Bunker Pitch Presentation

We have begun the initial planning stages of a complete bunker renovations here at WGC.  Timing, scope, and logistics of the project are still in the works, but I have confidence that the project will get off the ground in the near future.  There will be a scrolling summary of the project on a flat screen in the Pro Shop throughout the remainder of the season.  I will also be holding narrative presentations to accompany the slideshow.  The first narrative will be held Friday Oct. 27th from 1-3PM in the Pro Shop.  If the weather permits we will also tour the course to answer any questions.  I will repeat the narrative a couple more times this fall.  Come by this Friday or check back for updates on future dates.

Below is the complete slideshow being presented in the Pro Shop.  

The Cost of renovating

The investment comes at a cost. For our project we are looking at a figure of over $200,000. There are certainly ways to lessen than cost, but only by sacrificing important components of a rebuilding project. Simply removing the sand and replacing with a better less contaminated sand is a short-term Band-Aid, which will require the need to readdress the bunkers every few years and will most certainly still require significant labor to pump and rebuild them after a rain event. By utilizing the latest technology in bunker liners, the expected life of the newly constructed bunkers will be 25 plus years. That is over double the average life of a bunker built without a liner.

Bunker Liners Explained

Ideally a proper liner, which is a substrate layer between the sand and the soil that the bunker is shaped from, is installed during construction. The liner is meant to act as a water-permeable barrier allowing water to pass through, but keeps the sand and the sub-surface soil from coming in contact with each other. Unfortunately, at the time of construction at Weibring Golf Club, the liner, which was the best available at that time, did not hold up to the claims of the manufacturer. The limestone barrier has broken down over the years and has incorporated itself into the sand/ soil mixture and has even migrated onto the top of the drain lines clogging the perforation meant to allow water into the drains. Thus, soil migrating into the sand is the single biggest problem in our bunkers. A problem that can be solved with the installation of proper liner.

Fortunately, there have been major improvements to sand and liner quality and performance in the last 10 years. We have utilized the construction of bunkers on the Mounier Golf ad Training Center to experiment with different types of liners and sands. We have installed a permeable concrete liner called Capillary Concrete with outstanding results.

"Why is all this necessary; why don't you just replace the sand?" 

Simply put there's value in reshaping the bunkers while we have them torn down to install the liners.  Through years of wash-outs and aggressive maintenance edging, our bunkers have been what DA refers to as “bath-tubs”.  Meaning they have lost their original shape.  They became “bowl-like” instead of having a flat wide entrance from the line of play, with flashes and fingers to highlight shadowing effects.  The lower and flatter you can create on the front side of a bunker (in relation to the line of play) the less flash that is needed to allow the player to see the hazard from their point of play.  Less flash also makes the golf course play easier for less skilled players.  A bunker project completed properly will allow the golf course to become more challenging for the better players and easier for the less skilled players. 

Contact me with any questions.  we are all very excited about this project.