BUNKERS !!

Bunker development by hole.

Bunkers possibly bring more criticism from all ranks of players than any other part of a golf course. Bunkers require a high level of maintenance, especially if poorly designed or drained.

Whilst this narrative is primarily intended to record the historical changes that have happened since the book “ Golf in the Pennant Hills District” was published in 2000, it seems that to briefly visit significant events relating to the bunkers since the early 199s might help provide a more complete story.

A little past history. In 1989 the bunkers on 18th hole and those at 1st, 15th and 17th holes had all been built with grass faces and were groomed using a ‘Flymo ’ mower. Other bunkers were sand faced.

In 1992 the club had engaged Kel Nagle, Cooper and Associates to provide advice on course changes should the RTA plans for the M2 Motorway result in acquisition of a significant portion of the southern end of the course, and Mr Mike Cooper was asked to provide advice on the best way to achieve good bunker design. He provided a diagram of the ideal design. He also discussed the pros and cons of grass-faced against sand-faced, the cost of restoring them to their original design, maintaining them in top condition and the visual impact they had on the eye. He recommended the reconstruction of a set of bunkers using best practice with sand facings and then to compare them with the grass faced bunkers which had recently been done and make a decision regarding which type of face would be adopted in future.

Over the next several years, there was a constant struggle to produce bunkers with consistent playing characteristics and bunker walls which prevented balls from plugging. Also the bunkers required constant and regular levelling of the bunker floor.

In February 1998, a plan “Looking to the Future Report “ was produced and addressed the subject of bunkers as follows:-

In January 2000 prior to the Bunker Reconstruction program being outlined, a trial for three types of sand was set up at the 14th green in separate bunkers, with members asked to comment on the sands in each bunker. The feedback was clearly for the variety marked A, also used by The Australian Golf Club. This was immediately purchased and used to top up bunkers low in sand.

Prior to 1995, designs for bunkers had been provided by Nagle, Cooper and Associates. Then from 1995 until 2000, the Club’s course designer had been Newton, Grant & Spencer. However they were not actual course architects and not being local, involved extra costs of travel, accommodation etc. So in March 2000, it was decided to engage Jim Wilcher of Golf By Design as Course Architect to assist on an advisory basis at the rate of $125/hour. He had been a greenkeeper at PHGC and a member. He also worked for Greg Norman in Asia.

In June 2000 when considering the Bunker Renovation program, a priority list was established for this project and Jim Wilcher was asked to prepare a report for consideration.

AUGUST 2000 Bunker Master Plan

The following considerations were set as the basis of a Bunker Policy and Aims.

-Positioning of new bunkers is to penalise above average players.

-Consistent characteristics of a plain appearance

-Easy to play from.

-Designed to prevent water flowing into bunkers.

-Shaped so that sand adheres to faces

-Positioning near greens not to create wear

-Positioning not to hinder maintenance

-Easy entrance & egress for players and machinery

-Prevent exposed surfaces.

-Limit danger and possibility of golf balls going out of bounds.

In July 2001 balls were plugging in the faces of the new bunkers due in some way to the bunker faces drying out owing to the lack of rain and the greens not having been watered for 3 weeks. The approach was for the faces of the bunkers to be kept damp by hand watering and the bunkers walls compacted as well as watered. In July 2002 the following year with the problem persisting, wetting agent was applied to all bunker faces in an attempt the keep them damp to reduce plugged balls.

At the AGM in 2002 in response to a question about the difficulty the club had had in the maintenance and playing quality of bunkers over the years, Ron Harper, the board member leading the bunker project, provided the following explanation about the anticipated benefits of the new designs being introduced:-

“The edges of the bunkers have been designed to stop water running into them during heavy rain. The steep faces have also been covered with a special material (Biddum cloth) that allows water to flow behind the material and into the bunker drainage systems. These features are intended to eliminate washaways hence the high faces that are now visible.

A new sand has also been used to provide constant playability and with the new design features and material now used this should prolong the life of the new bunkers by reducing the deterioration of the drainage system in the bunkers. We have tried to cover all of the bases but haven't found the total solution for plugged balls yet.”

September 2004 Bunker Reconstruction

Cognisant of the complaints that the bunkers continually needed the floor to be levelled to try and prevent balls ending in very difficult lies, the direction was given “for all future bunker designs and maintenance of existing bunkers should ensure that that there is an adequate flat floor. The flat area should take into consideration the slope of the bunker face so that the majority of golf balls finish up in the flat area. Some of the existing bunkers had dished out and would require extra sand to be added to create a flat floor.

