[Dan Herrmann]

Could somebody tell me about how volcano bunkers came about?

The first one I ever saw was at Merion West.  I saw my second today when I was taking in Hollywood GC in Deal, NJ.  The Hollywood volcano bunker looked amazing.

How did volcano bunkers start, and are they ever used today?

Thanks!

Here's a pic from Ran's review:

[Mike Nuzzo]

I've seen a few on new Dye courses.
The one at Wintonbury looked like it was raised so one could see it.

[John Moore II]

I have never seen one of those, but based on that picture, they look very cool visually.

Though I might ask if they are functional? It seems that the ball would have to land in the bunker to make it in there and it would take additional labor (though certainly not much, maybe 10 minutes to hand rake rather than machine rake it) to maintain. Like I said, I think its a very cool looking feature, though not a very functional feature.

[Dale Jackson]

Its been a few years but isn't there something similar at Macrahanish?  Can't be sure of the hole but I recall it being a shortish Par 4 and the "volcano" is on the left of the landing area.  It might not have had sand in the bottom but it sure looked like a mini volcano.

Macrahanish - the most fun you can have on a golf course ...

[Ryan Farrow]

I have never seen one of those, but based on that picture, they look very cool visually.

Though I might ask if they are functional? It seems that the ball would have to land in the bunker to make it in there and it would take additional labor (though certainly not much, maybe 10 minutes to hand rake rather than machine rake it) to maintain. Like I said, I think its a very cool looking feature, though not a very functional feature.

John, that might take 2 minutes to rake...... might. But the maintenance issues come with having to mow around it.


I think it looks sweet. Ryan Farrow APPROVED!

[Rob Rigg]

It would be interesting to see the one at Machrihanish, because the one at Hollywood looks really contrived and out of place to me.

With the right land, etc. it could probably be really cool, but in many circumstances I would imagine it looks a bit silly.

[Eric Smith]

I've seen a few on new Dye courses.

Here's one on The Dye Course at Colleton River:

[Eric Smith]

I think the two in the background are dormant volcanoes (again from the Dye Course - Colleton River):

[Anthony_Nysse]

Eric,
  I'm confident to say that those are tee tops for #9 in your second pic. #9 also has a volcano bunker on the right side, about 18 feet in the air!

Tony Nysse
Asst. Supt.
Colonial CC
Ft. Worth, TX

[Pete Stankevich]

I know Roy Case had been putting in volcano bunkers on his golf courses since the late 80's or early 90's.  I believe his early Florida courses (Cobblestone, Palm Beach Gardens, Okeeheelee) all had one, as did most of his other courses.  But some may have been removed for maintenance reasons.

[Dan Herrmann]

Do they exist on any of the classic courses in GB or Ireland?

[Phil_the_Author]

It would be a very brave architect to surround a volcano green with volcano bunkers!

Donald Ross is spinning in his grave at the mere mention of it!

[TEPaul]

Dan:

From what you seem to be calling "volcano" bunkers, we have seen very many of those kinds of bunkers (small sand bunkers up on mounds) on Flynn's plans and drawings but for whatever the reasons were, not many actually made it onto the ground in construction or lasted that long if they were built. But he sure did draw a ton of them.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Tom,

There's a neat looking volcano-like bunker left of the 8th green at Merion, isn't there?

[TEPaul]

"Tom,
There's a neat looking volcano-like bunker left of the 8th green at Merion, isn't there?"


Jeff:

Yes there is, very much so. That's a great example. There's even a vestige of one behind the 5th green and as stated above there is very much another great example of this over on the West course on the 12th hole. That one has pretty much been attributed to Richie Valentine though.

I believe I even have some of the architectural etymology for some enhanced mounding behind the 14th green on the East course that comes from a story from Richie himself from one of the more hilarious reasons you've ever heard to do with golf course architecture!

[Mike_Cirba]

This is a pretty early one, from 1915.





Unfortunately, it's no longer there.   Or perhaps fortunately as today's green is really a great low-profile, lay-of-the-land one, albeit severely shrunken.




Or, perhaps the caption is wrong and it's just a pile of stuff gathered up on a construction site.     Honestly, we've never seen any other evidence that this survived.   

[Jeff_Brauer]

I was going to do one once, but when the Owner said we couldn't have a sacrificial virgin jump into it every day, I changed my mind....

Seriously, while I build as many artificial bunkers as the next guy, I have never liked the Volcano bunkers, believing that we should somehow at least try to emulate the natural formations and blowouts wouldn't likely happen in nature at the top of a hill like that.  Bunkers seemingly belong in the valleys to me.

Didn't No. 10 at Pinehurst 2 have one circa late 1970's on the right of the driving zone?  I recall not liking that one.

[Mike_Cirba]

As far as Dan's original question, I think they probably sprung from the "convex bunker" concept which saw some early popularlity, such as this one at Garden City.

[TEPaul]

"I was going to do one once, but when the Owner said we couldn't have a sacrificial virgin jump into it every day,"


Mr. Jeffrey Brauer, Sir:

Did an owner on a project you once had really say that? Did he actually say a sacrifical virgin? If so that is a man I would very much like to meet and speak with. Could you arrange that Mr. Brauer? As you do, though, perhaps you should ask him first if he thinks there was an appropriate supply of sacrifical virgins in the vicinity of that particular project? Like a lot of things these days the availability of sacrifical virgins as well as the cost of transporting and importing them has changed a good deal. You may want to make him aware of that as there may be some redesign work in it for you.

[paul cowley]

Maybe someday I'll build a course that only had convex and volcano bunkers.....and then I'd go out and shoot myself right after I threw up.

I'm not  a big fan of either.

Maybe they would look good as part of a Dr Suess theme park course.....but I can't think of many other places for them.

[Ryan Farrow]

Paul, I don't see how this is any worse than the plethora of boring, cookie-cutter modern bunkers built in the last however-many years.... Volcano bunkers can have their place right alongside any other new/different idea that anyone in this business wants to build.



and...... did someone say theme park course    ?

[paul cowley]

Paul, I don't see how this is any worse than the plethora of boring, cookie-cutter modern bunkers built in the last however-many years.... Volcano bunkers can have their place right alongside any other new/different idea that anyone in this business wants to build.



and...... did someone say theme park course    ?

.....am I missing something with all the theme park smileys?

Ryan, I would never tell anyone what they should design or build, least someone tries to tell me the same.
I'm just saying these kind of bunkers are not my cup of tea.....and I like to work in a variety of styles.

btw....I notice you are working with Shmidt Curley...thats great, maybe Brian can teach you guitar too!

[Sean_A]

I reckon I am in the Paul Camp.  This type of bunker is akin to visiting the freak show tent at the circus.  As I am on the straight and narrow campaign of reducing the use of sand I don't see how I can can for this sort of thing.  That said, at least its a bit different and for this reason alone I would take it over the endlessly bland and pointless pits that are built in the name of architectural progress.

Ciao 

[Mike_Cirba]

Because they are so rare, the few cases I've seen generally bring a smile of delight and surprise to my face.

One could stretch the rationale for their existence as akin to a mostly grass covered dune with sand peeking out the top, but I'm reaching here. 

Given their unexpected delight, it's sort of like spotting a four leaf clover.   However, it is also my opinion that they should stay that way...used only in the rarest of circumstances.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Mike,

Nothing wrong with the occaisional feature that is there just to make golfers go "hmmm?" is there?

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