Thanks Jeff,
[size=0px]“Short of it if I want a carry bunker (usually angled and somewhat elongated) Especially with carry bunkers, it seems obvious that the shorter the distance, the more golfers will be able to enjoy the challenge, at the expense of top players being able to carry it a bit too easily. That decision varies at every course, and with topo as with any hazard.”[/size][/color][size=0px]
This is what I was wondering. The changes are for all players not just the top players. Disappointing for some players but great for others. I guess it’s all about balance for everyone. Thanks for your post. Good stuff.
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Rob,
I can't tell you how many times I have been at a renovation and the discussion turns to "what would happen when the Tour shows up" when there is no plan for the Tour to show up. Even if you consider those players, at far less than 1% of drivers that hit it 300+, its a low value proposition to place bunkers out that far at the other 99% of the courses. I have considered, especially on carry holes, adding a second back tee, further back than the main back tee, mostly a button just big enough to mow to accommodate those guys, but they get unmown in a hurry when there isn't a divot in the first five years, LOL.
Thomas,
I had one client who was convinced, in the whole value proposition, that no bunkers should be placed over 300 yards, as they would rarely see use, and directed the use of increased fw contour - which adds no cost to construction or maintenance really - as the better option. Nowadays, when middle and forward tees are moved up proportionally to the entire hole length, rather than split by 25-30 yards, some combos can put the fw hazards at the right distances for both long and shorter players.
And in a now typical sand bunker reduction project, the client took me out to my fw bunker on the 8th at Sand Creek Station, which I had made big for outside views (road, housing) and showed me the outer half hadn't ever been raked because it saw no action. It is hard to justify keeping a bunker that rarely comes into play, an idea I think started by Mac in the depression when he was stressing economy, and even ANGC came out with something line 34 bunkers. We forget those ideas in good times but they tend to come back and haunt us.
As to bunkers at the same distance, on the 18th at Sand Creek I decided to do that, perhaps the first time in my career. Ron Whitten wrote a review and was actually stunned that anyone would try that, the idea being more or less poo pooed so strongly after the RTJ/Wilson/Joe Lee era the it was presumed dead.
Like almost any other idea for fw sand bunkering, I never thought it was so good to repeat up to 14 times per course, but never so bad that doing it once was not a good idea. That said, while I like at least one narrow fw as a distinct tee shot challenge, it usually works out that there is a wooded hole where that can be done just as well without sand bunkers.
I recall many par 5 holes when I was young that had bunkers both sides of the presumed second shot LZ. To me, that is okay, especially where laying up takes you over 150 yards or so, sort of the edge of the accuracy zone, probably putting its best use on holes nearly 600 yards long. (i.e., the "true 3 shot par 5" whatever that is. Using it similarly on a mid length par 4 tee shot where the same layout distance can be created probably makes some sense, too.