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Torture Pits
by Kevin Downing, CGCS,
BallenIsles Country Club |
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| Kevin Downing |
Oh I’m sorry…the technical
term is really the word "bunker". According to the
definition in the USGA Rules of Golf the bunker is a
prepared area of ground, often a hollow, from which turf or
soil has been removed and replaced with sand or the like.
Since I’m currently struggling with my sand game, the term
"torture pit" is more appropriate.
Golf Course architects use bunkers as strategy features that
help to defend the score of par for the players challenging
this game we play. In Florida, bunkers are more critical to
design concepts since we lack the natural land forms found
in many other areas of the country. As golf course
superintendents, we are challenged with task of preparing
the sand to assist in the "painless" recovery from these
hazards. You would be amazed at all of the devices that we
use to smooth, groom or primp these features for the
golfer’s enjoyment. Most players despise the "fried–egg"
lie or even the partially embedded position that a bunker
can deliver, but sometimes these results are unavoidable.
The average club will rake the bunkers 3 to 5 times a week
to create a groomed situation for the recovery shot. The
configuration of the sand particles has a tremendous
influence on how they play or how they appear after raking.
On a heavily bunkered course the staff might use up to
twenty-percent of their available labor to condition these
play areas. With the demands of the golfers, we sometimes go
overboard with this intense level of maintenance.
The golf equipment manufacturers make all kinds of sand
wedges to assist in these recoveries so use your imagination
when selecting the proper escape tool. Just remember the
next time you hit an offline shot into one of these
"dastardly" placed bunkers…they are supposed to penalize
you. Keep smiling, rake your footprints and concentrate on
making your putt to secure that "sandie" money. |
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