Bunker Maintenance

Bunkers originated from links courses where livestock sheltered from the wind, creating hollowed areas that became hazards to golfers if their ball strayed into them. Evolution of golf and golf courses has seen the bunker used to influence the way a course is played.

The total number of sand bunkers at Flinders has increased to 74, of which 27 are raked with the bunker machine. The other 47 bunkers are raked by hand which is a laborious, time consuming operation. Bunkers are in need of constant care to maintain their intended look and playability. Bunkers only cover 2% of the total area of the golf course but require up to 20% of the available resources to maintain.

Flinders is a clay based course and every hole we dig holds water. All bunkers require drainage to be installed through the lowest point of the bunker. Sand is imported to spread over the clay floor.  This is in contrast to courses on the sand belt and the other side of the Peninsula which have an abundance of free draining native sand.

All bunkers experience erosion caused by heavy traffic, high winds and rainfall. Heavy traffic can result in many golfers raking sand to the exit point which builds a mound of sand, creating a downhill shot for any golfer who lands in the middle of the bunker. Sand is lost to wind and play.  Flinders is a very exposed site and high winds blow the dry sand to one area of the bunker leaving a hard base which requires sand restoration. Sand shots blasted out of bunkers quickly accumulate on the grass face. The build-up of sand causes the bunker lip to gradually deteriorate due to droughty conditions. Bunkers require edging to prevent turf runners growing inward and reducing the size and obscuring the shape of the bunker.

Flinders has grassed face bunkers to prevent sand blowing out of bunkers in high winds. Grass faces need to be mown regularly and clippings removed which is a difficult, labour intensive task and therefore costly to maintain.  Grass faces require selective herbicide applications for weed control and growth regulator applications to reduce clippings. Sand floors also require herbicide applications to control weeds.

Excessive rainfall can lead to sand/silt contamination which reduces the effectiveness of drainage and also cause washouts which require the staff to shovel and compact by hand.

Bunkers are high maintenance and have become a playing surface – not just a hazard.

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