Grass Bunkers

[RDecker]

My course has recently started expiramenting with grass bunkers.  My question is how do the clubs who use them maintain them? and how are they regarded/received by the membership/players?  My assumption is that they are allowed to grow longer than the rest of the rough but if so how much longer?  I'd appreciate any insights you all have.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Rob,
Down here we let them grow to the same height as our rough. Players don't seem to mind and I rarely, if ever, have had anyone complain about them, at least not when they come into the shop.

[Mike McGuire]

Isn't the term "grass bunker" an oxymoron?

Bunkers by definition have sand, or the like, in them.

If you take a bunker and cover up the sand with soil and plant grass you should mow the grass the same height as the grass nearby, but its not a bunker.

Can you have a "grass bunker" with grass maintained at fairway height or then is it a collection area?

What if someone planted grass in a bunker without filling it in and let it grow longer than the rough? My guess is the players would whine and they would mow it to the same height as the rough or dig it out and put the sand back.

My worst rambling post ever

Maybe you guessed - My course has lots of "grass bunkers" that should have sand in them

[RSLivingston_III]

I've long been under the impression that all golden age course "grass bunkers" were sand bunkers that were dumbed down for (pick one) Maintenance, the Depression, or "fairness" issues pushed on golf committees by the members.
I think Brad talked about it in his Ross book, but I don't have time to look it up.

[Adam Russell]

I worked at a local goat track as a one man crew one summer and got to experiment with this. Some farmers had sodded over a good number of the bunkers but I thought they were in pretty good spots to challenge people so I experimented with it. I would cut them right about the time the bermuda would begin to develop a seedhead. It gave the course some unpredictability. Sometimes you'd catch a break, other times you'd burrow down and it would be a true penalty. Almost got fired once the owner found out what I was doing though! 

[Bill Brightly]

Mike,

You can surely have a grass bunker, just like you can have a sand bunker, although the later is a hazard.

Saucon Valley has 3 courses and each has one hole with no sand bunkers defending the green. The rough in the grass bunkers is slightly longer than normal. The rough and upslope do a nice job of defending the green. I have become a fan of grass bunkers if used sparingly.

The lies are very inconsistant compared to sand. This is annoying to low handicappers and high handicappers prefer rough to sand, so I like that twist. (I do not like a course where sand bunkrs have simply been grassed, however.)

[JNC Lyon]

I've long been under the impression that all golden age course "grass bunkers" were sand bunkers that were dumbed down for (pick one) Maintenance, the Depression, or "fairness" issues pushed on golf committees by the members.
I think Brad talked about it in his Ross book, but I don't have time to look it up.

Ralph,

I used to think this was true.  On our East Course at Oak Hill, we have four greens with grass bunkers directly behind them.  I always assumed that these were bunkers that the club filled in over the years.  However, a 1930 aerial of the golf course reveals that these bunkers were not built in 1930 (four years after construction) and therefore probably not built ever.  Ross was using these grass bunkers as hazards, and they remain just as effective as bunkers to this day.

I think grass bunkers can be a cool feature.  Courses like Huntercombe make great use of them as hazards and defining visual features.  However, I believe they should either be maintained with extra-long rough or with fairway-height grass. 

[RDecker]

Our original Ross drawing indicates that a greenside bunker that a greenschairmen saw fit to make into a sand bunker in the 60's or 70's was supposed to be a grass one.  We are going to return it to original form.  This is why I have posted my question.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Grass Bunkers are as we say in St Andrews a different view of our links fairways.

Melvyn

[Gary Slatter]

My course has recently started expiramenting with grass bunkers.  My question is how do the clubs who use them maintain them? and how are they regarded/received by the membership/players?  My assumption is that they are allowed to grow longer than the rest of the rough but if so how much longer?  I'd appreciate any insights you all have.

I would think they (Grass hollows or collection areas) should be regular rough length if they are more than 50 yards from the greens, otherwise fairway height seems perfect for "grass bunkers".  I really dislike them when they have visible drainage lids surrounded by old divots (bent grass).

[Mike McGuire]

Our original Ross drawing indicates that a greenside bunker that a greenschairmen saw fit to make into a sand bunker in the 60's or 70's was supposed to be a grass one.  We are going to return it to original form.  This is why I have posted my question.

Can you post the original Ross drawing and a current image?

[David_Tepper]

I am a big fan of grass bunkers, hollows & swales, either in the fairway or greenside. I am surprised they are not used more often, as I would guess they are much less expensive to build & maintain than sand bunkers.

I think they are most effective when the grass is rough-height or perhaps slightly higher.

 

[Bill Brightly]

RD,

Well, be sure to take some before and after photos, then report back!

[Simon Holt]

There is one to the left of the 5th green at North Berwick that is awesome.  Grass is by no means the length of rough but slightly longer than the fairway...not quite semi-rough.  Makes for awkward lies as the ball holds on the slopes rather than rolling to the bottom.  Options are lofted shot onto the green that runs out, try to do a little squirter that checks on the 2nd or 3rd bounce, bump it into the back....great fun and if the flag is tight to it very problematic.

I think the length of the grass and the proximity to the green makes it.  Best one I have ever seen IMHO.

[Sean_A]

I suspect we are talking about hollows/depressions in near fairways.  To me one of the biggest reasons for hollows is to give the errant golfer and chance to recover, but he must control his ball flight and so I especially like the use of hollows on longish holes into or across the prevailing wind.  Consequently, I would prefer fairway height grass most times, but longer grass has its place as well.  However, I think it is more critical near greens to have a mix of grass heights for the hollows just as its important not to continually guard greens with sand.  It isn't clever design when the same recovery shot keeps popping up all day long.  Mind you, this is also dependent on a good variety of green sites.  All in all, hoollows and depressions are great features, but their cousin, the mound, should not be overlooked!

Ciao

[Ross Tuddenham]

Would the hollow behind the 18th green at Kilspindie count as a grass bunker?

If so I think there is at least one on Braid hills (front left of 6th green). 

On the examples I mentioned this would not hold but are they often used as a means to stop the ball going way into a run of area while not providing as penal a situation as a sand bunker? 

I guess if they are near the green you may often have to chip offer them and not be able to play a more running shot.

[RDecker]

The one we currently are playing is being mowed at rough height and I've skipped mowing it every other week.  It has a real pronounced bowl shape and is greenside on our first hole.  The other one will be a sand bunker that'll be converted soon and I was toying with the idea of mowing it at approach height as a collection area type thing.  Will take a lot of pictures and someone can let me know how to add those later.