An exchange on another place (aka "X") earlier today, relating to Brian Schneider's great work at New Haven CC, highlighted a belief I have long held in terms of the clear superiority in the care and quality of work in the US on classic designs, versus the work currently being done in the UK (with a few very notable exceptions).
I will not call out any one specific local GCA as there are several making the same professionally limiting error in my view, so unfair to pick on individuals.
This is really apparent and visually jarring in regards to bunkering, the UK is getting overwhelmed by (for want of a better term) pseudo "Coltenzie" pastiche bunkering with the same cloned-shaping, liners, and incandescent white sand/China Clay.
A large number of our courses are starting to all look the same, "McCourses" if you like (as in Burger joints, not MacDonald/Raynor/Banks of course) they are each losing and diluting their individual character and quirk. Never mind the original intent or aesthetic of their ODG!
Worse than that these Instagrammable Rhorshach ink-blots are being put on courses that never had such bunkers on them, and often on courses where the original architect was known not to do so on that specific site, topography, or in that period of design.
I emphasise this is a design and aesthetic criticism, as the new bunker technologies can be used to produce all bunker shapes, if care is taken.
So I am not suggesting courses do not invest in "modernising" their bunker estate, but that they should do so carefully and with due regard to their own past style-wise. The GCAs should act accordingly to protect the unique vernacular.
Putting diluted pastiche Mackenzie look-a-like hazards inappropriately on a JHT, Fowler, Fernie, or James Braid course is becoming all too common.
It just seems the EICGA are not educating their UK members enough as to how to do serious Golf Archeology and Research on their projects, nor are they empowering them as to the vital importance of being prepared to educate the "Invincibly Ignorant" (as per Tom Simpson called them) Boards and Committees of commissioning Clubs that what they see on Instagram is not at all appropriate for their precious course.
They are IMHO collectively failing our precious architectural heritage.
I predict that we will look back very dimly on this period in the UK, it is as damaging as over-planting of trees from 1960's onward, and the lack of Rollback.
Sorry to be so strident, but just fed up of seeing the same remodelled bunker image over & over again on Socials!
Light the blue touch paper & please discuss...
Cheers