The "Bright White" Bunker Craze Descends on Mission Hills CC

[Benjamin Litman]

We saw it (and Frank Nobilo commented on it at length) at Innisbrook a few weeks ago for the Valspar, and we'll be seeing it again this week at Mission Hills during the LPGA's highly anticipated first major of the season, the ANA Inspiration. From what I recall, the bunkers at Mission Hills were brown in color just last year; indeed, a flyover the Golf Channel just showed of the 15th hole displays brown bunkers.

What explains the change to the bright-white bunkers? Is it an Augusta influence? If so, why has it taken hold elsewhere only very recently? If not, is there an agronomic explanation for it?

Don't get me started on the overwatering that has taken place at Mission Hills during the worst drought in California history.

P.S. Juli Inkster is wearing a Pasatiempo hat, so for those on here who in the past have suggested that the LPGA make the MacKenzie/Rollins gem their new home, hope exists.

[Garland Bayley]

Juli has had a long time relationship with Pasa.

My club was told by their supplier that they would no longer carry the brown sand the clubs uses, and would have to buy white if they wanted to buy from their supplier. Fortunately the greenkeeper shopped and found another supplier of brown, more expensive than what we used in the past, but less expensive than the white we were pushed towards.

[Josh Stevens]

What does sand cost?

We are blessed with pure tan coloured sand and so don't need to bring any in, but I am assuming it is reasonably pricey?  What does it cost to fill 100  bunkers.


I do concur that blinding white sand is ghastly.  I was shocked last year at the Australian OPen to see such imported muck in all the traps at the Australian Golf Club, despite the whole course sitting on a pure sand base.  That I guess was purely aesthetic - their natural sand is lovely stuff, but a little dirty looking and Nicklaus wanted snow white.   Not sure that says about him and the members

[Brent Hutto]

That I guess was purely aesthetic - their natural sand is lovely stuff, but a little dirty looking and Nicklaus wanted snow white.   Not sure that says about him and the members

To me it says they like bright white sand in bunkers.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

[Josh Tarble]

I actually guess this has to do with having the sand by "PGA Tour-certified" more than the bright white color.  These clubs bring in that specific type of sand from a playability stand-point.  I think it just happens to be bright white.

[Brent Hutto]

I do wonder sometimes what the bunker save percentage would be for Tour players if they played out of the bunkers at my local courses. I know they are still wizards at the shot but they do play 90% of their rounds on bunkers that are 100% perfect for getting up and down regularly.

I suspect that in particular the super soft, squishy, sink-in-to-your ankles kind of sand gives even very good players fits.

[Benjamin Litman]

I'd be curious to hear from the superintendents/agronomists on here as to whether the bright-white sand is better, more consistent, more playable, etc.

In the meantime, one problem with bright-white sand is that it arguably slows down play. Players can't see where in the bunker their balls are while walking to them, so assessing the lie and next shot starts at the ball, as opposed to on the way to it.

[Brent Hutto]

Well at the Tour level that's not an issue at all. As we all know, they have highly-paid mental game consultants assuring that they never, ever evaluate their lie or do anything else relating to their next shot until

1) the player and caddie are standing over the ball
2) all the other players in the group have finished their shot
3) everyone within 400 yards has stopped moving and preferably breathing
4) the moon is in the seventh house and Jupiter aligns with Mars

So seeing the ball from more than 20 feet away is never required.

[Tom_Doak]

What does sand cost?

We are blessed with pure tan coloured sand and so don't need to bring any in, but I am assuming it is reasonably pricey?  What does it cost to fill 100  bunkers.

Depending on where you are in the U.S., new bunker sand can cost anywhere from $20 to $100 per ton, delivered to the site [but not installed into the bunkers].  If you have 100 medium-sized bunkers, here's the math:


250,000 sq ft = 27,778 sq yd

times 0.16667 yds deep = 4,629 cubic yards

times 1.3 tons / cu yd = 6,000 tons of sand


Which puts the cost of the sand for 100 bunkers at somewhere between $125,000 and half a million.  Add in "architecturing", new drainage, bunker liners, and labor, and you can see how these projects get up to $1 million sometimes.

[Josh Tarble]

I'd be curious to hear from the superintendents/agronomists on here as to whether the bright-white sand is better, more consistent, more playable, etc.

In the meantime, one problem with bright-white sand is that it arguably slows down play. Players can't see where in the bunker their balls are while walking to them, so assessing the lie and next shot starts at the ball, as opposed to on the way to it.

Nothing scientific, but having played "tour-certified" bunkering a couple times.  WAY MORE consistent and playable.  To the point that they are way too much so.  Make a swing, ball comes out identical every time.  When people are talking about rather being a bunker, that's what they mean.  It really lessens the impact of bunkering in my opinion.