Really interesting read for me personally and some great points made. To add a little meat to the bones of Adam's comments and for those interested in the back history, Richard and I originally formed 'Envirosports Ltd' in 2010, I was sitting as Chair of Greens at my local club (Maesteg GC) and Richard part of a development group. I had arranged for the delivery of an old hockey pitch that was being lifted from a local high school for the club to use on pathways, slip areas etc. When the shipment arrived we realized that we hadn't properly thought things through due mainly to the quantity of material that was delivered and how difficult it was to handle. We came up with various ideas including bunker lining and Richards suggestion that the material could possibly be used to build a revetted bunker face. We went on to trial the idea through scale models, using differing construction techniques etc. We subsequently trialled the idea on a new bunker that was part of plans drawn up whilst re-developing a green complex.
Thus the product was born all be it in a fairly unrefined manner and we subsequently brought it to market officially in 2011.
The company ultimately split in 2014 an thus 'Durabunker' and 'Ecobunker' were formed as successor companies.
Sine that time both companies have continued to grow and courses throughout UK, Europe and USA continue to show interest in the product be it via Durabunker or Ecobunker.
Just recently synthetic bunkers featured at the LPGA Tour Championships in Tiburon GC which also hosts a PGA tour event (Franklyn Templeton Shootout) and at courses such as St Enodoc, Royal North Devon, Succession, Medalist, Tennessee National, Golf Club Budersand and Pennard (which is how this thread originally started via Tom's involvement). Many other courses have also jumped on board the synthetic bunker train.
To answer a few questions regarding proven durability, the original bunker shows no signs of failing in any way and is somewhere near 6 years old. interestingly independent research estimates that the material will take up to 200 (two hundred) years to begin breaking down when buried hence the 20 life design on the product is probably quite conservative.
There is a build up of natural growth which tends to soften the look of the product but can be controlled and removed if a cleaner look is preferred. The cost savings are related to maintenance more than any other aspect, all clients will testify to this though the savings obviously vary based on type of course, style of bunkers, number of bunkers etc.
Many links courses we work with rebuild a set number of revetted bunkers every year, Pennard is one, RNDGC is another and Southerndown (one of Envirosports earliest clients) is another. The cost analysis we did via the original company with Southerndown did in fact reveal that through labour, maintenance and materials, the course was spending in the region of £20,000 per annum on bunkers. Following the installation of what was then 'Envirobunker' these costs were dramatically cut as the bunker faces are close to maintenance free.
Regarding the thicker revetment, we actually developed the 'double stack' method following the split of the original company and used it first in St Enodoc and subsequently on a wall to wall renovation at Tennessee National (some pictures attached). The bunkers at Tennessee National in particular were brutal and for me overly penal but the club wanted to stay in line with the original design intent of Greg Norman. I believe the thicker revetment was then used at Medalist.
We did trial different grades of grass, thicker types when together at Envirosports but at that time there were concerns over certain aesthetic and functional aspects, though since that time further development has taken place with regard thicker grass types and may yet yield more positive results.
Interestingly many more inland courses are now using the product just to edge bunkers, giving them fixed shapes that will maintain design integrity, not need anywhere near the edging work a traditional turf edge would need and doesn't result in bunkers eating further and further into green complexes for example. There are numerous other benefits as well and that style of bunker with a shallow revetment often coupled with a liner is becoming more prevalent here in the UK in particular.
Really interesting and enlightening to read the discussion and long my it continue!! Feel that's enough for one post though but happy to answer questions as objectively as possible from anyone involved in the discussion.
Thanks
Rhydian
PS tried to upload photo's several times (of thicker revetment), keep getting the following message - any advice? Tried a few different browsers and files are jpegs?
An Error Has Occurred! The attachments upload directory is not writable. Your attachment or avatar cannot be saved.