The Course Superintendent was to look at each bunker with the view to creating a flat floor. It was also acknowledged the need to educate members on the correct method of raking the bunkers to ensure the sand was not continually raked towards the walk in /out area”.

By 2008 all the greenside and fairway bunkers had been rebuilt to Wilcher designs, and based on the principle outlined by Ron Harper’s description given at the 2002 AGM.

Unfortunately, several things gradually impacted on the intended design benefits and these resulted in deterioration of the integrity of the bunkers.

The concept of the edges being designed to prevent water running into them during heavy rain was not fully effective and resulted in the walls being eroded when the Biddum cloth exposed the clay walls. The wash away resulted in the clay being washed into the sand and changing its texture, and reducing its ability to let water filter through to the drain below. This meant that water puddled in the bunker base and made the bunkers unplayable.

Repair of the eroded bunker walls took a lot of extra manpower, which diverted labour from the other necessary work on course development and maintenance.

By 2013, the need to have a far more consistent bunker design was deemed essential, and this should include technology to provide reliable drainage even after very heavy rainfall as well as preventing wall erosion and clay mixing with the sand. This subject and outcome is addressed later in this chapter, but first, the following narratives provide a historical look at the bunkers on each hole from the early 1990s.

1st Hole

In January 2001, Jim Wilcher produced a plan for the bunkers on the 1st green. This proposal included the addition of two new bunkers on the RHS of the green. It was resolved that the addition of these two bunkers was in no way compensation for the removal of the bunkers at the 2nd and 3rd greens and that this proposal was to toughen the first hole on its own merits.

The work was carried out immediately and the bunkers were ready for play in mid February 2002. A temporary green had been made just past the machinery track for use Monday to Friday during construction. The hole was played as par 4 for men and par 5 for ladies.

A decision was made in 2014 to adopt capillary concrete lining to improve the drainage of bunkers. A master plan was drawn up and the a decision was made to remake the greenside bunkers on 1st, 4th, 7th and 12th holes. The program commenced in early 2015 on the 1st hole. The right front bunker was removed and the other three were remade to a new design and the capillary technology. This work was completed in April.

(see notes at end of this chapter on

2nd Hole

In November 2000, the bunker at the left front of the 2nd green was removed.

In March 2017 the fairway bunker was filled in and the area covered with mulch and planted with small shrubs and grasses.

3rd Hole

In early 1997 it was proposed to develop a long term plan for the course with a plan for bunkers to be developed concurrently by the Course Manager and Chairman of Course. This was to be a reasonably long term plan without necessarily rebuilding all bunkers

In April 1997, after the decision by the RTA not to resume any of the course for the M2 motorway, the greenside bunker on the 3rd hole was redesigned by Newton, Grant & Spencer The Course Manager expressed some concern that it looked "too busy" and that the Architects were putting in a "links" style bunker when Pennant Hills was not a "Links" style course. The Course Manager’s concerns, while respected, were overruled and the front left bunker is shown below during construction and when in play.

The photos below show the front bunker before remodelling, during and after the new bunker was built.

A satellite image of the on 3rd

During 2003 the rising problem and risk to the club from balls being hit onto Pennant Hills Road resulted in two significant changes to the bunkers on the 3rd hole. Until then there were three fairway bunkers on the right hand side of the fairway. A decision was made to lower the level of the fairway and rearrange the fairway bunkers. The three RH bunkers were removed and replaced with new design bunkers. The new location of both bunkers were to challenge the long hitters.

Also, it was decided to remove the left front greenside bunker from the 3rd green to eliminate the possibility of bunker shots flying onto Pennant Hills Road.

In 2017 the rear bunker was filled in and mounds and swales added.

4th Hole

In Oct 2001, the greenside bunkers on the 4th were rebuilt. The bunkers were reshaped and ag. drainage pipe bedded in gravel installed. Biddum cloth was used to line the faces, and secured with metal loops.

In September 2015 the greenside bunkers at the 4th were reconstructed using the capillary concrete technology and were operational in October.

( see notes at end of this chapter on capillary concrete bunker program.)

5th Hole

In November 1996 the upper half of the 5th fairway and the 5th green were completely redesigned. Prior to this, there was a greenside bunker on each side but no fairway bunkers.

In August 2005 the bunker furthest from the green was filled in after it was agreed it served no purpose in stopping balls being hit towards the M2. It was considered unsightly and high maintenance.

