The cost of bunkers

[TEPaul]

In my opinion, this thread is one of the best examples of all that GOLFCLUBATLAS.com can be as a resource entity.

The information coming in on this thread to TomD's question is really valuable to know--something probably very few green committees ever do know. But cost---particularly specific costs broken out is definitely one of the best ways to get the attention of green committees and club memberships.

If GOLFCLUBATLAS.com ever could or ever does create a separate and specific section on its menu to the left called "GREEN COMMITTEE", I'd suggest this thread be the first one to be copied into it permanently. It could be categorized under a "Bunker" category in that "GREEN COMMITTEE" section.

This kind of info could get the attention of plenty of people who are in a position to influence this kind of thing on golf courses! This kind of thing might even have some influence someday on bunkers here and there playing more like the hazards they're supposed to be!

[Tom_Doak]

Jonathan:

I can partly answer your question about Sand Hills because we spent some time talking to Dick Youngscap about those bunkers before building what we did at Pacific Dunes.

Every couple of winters, Sand Hills spends a considerable amount of time and money adding sand back into the bunkers with a loader.  They lose sand from wind erosion year round, but especially in the winter when they aren't irrigating fairways and greens.

The cost is significant.  Dick might have talked us out of doing that style of bunkering entirely if we couldn't have rationalized that Pacific Dunes was a bit different [winter rains keep the sand wet in the non-irrigated season which "dampens" the effect of wind erosion].  But I was just at Pacific Dunes earlier this month, and some of the bunkers are two feet deeper than we built them.

The only way to manage this situation is to roll with the punches.  At Pacific Dunes we've understood this from the beginning, and I think they have at Sand Hills also.  Luckily neither of the architects minds if their bunkers are a little deeper than intended sometimes.

[Ryan Taylor]

P.S.  This is a pretty interesting survey we've sent out.  I've only gotten three responses back so far, but the overall maintenance budgets of the three are $350,000, $767,000, and "$1,000,000 +."

Was one of three responses from Black Forest? Am I right to assume they fell in the lower range back in the early 2000's? Did any of the respondents itemize their budgets? What is the primary soil type at Black Forest? Does it vary as you move down into the valley? Could you conceivably rip out turfgrass on the perimeters of Forest Dunes and replace with natural vegitation and sandy areas?

[Jeff_Brauer]

Pat Sisk's numbers seem like the most viable answer here, after updating 25% or so for inflation.  I also think many will have higher than 11% payroll taxes.:

76 well-sized bunkers hand raked six days per week for approximately 28 weeks.  Average $8.50 per man-hour + 11% payroll and associated taxes = $9.45 per man-hour.

Raking:                          $46,967        (4,970 man hours)

Weeding:                          4,205         (445 man hours)

Trimming:                         9,545        (1,010 man hours)

Ordinary Sand Addition:  3,000 (+/-)

Rake replacement/repair:  2,000 (+/-)

Total Cost:                      $65,717

Average per Bunker:           $865

These numbers are for operating only.  Capital projects such as renovation and drainage are a separate issue. 

Pat Sisk

Milwaukee Country Club

I ask similar questions. Once, about 2011 (the same time period) in the Midwest I asked a super at one of my high end public courses and private renovation clients the same question.  For three day a week raking on the public course, the number was $50K, for the six day a week program at a nice private club, the answer was $250K.  Can't be sure if either added sand replacement, etc.

Would be interesting to get some current responses, maybe from supers both with and without liners, machine vs. hand, private vs public, include the price of sand (which can vary from $35 to $145 per ton, etc.  But, his basic format is a nice start to a formattable excel spread sheet.

Just a note, but 4,970 hours over 168 days (6 days/week over 28 weeks) equals a four man crew every day, each spending a full 8 hours (or 8 over the first half of the work day to get them done fast)

Inquiring minds want to know!

[Carl Rogers]

Harbortown as a well known course by example: w/ flat bottomed bunkers, wouldn't these bunkers avoid many problems discussed?
 


Does this thread imply that on windy sites, the design should have fewer bunkers?




And finally, isn't there going to require a more flexible definition of "unmaintained - natural" relative to climate?

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