure if that could be maintained with a fly mower.  I would hate to be the guy with the shortest straw. 

[Pete Lavallee]

Shaun,

I beleive the bunker is new, installed at the suggestion of Mike Davis for the Open. Will this one be removed after the Open like the one on the par 5 at Olympic Club?

[Matthew Essig]

Shaun-

That picture was taken a few months ago. I am not sure if it still has the freshly sodded look.

Pete-

I am 99% sure that bunker is permanent.

[Jay Flemma]

To Ran's point, I think they're unpopular because they're deemed "unfair" by the modern day golfer.

You're right about ht too.  I also love that it's center-line, and casual golfers often don't like center-line. It make them over-think, and that leads to bad swings, and then they end up in the hazard they were trying to avoid:)

[Jon Wiggett]

I want to know the guy that is going to fly mow that bunker twice a week.  I am guessing he has to put a fly mow on a rope and swing it back and forth just to be able to get the grass all the way down at the bottom.  Then you have to blow all that mowed grass into a corner and shovel it out without taking out much sand.  That will be a maintenance nightmare.

Peter,

if it is fescue and on a lean soil and kept so then it will only need the flymo every 10 weeks or so through the main season.

Jon