[T_MacWood]

Which of the great courses would continue to be great if their artificial hazards were removed?

[Dennis_Harwood]

Since the bunkers were not artificial at TOC (made by sheep for shelter) do they get to keep them?

[ForkaB]

All of the truly great ones.

[Tim_Weiman]

Tom:

The "great" course I'm most familiar with (Ballybunion) could be stripped of all its bunkers and it wouldn't make much difference at all.

[Ran Morrissett]

If you take away the bunkers, essentially what is left is the topography and the greens.

Royal Ashdown Forest works well because of its severe topography.

Similarly, I reckon Yale would be fine if its bunkers were removed, given its awesome combo of topo/greens and Pine Valley would too given its greens and the scrubby areas left behind. Same for Pebble thanks to its topo and tiny pitched greens.

Despite its greens (!), I don't think Winged Foot West's topo is good enough for a course sans bunkers.

Cypress Point would be particularly hard hit by the removal of its artistic bunkers - its greens aren't quite enough.

Interesting to just go the list of famous courses and envisage it.

Cheers,

[Jeff_Mingay]

I played my first full eighteen holes at The Kingsley Club last Sunday. It's a course that would likely keep most of its present interest even if the artificial bunkers were removed, for the same reason as Ashdown Forest: the severe topography would continue to dominantly effect play; particularly on the first nine holes.

[Aaron]

I cannot totally vouch on this claim, but as I understand it TOC's undulations mean as much/more to the strategy then the bunkers. But having not had the pleasure of teeing it up there I may be totally wrong.

A course near me, Hockley Valley, is a fun course to play with 0 bunkers. Not any gift to strategy but fun none the less. I think you can attribute it interest to 200 foot+ elevation changes.

Aaron

[Tim_Weiman]

Jeff Mingay:

I'm guessing Mike DeVries would appreciate hearing your comments about Kingsley, but I sure as hell would never want all that work he did removed!

[TEPaul]

Very good question and from what I've seen recently Royal Portrush would not suffer much if at all if the bunkering was removed (at least on the first sixteen holes). The reason is exactly what Ran said above--the natural topography is so excellent that it doesn't really need bunkering to work properly for golf. Of course the bunkering the course does have doesn't exactly hurt anything though---and of course if it was all to be removed you might have to draw the line with not removing that extraordinary thing on #17!! No matter what, that should stay!

[Paul Perrella]

TEPaul,

 Could not agree more about the bunkers at Royal Portrush. Some of the most natural golf topography I've ever seen and it is only enhanced by the bunkering. Just wondering what would be said today if an architect tried to duplicate the bunker on #17. Certainly a spectacular piece of land would be needed to allow this.

[Paul Turner]

But you wouldn't want to remove that great strategic fairway bunker on the 4th at Portrush?!  Or that greenside pit on the 12th, the skinny green and bunker combination make that hole.

[TEPaul]

Pauls:

Frankly there's no good reason whatsoever to touch Portrush and all the bunkering that's there is super too. The only point I'm making is the entire golfing ground at both Valley and Dunluce is so damn good it would be fantastic still sans bunkering. Just an example for this thread topic, certainly not any kind of recommendation, and to think of seriously doing such a thing---well, perish the thought!

[Slag_Bandoon]

 To preface my opinion, I would not like to see this happen but I would still enjoy playing...

Pacific Dunes (It would really hurt the 6th and 15th and I would really miss the back bunker on 8 and front Placek bunker by the green at 18 and the fairway bunkers on 2 and, etc.)

Carne, in Belmullet, Ireland.  Has very few anyway. "Eddie Hackett promised to add more bunkers when he found out where the most divots were."  Head green keeper at Carne.

Touches on another thread there.

[Mike Hendren]

Quoting Ran:  "Essentially what is left is the topography and the greens."  That describes Augusta National, IF you still consider it to be a great golf course. Its bunkers are eye candy in form, condition and location.  

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