Forgive me if this issue has been covered recently...
Whenever I see bunkers that are completely surrounded by fairway, I wonder to myself why they almost always seem to have an edge of rough around them. Is this usually because it is too cumbersome to mow the grass around the bunkers to fairway height? I personally think that a seamless transition from fairway to sand is more interesting and strategic (whatever that truly means). It a rough buffer between short grass and sand meant just to protect worse players from having to hack away at the sand?
The 4th hole here at Pawleys Plantation has three centerline bunkers in the landing area. More often than not, I'll hit a drive straight at them, but it'll get hung up in the rough and won't make it to the bunkers. Not that I'm upset about saving a shot, but I feel as though players get away with a bad shot a little too easily in such situations.
Cheers.
--Tim Gavrich