Best Holes With One Bunker or Less

[Mark_Rowlinson]

1st Royal Liverpool
5th Royal Worlington
Many holes at Royal Ashdown
Several holes at Berkhamstead
3rd Alwoodley

[Mark Pearce]

Several holes at Berkhamstead

A recurring mystery that Berkhamstead gets so little discussion here.  It's an awfully long time since I played it - I must get back.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Mark 1, Peter McEvoy, past winner of the Berkhamstead Trophy, is a big fan. Mark 2.

[Mike Benham]

I was going to suggest #17 at Pasatiempo as to my recollection, there is only 1 fairway bunker, and it is not really in play.  However, looking at the aerial, there are two bunkers side by side and that qualifies as a "I did not know that" moment ...

Aerial of Pasatiempo's 17th Hole

[Garland Bayley]

Just looked at PF's RCCC photo thread. Have to put RCCC #17 in this list! WOW!

[William_G]

#12 @ Bandon

[michael damico]

JNC...do you have a photo of the Witter design? I havent seen him around here in a while.

[Cory Lewis]

I would nominate the 3rd at Linville Golf Club(no bunkers) and the 14th at Dormie Club(one bunker)

[Tim Martin]

Yale's  365 yard  14th relies on rolling topography, and a small perched green

#3 "Blind" at Yale also is without bunkers.

[Brock Peyer]

14 at Augusta is my favorite.

[Matthew Sander]

There are two that quickly come to mind; The 5th at Chambers Bay (pictured below) with the lion's mouth bunker...I liked it so much more before they narrowed the fairway (as seen in this pic), and the boxcar par 3 7th at Lawsonia.

Chamber Bay 5th

[Wade Schueneman]

Ballybunion 11

Royal Portrush 5

Royal Dornoch 14

Machrie 7 (if it still has only one bunker; never know when those sheep will create another)

[Dean DiBerardino]

The bunkerless 7th at Inverness should be on this list.

[Niall C]

There are two that quicky come to mind; The 5th at Chambers Bay (pictured below) with the lion's mouth bunker...I liked it so much more before they narrowed the fairway (as seen in this pic), and the boxcar par 3 7th at Lawsonia.

Chamber Bay 5th

and this is AFTER they narrowed the fairway !!!!!!

I'm tempted to ask, which way does the hole run, away from the camera or across the way ?

Niall

[Niall C]

I haven't gone back through the thread but I suspect two holes that aren't mentioned are the 10th and 11th at Royal Troon. Two of the best holes in Championship golf and only one bunker between them.

Niall

[Matthew Sander]

Niall,

My original post may have been worded clumsily. The photo at Chambers is before they narrowed the fairway. I believe they've brought the fairway in 20 yards or so on the right (locals, please correct me if I'm wrong). Even with the narrowed fairway, it is still uber-wide. However, the strategic line to the right hand pin is adversely impacted. With the lion's mouth bunker, it really pays to be on the correct side of the fairway to have a chance to get close.

[Niall C]

Thanks Matthew, apologies if I came across as being snide. I take your point that the greenside bunker in front gives some reason for the width but to this UK golfer playing old fashioned courses, it certainly looks awfully wide in your photo.

Niall

[Matthew Sander]

No offense taken Niall. The photo does look wide, and the hole is as wide as I've seen. I would have preferred they brought the fairway in a little on both sides as opposed to a lot on the right side. What they have done, I think, is effectively eliminate one preferred side of the fairway...

[Yannick Pilon]

Good question!

Klondyke (4th) and Dell (5th) at Lahinch could certainly qualify.  They are both unique for sure!

A few holes at Carne could also qualify, such as the 6th and 17th.  In fact, I might surprise a few on here by saying that Carne would actually be a better golf course if they were to remove all the bunkers from the course!  That would certainly make it one the best bunkerless course!!

I would love to read some feedback on that one!

YP

[Ronald Montesano]

As I photographed Ironwood/chaperoned kids at camp yesterday (6/17- http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,48628.0.html ) it occurred to me how minimalist Witter was with his bunkering. Here is the rundown on the first 9 holes.
1-0
2-0
3-1
4-1
5-0
6-1
7-3
8-3
9-1

Forgiving him the temporary madness of 7 & 8, we have 3 holes with 0 bunkers and 4 with 1 on the front side of Ironwood. He totaled 10 bunkers on the side. I'll check the back nine now...

10-0
11-2
12-1
13-0
14-1
15-0
16-0
17-1
18-1

WOWZERS...He outdid himself on the back nine, recovering from the hysteria to total 16 bunkers on the entire course. Some of them are sizeable (greenside affairs on 9 and 18 while others are tiny (greenside on 14.) I'm guessing that maintenance was a primary issue, accompanied by pace of play.

[David_Tepper]

The 9th hole (par-4) on the Ocean Course at the Olympic Club is a very, very nice bunker-less hole.

[Matthew Mollica]

I like 12 at Cape Kidnappers (no bunkers)

[Mark Saltzman]

The bunkerless 7th at Inverness should be on this list.

+1 - 7 at Inverness is a truly phenomenal par 4 and before this post I didn't realize it had no bunkers.

Redtail in Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada has several very strong holes with 1 bunker or less.  In particular, 3, 4 and 6 are great holes with but a single bunker (none on 3).

[Jay Flemma]

I like 14 at PGA Dye Course.  Sadly, I don't have a picture of this bunkerless hole with the "raging sea" fairway.

[Charlie Visconsi]

Inverness #7 has to be at the top of the list;  it is a great and very hard golf hole.
 Also, the long par 4 at the Sagamore #13 I think it is.  A blind tee shot to a second shot over the hazard.  A very cool golf hole.