Your Favorite Bunker

[cary lichtenstein]

I love the bunkers at St Andrews , deep with the stacked sod faces, the higher the better

My first choice is always deep bunkers with big upswept faces and hairy lips with about 12" of grass on top.

I like the bunkers that Nicklaus did at the Ritz.

I like the Dick Wilson bunkers at Cog Hill.

I don't like the bunkers redone at Bayhill, I do like the bunkers at Sand Hills, as well as the bunkers at The Quarry at Giants RIdge.

[Ben Voelker]

Tom,

I understand that you aren't talking about the type of course that I'm referring to, but going bunkerless for the sake of GCA.  My only point, which might not have been clear, was that there are plenty of interesting shots to be had, especially around the greens, at even a marginal muni like the one I was referring to.  With that being the case, it seems that a "bunkerless"  course, with the effort made to create GCA features could be fantastic.  Further, it's surprising that no architect has given that type of course a chance in the right situation.  I suppose they would have to have a client who would be pretty bold as many courses seem to measure their "greatness" by the number of bunkers the course contains.

Also, it seems like a sandless course, especially around the greens, could be a way to really challenge the pros.  As a matter of fact, one of the core values of GCA is challenging the best golfers and allowing a poor golfer to enjoy themselves.  But greenside bunkers are ass backwards in that regard, so wouldn't a bunkerless green complex fit that value better?

In short, I agree with you completely, it would be invigorating to see what a great architect could come up with using no sand as defense.

Ben

[Tom_Doak]

One of my favorite bunkers is a little skinny flat bunker on the right of the 12th green at Crystal Downs, with some white birches on the mounds which form its back (to the right, away from the green).

It starts about twenty yards short of the green out to the right and snakes in alongside the right front.  There is no depth to worry about at all ... I've seen people try to putt out of it in tournaments  ... but it is a difficult shot over a lot of sand to a green which then falls away to the rear.  If you miss wide of it, then you have to play under or through the birches and then over the sand, a supremely difficult shot produced by a very plain bunker.  And with a short-right location on a long par 4, you seldom see a foursome go through there where no one tangles with it; if you do, it's a bunch of members who know to aim their approach left-center.

Golf needs more of this, and less of those twelve-foot-deep bunkers that any good player with a sand wedge doesn't think twice about.

[scott anderson]

My favorite is the front bunker on #18 lakeside Olympic before they expanded and flattened the green.

Made for a great shot especially when the pin was tucked up front.

[Ken Fry]

Warren Golf Course at Notre Dame, Hole #15.

In the bunker complex to the right of the fairway, there sits a small, barely noticeable pot bunker set into the bottom of the small rise just outside of the fairway.  It may be five feet wide.  I love that little bunker.

Ken

[Brian Cenci]

#12 @ Crystal Downs located to the front right.  Love the birch trees growing around it.  Not a deep bunker.  #13 @ Crystal Downs along the left side I like as well.  If pin is front forget trying to get out on the front, just take your medecine and get on the back of the green.  

[Bill_McBride]

Tom Doak, the bunker right of #12 green at Crystal Downs sounds a lot like the bunker right of #7 at the Valley Club of Montecito, with the fall away green behind it.  I love the way that single bunker, only one on the hole, determines play of the hole 420 yards from the tee.  It's a little easier now with that big tree missing on the left side, easier to get to a left side angle to avoid the bunker.

[Brian Cenci]

Tom, I posted my favorite bunker post without even reading yours and come to find out we both liked the same one.  I love #12 though and the one on #13 as well.