When I was in college, I remember one of the guys complaining about the condition of the sand bunkers and the coach saying “bunkers are for your opponents, don’t hit it there.” If only it were that simple. The actuality is that a golf course’s bunkers are critical not only to its playability, appearance and ecology, but they can also cost the club money.
Jerry Lemons, ASGCA is a golf course architect who has made a career of improving golf course sand bunkers. His company, Better Billy Bunker, is one of a few firms that have developed and install sophisticated and effective systems to enhance the functionality of golf course sand bunkers. Better Billy Bunker (BBB) is named for former Augusta National superintendent Billy Fuller who created a drainage layer with a geotextile. The Industry dubbed it Billy Bunker (named after Billy). Our industry began using fabrics directly on dirt. They didn’t understand why a fabric was first used – to simply separate the gravel drainage layer from the bunker sand. The gravel layer is the conduit for water to unload out of the sand and why BB and BBB have worked so well. There are three (3) significant challenges with bunkers (in addition to avoiding and hitting out of them):
- Washouts – where sand slides off the faces of bunkers during significant rain events
- Ponding – where water doesn’t quickly drain after significant rain events
- Sand Loss – resulting from either of the above and the post storm clean-up efforts
Lemons was kind enough to spend some time explaining modern bunker construction to me recently and I came away with an understanding as to how the new systems function and the economic (as well as other) benefits to golf courses.
Basically, modern bunker construction is all about drainage. In the case of BBB, the floor of the bunker is compacted and then a gravel layer bound together by a specialized polymer is placed on top of that. This eliminates the need for a fabric liner. The sand is then placed directly atop this “drainage layer”. This process allows water to percolate through at a rate of 2,500″ per hour, much faster than traditionally built bunkers. Lemons says: “With a drainage layer such as Better Billy Bunker, the sand does not become super saturated and slide.” Ponding is also reduced or eliminated, along with loss of sand, which can also be managed by sand selection, not something often considered by those of us less familiar.
Choosing the right sand requires testing for a variety of characteristics, such as its “bridging” with the stone selected, particle size, angle of repose, infiltration rate, water holding potential and penetrometer (buried or fried egg lies). These factors can help determine sand depth.
Economically, there are two benefits, one tangible and one intangible. Lemons says: “Reduction of bunker maintenance labor is key. Clients are also provided with playable bunker conditions no matter the weather. Finally, it’s impossible to put a price tag on the peace of mind it provides for agronomy teams knowing that a large rain event before or during an important outing or tournament will not disrupt their normal operation.” The cost of installing BBB for a typical course of about 60 bunkers (2 acres) would be about $200,000+/- ($3 per SF) more than traditional bunkers. The “payback” period can be as little as 3 years, or about $70,000 per year in maintenance cost savings from rain events. Tracking what is currently spent on bunker maintenance is crucial to a club considering a bunker renovation, according to Lemons. Considering that (according to the ASGCA) typical bunkers need to be rebuilt every 7+/- years and the more complex systems last about 15 years or more, the added value is obvious. He says they’re also easier to maintain on a daily basis, especially on the steep faces. When selling a course, bunkers that don’t require rebuilding enhance the club’s market value as buyers won’t have that cost up front upon taking over, and should have less maintenance going forward. That’s the tangible benefit. The intangible is not only the minimizing of disruptions but also the ability for maintenance crew members to deal with other post storm issues instead of pushing sand around and members/patrons who don’t complain about the bunkers.
Some years ago, Lemons told me that most of his projects were upscale private clubs. Now he says that about 50% of his clients are daily-fee courses at all price points. He also says that the modern bunker systems not only produce a longer lifespan for the bunkers, but are environmentally safe, and exact less wear on equipment and use less fuel from hauling sand. He also points out that the water drained through these systems can be reused if sent to a storage area onsite which potentially reduces a course’s water usage from other sources.
In summary, Lemons touts BBB as an economic benefit to golf courses through fewer washouts, a reallocation of man-hours to other tasks and consistently improved playability for golfers. While none of us wants to spend too much time in bunkers, they represent a key component of golf courses and not only are a prominent visual part of the golf course but also a key economic element that if renovated effectively can add to the market value of the club.