Fairway Bunkers in the Fairway!

[Bill_McBride]

This photo of #9 at Dunbar in East Lothian, posted by Martin Bonnar today, exemplifies what the grass in front of a fairway bunker should look like!



I think every superintendent should be shown this photo and asked to cut the grass leading into the bunker just like this.  Doesn't it make you sick to see this?



Any superintendents logged in - comments?  Anybody else?  That hole at Dunbar looks about 500% better, and that cut of fairway into the bunker is a big part of the difference.

[Marty Bonnar]

Just incredible that you should comment about this subject. This presently is my Pet Brain-Melt.

I cannot play any golf course at the moment without paying maximum attention to just EXACTLY HOW the fairway merges/melds with adjacent bunkers.

I LOATHE those so-called 'fairway bunkers' which are actually PROTECTED by long grass grown short of them. Seems to me the element of fortune is diluted, or worse still, negated by ill-conceived fairway/rough/bunker mowing regimes.

My Simple Hypothesis?: Let the ball roll into the sand if it's headed that way!

FBD.

[Tom Huckaby]

I agree with the concept... and Dunbar seems cool to me.... but couldn't a better example be given?  Seems to me half that bunker is indeed protected by rough....

[Mark_Fine]

What a novel concept - fairway bunkers in the fairway  

[Marty Bonnar]

"Why, Thomas Huckaby!"
Did you even look at the gloriously well-photographed images in the Belhavenly thread?

Okay, not AidenBradleyglorious, but please check out those 'run-ins' to all of those 'fairway bunkers'.

Apologies for all of the ''''s, but you're brain is quite obviously 'Californiafried'

With Best Wishes and all Hope for an early release from the 'Dr Bradley Klein Home for the Architecturally Bewildered'.

Much Love,
FBD.

PS Mark Fine: Fine by name, fine by nature. Very insightful observation, Sir!

[Tom Huckaby]

Martin:

Of course I noticed them - that's why I'm asking for a better example than the one Bill posted in this thread.  There would seemingly be at least a dozen.

Cheers!

[Mark_Fine]

The antithesis of "fairway" bunkers is what I call "rough" bunkers which is sadly what many fairway bunkers end up becoming on many golf courses.  The narrowing of fairways and loss of width are the prime causes.  Also, some architects for some reason just design "rough" bunkers.  This has always been a pet peeve of mine.  I hate seeing what should be fairway bunkers lost and alone hiding out in the rough.  All they often do is just further penalize an already poor shot.    

[Doug Siebert]

Its one thing for old courses that were designed with 50-60 yard wide fairways in the days of gang mowers that have since been narrowed and their bunkers now lie in the rough.  That's not a good situation but at least I understand how it came to be.

What I don't get is that 95% of the NEW designs I see are built from day one with the bunkers in the rough.  WTF is up with that?

I really really really really want to see more use of centerline bunkers.  Doesn't have to be big or especially deep, if its large enough to swallow an SUV up to the door handles that's enough to totally change the complexion of the hole.  If its in the rough on one side or another the tee shot isn't really any more difficult, it just penalizes guys who slightly miss the fairway more than guys like me who are just as likely to miss it by a mile.

Plus those bunkers in the rough are usually so big that odds are you won't have to deal with the lip so the shot out isn't too bad for a decent player.  When they are in the fairway they usually put them on a diet so when you are in them you are more likely to be screwed.  Therefore you have to give them more deference even though the odds would be against you hitting in it even if you aimed right at it.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

One of my lasting memories of Royal Dornoch is the gobbling-up nature of the fairway bunkers.  Drive just the slightest bit off line and you cannot fail to find a bunker.  I have much the same feeling about RCD, too.

[Bill_McBride]

I agree with the concept... and Dunbar seems cool to me.... but couldn't a better example be given?  Seems to me half that bunker is indeed protected by rough....

You want better?  Try these.......

Hoylake



Deal


Westward Ho!

[Tom Huckaby]

NOW we're talking.  Thank you, Oh Jedi Master of Bunkers.

Paduan Huckaby

[Tim Pitner]

I really really really really want to see more use of centerline bunkers.  

Amen.  Wild Horse was a treat in that respect.  I maintain that, even on an average site, good use of centerline bunkers plus some interesting greens (even mildly interesting ones, I'm not talking Ballyneal here) can make for a stellar course.  Centerline bunkers could do wonders for many of the prairie, links-style courses around my home city of Denver.