If bunkers are meant to be hazards shouldn't

[Alex Lagowitz]

I think the more penal the bunker, the more the golfer will attempt to avoid it.
A mildly penal bunker might cause the golfer to flirt it without being too concerned with the consequences of going in it.
However, a deep bunker would make the golfer think again about taking the aggressive line.

On the other hand, the recovery shot is perhaps the greatest part of the game.
Making all the bunkers unrecoverable removes the recovery aspect and becomes a total strategic nightmare where bunkers are just as bad as water, sometimes better in that you can advance your ball a little, sometimes worse when you end up not clearing the lip and having to hit again (and again and again).

I think the best designs should have some absolutely penal bunkers, where you have to basically flop to get out.  Think pot bunkers in UK.
These should especially be on short par 4s and 5s where the golfer is taking on major risk by attempting to pull a shot off that could be very rewarding.

However, on a mid-long par 4, I think the lips should be penal, but not enough to discourage the daring golfer to pull out a 7-iron and try to get to the green.  Of course, no tough bunker is ever going to allow one to hit a 6-iron or less (lip is too low).  IMO, the lip should tempt the  daring to take it on, so to say, but still have that risk reward aspect.  Hit it absolutely perfect, and have a shot at getting to the green.  Fail, and have to hit the shot again, and most likely be closer to the lip. The safe golfer can easily take his medicine and pitch out.

The deep, penal bunker makes the game one-dimensional, and the second shot automatic.  The bunkers I am describing are penal enough to cause damage to your score, but not penal enough as to tempt the daring golfer who took the aggressive line in the first place to try and pull off a tough recovery.

[Patrick_Mucci]

The option of trying to advance the ball pretty far--perhaps all the way to the green--is an exciting one and shouldn't be discounted in rigid adherence to the "bunkers are meant to be hazards" axiom.

If the golfer who can reach them off the tee can hit the green with his approach, you have to question their effectiveness and purpose as a hazard.

But if he has no choice but to pitch out sideways, then don't they have little interest?

Jeb,

Would you cite 5 course in the U.S. where you have to pitch out sideways from fairway bunkers ?

Wouldn't the ideal be somewhere in the middle, where the golfer can choose to either try and advance the ball, and risk a two-shot penalty, or accept his one-shot penalty and pitch out?. 

Isn't that more a factor of whether your ball ends up in the front versus the back of the bunker ?

[Mark Chaplin]

Patrick it is disingenuous to most members of private clubs to say if there were no caddies the bunkers would go unraked. Take away the unessential luxury of a caddie and the player just has another 10 second job to do themselves. The chap who wouldn't rake a bunker, wouldn't replace a divot or pitch mark and shouldn't get through the initiation process.

A decent pot bunker if you have a decent lie will allow you to progress the ball 20-30 yards, further if you are back in the bunker. Even gaining 30 yards has an element of risk/reward as I know I'd shoot consistently lower scores hitting 3 clubs less for my approach shot. In my experience and I play 90% of my golf on links courses, it is rare to play out sideways from fairway bunkers. Maybe once every 4-5 rounds.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Patrick it is disingenuous to most members of private clubs to say if there were no caddies the bunkers would go unraked.


Mark,

Would you cite, with specificity, where I stated that "most" members of private clubs would leave bunkers unraked if there were no caddies ? ? ?

Either your reading comprehension skills are lacking or your memory is failing.

Apologies will be accepted

Take away the unessential luxury of a caddie and the player just has another 10 second job to do themselves. The chap who wouldn't rake a bunker, wouldn't replace a divot or pitch mark and shouldn't get through the initiation process.

A decent pot bunker if you have a decent lie will allow you to progress the ball 20-30 yards, further if you are back in the bunker. Even gaining 30 yards has an element of risk/reward as I know I'd shoot consistently lower scores hitting 3 clubs less for my approach shot. In my experience and I play 90% of my golf on links courses, it is rare to play out sideways from fairway bunkers. Maybe once every 4-5 rounds.


Mark,

That's a good point.
And, no one seems to complain about the existence of pot bunkers.
PV would be a good example in the U.S.