The Art Of The Bunker--A Case Study #1

[Bill Wright]

Tommy:

My guess (I have never seen this course but for your photos) is that it's at The Crosby Estate by Curley/Schmidt.  And, my opinion of it would be a single word that rhymes with "Schmidt"

Analyzing a single bunker without understanding the context of its placement is difficult, but judging simply for "art" it isn't exciting.

Now, show me photos of Royal Melbourne, Seminole, San Francisco GC bunkers, or Sand Hills "blowouts", and I'll stay up all night, baby...

[Tim_Weiman]

Tommy:

It might be better for me to go for your “don’t participate” option.
 
But, I’m very surprised that you would want to discuss the “art of bunkers” without using photographs which present the context, background and surroundings of the bunker in question.

A Clay Man:

When I play a golf course, I stand on each tee and look over what the architect has presented.  Then, I walk forward and try to observe how the architect’s work unfolds.

I don’t hit shots and then walk with my head down or my eyes closed.

Amongst the reasons I do this is because I want to take in how artistically the architect has presented bunkers.

Thus, I’m at a complete loss to understand why you want me to look at one picture and visualize.  What is the point of having me visualize and then critiquing what I have imagined?  Wouldn’t it make far more sense to present several pictures of the bunker we are analyzing and asking people to comment on what we can all see?

Tommy, in my judgment, is too hung up on trying to appear neutral.  The emphasis on concealing the identity of the golf course doesn’t really work, it doesn’t really help us assess the art of bunkers.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Curely & Schmidt would be wrong.

I think it is Tim that is having trouble looking at what the word "art" really means. It has everything to do with how a bunker is constructed and what it looks like, even hypothetically. I asked to draw your own conclusions.

Sorry you didn't get the point.

[John D. Bernhardt]

I give it a 4. I am against flashing that creates maintenance and downhill bunker shots when the hole is not designed for them. I have never liked the idea of having a bunker become average to poor just to help visualize from the fairway. In my climate most bunkers are not designed properly for the realities of maintenance and rainfall of 1/2 inch or more an hour. Therefore I am more concerned with sand level in the bottom and great drainage to get the water out and away when the water table is high in the winter.

[Tim_Weiman]

Tommy,

My dictionary isn't handy.  Feel free to enlighten me on the meaning of the word "art".

What will really interest me is how your definition undermines the point I'm trying to make about how best to present a bunker for review.

Does Websters really say we shouldn't look at how a bunker fits in?

If it does, I'll still go for the way Alister Mackenzie presented the art of bunkers.  I think he knew more than Webster.

[A_Clay_Man]

Since the entire collection of my criticing anything, is contained above I have no doubt that when evaluating a course it is important to 1. Walk it 2. keep your head up. However, I don't see anything wrong with this excersise and I was eager to participate so that I might learn from it. So far I haven't learned much other than people can be a little sensitive and diverse in thier opinion.
I don't happen to think that a concentration of bunkers placed there for nothing other than eye candy is golf, Art maybe..
If so Clive Clarkes' course at CCOD is the mona lisa.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Tommy,

I don't like bunkers with downhill lies, especially to greens that slope away from them.

Optically, I can't tell for sure, but it does look that way to me.

I go back to the tactical relevance or merit of the bunker, and its playability being more important than its look, which is a concession to the preference for a type of style.

[TEPaul]

Pat:

I'd say they're used minimally today since they're unpopular because they're a bit too hard for a golfer to get his ball out of (therefore being considered unfair), to get a sandpro into and they don't look that good to today's golfer flanking fairways or even at the sides of green-ends. They're small and not easy enough to see--again considered unfair--everything has to be right in front of you, you know!

But again I think they can work well inside fairway lines--better even than other styles simply because they generally are smaller! And they can work well in front of and just around the approaches to greens again because they are generally smaller. If they're really small with lots of fairway grass around them they would tend to deflect a golfer blaming everybody but himself too!

[TEPaul]

OOps, I got my last post on the wrong bunker topic--it should have been on the "pot bunker" thread.

[BillV]

I kinda like the greenside section of the bunker, but not the hillside portion.  It seems overdone.  The green shape is not terribly natural either.  The whole bunker/green doesn't do much for me.

Definitely a Classic course!

[JP Morgan]

The art of the bunker..".How does it look? ...Imagination and inner thought..." Take three steps back and visualize.  You will see the universally appreciated Hawaiian (or is it Samoan?) hand gesture which means "Hang Loose"! (Thumb and small finger extended, middle three digits flexed.)

[ed getka]

Tommy,
 The overall lines of the bunker are average amoeba shape. The clean cut edges are sterile looking. The part of the bunker creeping up the backslope looks goofy and looks like it could only come into play if the ball plugs up there. The depth provides no challenge thus eliminating the bunker as a hazard in my opinion. I feel that if my ball ends up in a greenside bunker that I should have to think about how to best extract myself, not just simply use my standard sand shot. If the depth is minimal then there should be some slope to be negotiated on the green or surrounds that makes me plan where to land my shot if I want to end up near the hole.

[Brian Phillips]

I printed out Tommy's picture a while back and drew up how I think the bunker could look better and I was going to post it ages ago but my scanner broke down. I bought a new scanner yesterday the Canon CanoScan N1240U and I am very impressed with considering the price of $180.

Well, anyway here is my picture, it is just a quick sketch:



and Tommy's picture



Any comments?

[Mike Nuzzo]

Brian,
Very nice.  Improvement all around.  looks more natural than the green.
I had thought those fake tongues looked too much like a head and shoulders stock chart formation (from that angle anyway).

[Brian Phillips]

Cheers Mike,

As I said it is just a quick sketch but I think I have improved it...

[A_Clay_Man]

Tommy, I was hoping that the statute of limitations was up? Do we get to know who, where and  also what your opinions are?