[Chip Gaskins]

I love the shaggy natural looking bunkers like Royal County Down as well as what Hanse/Doak/Coore&Crenshaw do in modern times.  With that said, I also really like the look of the sharp edge bunkers of the sand belt courses in Australia.

After watching the Australian Masters this week at Huntingdale it struck me how much I like both bunker types yet they are total opposites in look and to some aspect playability.

Its those round grass faced bunkers that are lacking to me.

It seems a bit weird to like things at both far ends of the spectrum, no?

[Jeff Doerr]

Chip,

I agree.

Don't you think on the sandbelt courses there is a feel of groomed naturalism? I think Cypress Point has that same feel. The land shapes and forms seem natural. although the edges are highly manicured. Both the rugged naturalism and the groomed are pleasing to my eye.

[Tom Naccarato]

Honestly, I don't care for it or the mounds* that are shown in the picture that was posted on another thread. while it may be maintainable in the mind of the designer, honestly there isn't nearly as much maintenance that goes into the raggy, ugly bunker then you think. It just has to be done by hand--to a certain extent.

(The Sandpines: Golf on the Oregon Dunes Maintenance Meld)

[Adam Clayman]

Chip, This illustrates how the little things matter in a big way.

The stereotypical look of the sand belt course bunkers seems less important than the psychological affect due to their playability. The "gathering" affect, by having short grass up to their edge, is fundamental in allowing the ground to matter.

The typical American standard of surrounding the bunker in redundant rough grass should be the rest of the world's clue not to blindly follow American standards.

Celebrated T-Day with the first super at SH, he relayed a story about how early on Ben was up there on vacation. Corey said Ben spent a day and half going over areas where the shaggy look was blinding the golfer to the bunker. The adjustments made required tying-in some irrigation but the results, as we all know, are some of the best looks in the world.

[Philippe Binette]

I love Royal Melbourne bunkers...

The difference between RMGC bunkers because they are really well done, they get it.

A lot of people are trying to imitate those bunkers and they miserably fail... because they are translate to translate what they see in pictures into plans... problem is what looks round in 3 D (which is what they put on their plans) is not round on a plan view.

Has to be done on site to get it right...

[Nicholas Coppolo]

Chip, I love the "sandbelt" bunkers.  And while I appreciate the blown out natural look, I may be the only one on the sight that doesn't like/love them.  They've always looked faux to me.  Like I said, I understand the theory and intent behind them, but emulating natural blow outs or rough edged bunkers with shaggy "natural" edges in landscapes that clearly would not provide either naturally seems to defeat the purpose for me.

I like bunkers to look like bunkers, not like something that existed there for centuries when it clearly didn't.  I really love the look of pot bunkers and cop bunkers, and flat bottom grass faced "Ross style" bunkers. 

Most importantly though for me what I love most about the Huntingdale/RM/sandbelt bunkers is the proximity of firm, short grass up to the edge of the bunker.  If it were up to me, that would be a USGA mandate.

[Anthony Gray]

  Chip,

  You are a golfer. Blondes , brunettes, red heads, it is all good.

  Anthony

[Anthony Gray]

  Chip,

 What do you think about the Pete Dye volcano bunkers?

  Anthony

[Dan Herrmann]

Doesn't the short grass up to the edge cost a lot more in terms of maintenance?

I saw the Australian Masters on TV and went here to learn about the bunkers.  Thanks for this thread!

[PCCraig]

  Chip,

  You are a golfer. Blondes , brunettes, red heads, it is all good.

  Anthony

Anthony-

For someone who posts so much you don't add much to the discussion.

[Grant Saunders]

I think you may find the groomed and well edged bunkers of the sandbelt to partly be a function of the grasses and climate of the area.

As a greenkeeper having worked with couch in Australia (Sydney and Perth), it is really quite amazing the incredible growth of the plant during a large part of the year. I have seen couch fairways scarified 4 directions and essentially reduced to bare sand and yet 2 weeks later be fully playable with it hard to tell anything was done.

With couch bunker edges, the lateral plant growth is incredibly invasive and required us to edge them every 2-3 weeks. Failure to do so results in massive encroachment of the grass into the bunker. Particularly ones that receive irrigation.

The aggressive growth would soon basically fill in an entire bunker if left unchecked for long enough.

[Nicholas Coppolo]

Grant,
  Have you worked with bermuda?  Is couch similar?

[Joe Hancock]

Grant,
  Have you worked with bermuda?  Is couch similar?

One in the same.

Joe

[Nicholas Coppolo]

Thanks Joe.

[James Bennett]

Grant,
  Have you worked with bermuda?  Is couch similar?

One in the same.

Joe

Nicholas

to add to the confusion, it is pronounced 'cooch' as in 'hooch'.  Not to be confused with a lounge room couch (pronounced as in 'ouch' that hurt).

James B

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