With the news on furrowed bunkers at Jack's tournament this year and the Bobby Jones article provided by Geoff Shackelford on his site, I try to search some informations on the origin of furrowed bunkers.
I was aware of the Oakmont history and was thinking that it was the origin of these bunkers.
But I find an article from Phil SOKOL for The Sports Network on the history of Baltusrol : "It was also in 1903 that Baltusrol hired Scottish born golfer George Low as its head professional and greens keeper. Low, who would stay on until 1925, is credited as the inventor of a rake and furrowed bunker. To penalize a ball in a trap, Low devised a rake that produced furrows in the sand about an inch and a half deep and three inches wide. This was done to prevent players from using their putters to escape."
http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.asp?c=sportsnetwork&page=golf-m/misc/course_reviews/baltusrol.htmMore interesting, when reviewing Oakmont and his history, Phil SOKOL did not mention the furrowed bunkers.
Is someone has more information on the origin of the furrowed bunkers ?
And is it exact that at the origin "This was done to prevent players from using their putters to escape." ?