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As promised in last fortnights Round the Traps, I have dedicated a special edition this month to the thought considerations behind the changes to the existing bunkers. Quite often, people are naturally opposed to change, however I believe the result of these bunker removals will help us to deliver considerably better playing standards in the long term here at Cairns Golf Club. Every bunker that was removed was carefully considered and all of the aspects listed below played a part in the decision process.
Amount of play
Working on the course for 40 hours a week gives us a great insight to see the amount of play each bunker receives. Many of the bunkers, especially the ones that were filled on 1, 4, 6, 13 and 17 were some of our least utilised bunkers. When we coupled this with some of the other criteria listed below, this often justified their removal. Using the right bunker on the 4th green as an example, the position of this bunker is generally only in play when the pin is at the back of the green. Due to the small size of the back tier, this is only approximately 20% of the time. Hence, the very small amount of play.
Difficulty
One of the most common misconceptions is that when a bunker is filled it makes the course easier. While this can be true in certain cases, on balance, the removal of the selected bunkers has done little to alter the difficulty of the course. Some may make the course marginally easier, but on holes such as the 8th, it has effectively made the hole slightly more difficult. For this particular hole, the bunker removal improves interest for the hole. As this is only a short par 3, it now means that tee shots need to be more carefully considered, as balls landing left of the green have an increased chance of bouncing into the water
Affecting the higher handicap golfer
Many of the bunkers we filled only target the higher handicap golfer and really only penalises their poor shots. The 18th fairway was one of the these. With the increase in distance from technology, this bunker really doesn’t come into play for the lower marker. Again, it only served to penalise the higher handicapper and retaining the second bunker still provides adequate protection for the green.
The purpose of a bunker
Bunkers should have either a strategic or aesthetic value and many of the ones we filled had neither. The bunker to the left of 1st green is one such example. The strategy of the hole hasn’t changed and if anything, its removal actually improved the aesthetics of the hole. This bunker in particular was a poor draining, compacted clay base that looked tired.
It is also interesting to note the overall number of bunkers, which now sits at 34. This number still provides a solid test of golf and proves that you don’t need 100+ bunkers for a course to present a reasonable challenge. To put this number in perspective, one of the most famous courses in the world, Augusta National, only has 44 bunkers. The course is designed in such a way that it does not need a ridiculous number of bunkers to defend it.
Maintenance
Without doubt, this was one of the biggest factors that we considered when filling these bunkers. While the bunkers at Cairns Golf Club form an integral part of the course, with our small team and weather conditions experienced during our wet seasons, we simply do not have the resources to maintain our bunkers to a reasonable standard. As mentioned in my previous newsletter, we spend a whopping 7% of our labour on bunker maintenance. This includes edging, raking, spraying, drainage repairs, pumping and repairing faces. Being honest, even with all this labour, the net result is often poorly conditioned bunkers. In my view, I would rather have a smaller number of bunkers that we can maintain to a good standard year-round. This is where our long-term strategy comes into play.
The long term
Our long-term strategy includes revisiting every bunker on course in one way or another. There is a great deal of information to consider, but two key factors that contribute to the poor quality of our bunkers is the poor drainage capability of the existing sand (too many fine particles do not allow water to percolate through the profile) and the steep sand faces on many of the bunkers that are prone to washouts. If we can rectify these two major issues, our maintenance will decrease significantly in terms of repairs. This will then allow us to focus more on conditioning requirements to ensure our bunkers are presented to a more consistent standard year-round.
Having said all this, it is not a one, or even a two-year project. However, now that we have rectified many other issues on the course, it is realistic that we will begin to make some progress in this area over the coming years. This will include the reshaping, drainage and sand replacement, starting with the worst bunkers on the course.
Also to note, is that there are several more underutilised bunkers that are earmarked to be filled in the future. But before you get excited (or upset, depending on your feelings toward bunkers) there are several more bunkers that are proposed to be constructed to help improve the strategic design of the course. A few key changes in this area will not only help streamline our maintenance significantly, but also vastly improve the strategic playability aspect of the golf course.
I hope this information that I have provided is of some use. As mentioned earlier, every major change that we make to the golf course is carefully considered and there is always long-term goal involved. Although we have come a long way in the preceding three years, I am excited about the years to come. I know we can really continue to lift our standards and become an absolutely fantastic golfing venue for both members and visitors.
Kind regards,
Tim Hoskinson
Course Superintendent
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