Restoring The Old Course

[Andy Levett]

According to Keith Mackie's St Andrews book there was once a bunker in the centre of the 1st/18th fairway, filled in shortly before WW1.
Does anyone know any more about this?
Should it be restored?

[ForkaB]

Andy

I think I've seen this factoid before, too, but can't remember where.  As for the final question--no need for a bunker unless you want to destroy the character of the hole and/or frustrate the hackers, who will already be very properly frustrated by the time they get to the 18th tee.

[Andy Levett]

Rich
I agree that in 2005  the bunker would only affect the weaker player, though with a decent wind a lot of us would become weak either going out or coming back. The carry would be about 180-190 if it was bang in the middle?
I'm thinking of the poor souls who play the course on a regular basis and no longer experience the same feelings of awe/terror/insert adjective of your choice here/  on either tee that the one-time or occasional visitor enjoys. That one small hazard could restore some of the missing spice.

[Doug Siebert]

Don't let Shivas see this thread or he'll renew his battle to get us on board with his idea of a pot bunker 40 yards short of the Valley of Sin!