[GeoffreyC]

There are some really talented guys out there who know how to build functional HAZARDS that are also works of art.

Coore and Crenshaw, Mike Devries, Tom Doak and Gil Hanse are all included in that group. Gil and his design team are among the best.

One aspect of their work be it original or restoration that I appreciate is the unique individuality of the styles employed. When Gil built the bunkers at Craighead in Scotland, the ghost of H Colt would be smiling because they are every bit as wonderful as at Muirfield. Inniscrone and Applebrook have their own styles which are somewhat similar to French Creek (I have not seen FC in person yet). His restoration work at Plainfield (Ross), Fenway (Tillinghast) and Century (Alison) are all different then his original work and in total harmony with the original designer.

Here's to artistry in bunkering! Not bad for a Cornell guy  ;)Thanks Gil

[SPDB]

What are the chances that pictures exist of Gil's bunkers vs. the Merion bunkers that look like feces?

Joe

Joe - When you played in the new bunkers at Merion what were your specific objections?

(Tommy - your bunker baiting is not lost on me. I'm not as hungry as you are).

[Pete Lavallee]

Here's some of Gil's work at Tall Grass in Long Island:

This baby's right in the middle of the landing area on the par 5 9th.


Here's a nice touch, wouldn't want to be in the smaller one.


This one blends in beautifully with the sandy area on the left.

[Joe Hancock]

What are the chances that pictures exist of Gil's bunkers vs. the Merion bunkers that look like feces?

Joe

Joe - When you played in the new bunkers at Merion what were your specific objections?

(Tommy - your bunker baiting is not lost on me. I'm not as hungry as you are).

SPDB,

I'm getting baited as well, eh?

No, I haven't had the privelege of playing Merion, and no, I don't know, or think I know whether the bunkers look like feces. I was trying to get Tommy to show me what he was talking about, only with toned down language.

Sorry if I confused anyone.

Joe

[Mike_Cirba]

The one nice thing I can say is that Merion's bunkers now look exactly like the new ones I saw on the cover of a trade mag which depicted the "restored" bunkers at Winged Foot West.

Nice to know that Tillinghast and Wilson/Flynn were so symbiotically connected.  Who knew?    

[SPDB]

Mike -
When strained to make a connection that, in the abstract, will serve you well, the mind can play strange tricks, rationalizations can be made that seem absurd. Nevertheless, the connection is made (it has to be made!).  

What's the trade mag?

[Jim_Kennedy]

PeteL,
Do you think anyone would mind if that little bunker in the middle photo was accidentally filled in?

 

[Pete Lavallee]

Hell yes Jim, I would mind. I think it adds that fear factor which frankly the bigger bunker doesn't provide. This does bring up a good point: is maintaining that seperate bunker worth the effort to the guy who has to maintain the course?

[Jim_Kennedy]

Pete,
It's just my opinion but I don't feel that little bunker adds much fear. I think it might look more fearsome if it were all alone, as I could see myself asking the question "why'd he put that there?" and I might have a harder time getting that solitary little stink hole out of my mind.  

I saw some of Gil and crews bunkers while at the recent meeting. They sure do nice work.

[SPDB]

don't touch that little bunker.

[Donnie Beck]

I knew I like that guy for a reason..

[Mike_Cirba]

Sean;

I'm not sure the name.  It's a NYC metro publication.  

Matt Burrows had it at the Baltursrol dinner.

[Mike_Cirba]

Sean;

I'm also unclear what you mean by;

"When strained to make a connection that, in the abstract, will serve you well, the mind can play strange tricks, rationalizations can be made that seem absurd. Nevertheless, the connection is made (it has to be made!)."

I did no straining, Sean.  I was handed the magazine (which was being passed) and my immediate thought was, "turfed, uniform surrounds, fussy, but not quite right machine detailing, a poor attempt to get the classic details right without the time or knowledge or effort required...looks like Ardmore Ave."  

It really comes down to art versus craft, Sean.  It's as simple as that.

[SPDB]

Did they look similar to Oakmont, Riviera, and Pine Valley's "new" bunkers? As it would have been with WF, I'm certain you don't need a trade magazine to answer that query.

And as to your comment that they look like Ardmore Ave., the US Am. is going to be one difficult tournament. I thought it was only WF's greens that resembled asphalt.

[Mike_Cirba]

I've not seen the new bunkers at Oakmont.  My understanding is that the club was hoping to "avoid the mistakes" made elsewhere and were very judicious and protective in how the work was done.

Merion's bunkers and the bunker work done at Riviera (thankfully, many original Thomas bunkers remain) are VERY similar in look and style.   The completely new bunker on #8 at Riviera is a friggin joke, Sean... we stood around howling in disbelief at it for about 5 minutes.

I believe that's why there is a left coast Gorge "Puffy" Thomas competing with the original Huge "Puffy" Wilson.  You know how those gang-bangers compete!  

Pine Valley I only saw as a work in progress about two years ago, so I'll refrain comment there.

Actually, I'm not sure my art vs craft analogy completely explains it.  

I think a large part of it boils down to passion and love and care for the work versus punching a clock and moving down the road to the next job.

[Mike_Cirba]

Actually, since this thread is about Gil Hanse and crew's bunkers, I thought I would post some more pics, in this case, a restoration of a Tillinghast classic.

[Michael J. Moss]

Nice photos of holes 16, 15, 14 and 10 at Fenway GC, a course right in my backyard (literally - I have a nice view of their brand new maintenance facility  ).

I'll repeat what I've said before in this forum, Gil did a wonderful job restoring this formerly underrated course. He had a lot to do with Fenway now being recognized as being one of AW's best.

Under the category of Bunker artistry, I was pleased to read in Geoffrey Child's reply that he has included Mike DeVries in the elite company of Coore and Crenshaw, Doak and Gil. I've noticed Mike's Kingsley design is getting is due moving up to number 22 Modern in Golf Week.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Herman,

Your mention of Kingsley moving to #22 on Golfweek's list lead me to review this year's list. I was amazed to find that not one of Gil's courses (excluding his work at the original Stonewall with Doak) cracked the top 100. An interesting, but certainly misleading stat, as it relates to Gil's talents.

[Mike_Cirba]

Jeff;

I'm frankly amazed at that, as well.  

Gil's original courses are daring in the throwback, match-play style and I know that some people view that with their "fairness, card and pencil" glasses on.

I believe that Rustic Canyon, Inniscrone, French Creek, and Applebrook are all strong contenders, but I leave that to my fellow raters to consider.

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

What Gil did at Pine Hollow is truely remarkable. Though still not a great course, it is now pretty good because of his bunker work.  Before Gil, it could have been passed off as another generic fill in the land and make it look RTJ like without  spending much money type of course.  It really was boring with some odd doglegs--land issue holes.  The bunkering by Gil is very dramatic and significantly changed how most of the holes must be played.

[Doug Siebert]

The article talking about bunkers being originally created by sheep sheltering from the wind made me recall a time when it wasn't just sheep.  When I played Lahinch with my dad in 1996, the winds were howling around 50 mph.  At one point, I think it was between the 11th green and the 12th tee, the rain start spitting in a very cold and painful manner, and we huddled for two or three minutes against a sandy hollow that would have made a wonderful bunker had it been in play.  I'm sure thousands of golfers before and after us taking shelter there contributed to that natural "bunker"

Wish I had a picture of it to post.

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