In August 2017 the greenside bunker was refurbished with new lining and Elite sand. This was to allow for an assessment of the sand’s performance on a traditional cloth base and on capillary concrete

In Sept 2004, as a result of the lowering of the 3rd fairway and moving the spoil to the 5th , to fill in the deep gully around the mid-way from tee to green, a fairway bunker was made on the RHS at full carry distance from the tee.

6th Hole

In September 1998 the redesign of the bunkers on 6th hole by Newton Grant and Spencer was carried out. The new arrangement removed a chain of bunkers running from the RH front towards the right rough, and built new design bunkers, one on the left and two on the right.

As with the bunker on the 3rd, these were ‘busy’ bunkers with grass tongues and steep curved surrounds.

In 2001, the spur leading into the LHS bunker from the green was trimmed back as unplayable lies were occurring.

In Sept 2005, a review of all bunkering around the 6th green, particularly on the RHS, with the view to reshaping and widening bases was completed. Starting in November 2005, all bunkers were rebuilt. The LHS bunker was divided into two, and the RHS bunkers were reshaped and all floors widened and flattened. Delayed by wet weather, the work was completed in March 2006.

7th Hole

In December 2001 the bunker reconstruction program for 7th was carried out and a new LH greenside bunker was added. In 2015 the bunkers were rebuilt using capillary concrete. The bunkers were reshaped to similar designs on other holes.

1998, 2001 and 2015 shape and location at 7th bunkers shown by satellite (see notes at end of this chapter on capillary concrete bunker program.)

8th Hole

In August 1993 it was decided to have Nagle Cooper design the bunker at the 8th green and the Club’s staff carry out the construction. The work was carried out in July /August 1994.

9th Hole

There had been no changes to the bunker layout on the 9th since the front bunker was added during the 1950s. It had a grass face which was turfed first in June 1982 and a proposal the change it to sand face in March 1987 was rejected. However in February 1994 the grass faced wall collapsed and it was reshaped to a sand face.

In August 2005, when considering remedial work on the middle bunker on the LHS of the green, Jim Wilcher suggested redesign of the bunkers on the LHS and at the rear. The proposal was to split the LH bunker into two and reduce the size of the rear bunker by covering the rock side with clay. In both cases the floors were to be raised.

The LH bunker had a partial grass wall at the northern end. As funding was not available within the current year, the only work done was the remove the grass face and extend the sand to the top in 2006.

In September 2013, as part of an overall review to reduce the number of bunkers on the course the rear bunker was filled in and turfed.

10th Hole

In August 2001 there was a proposal by Jim Wilcher for two new bunkers at the 10th green, one on the right to stop balls running across 11th fairway, the other at the rear. The one at the rear was deemed to have little appeal, and the side bunker was given a lower priority than others needing rebuilding at other holes. In time, it was decided not to proceed with either of the proposed bunkers.

In December 2007, following the deployment of spoil from the Water Reclamation Plant to create mounds on the 10th and 11th fairways, a decision was made to add two fairway bunkers on the RHS of the 10th at driving distance for long hitters. They were built in March 2008 and the mounds were added and turfed and in play by July 2008.

11th Hole

In September 2004 the 11th greenside bunkers were rebuilt to Wilcher designs.

Prior to the rebuild, the hole had a single LHS bunker and three on the RHS, in a sequence leading from behind the Photinia hedge. The bunker behind the hedge was filled in in 2003.

12th Hole

In November and December 2002 the greenside bunkers at the 12th were redeveloped. The two bunkers on the left were changed to three and the bunkers on the right also divided into three.

In June 1999 the two fairway bunkers had the drainage repaired and relined with Biddum cloth. Their contour and depth were not changed.

In April 2017, the 12th greenside bunkers were rebuilt to the new design using the capillary concrete technology. The number of bunkers on the RHS was reduced from 3 to 2 and they were repositioned. The three LHS bunkers were somewhat enlarged, but remained in similar positions. At the same time, as decision was made to widen the right front of the green itself which provided additional area for a more challenging hole location.

13th Hole

In November 2006, the greenside bunkers on the 13th were redesigned and increased from two to three.

14th Hole

In March 1993 the work on the 14th bunkers was under contract to Kel Nagle Cooper & Associates. However their work was deemed unsatisfactory and their staff and representatives were relieved of their duties in relation to these bunkers, and the work was completed by the Course Superintendent and staff .

In 2002, the bunkers on the 14th were rebuilt to Wilcher designs.

15th Hole

The 15th hole had 5 bunkers in 1980, two fairway and three greenside. All bunkers were simple flat bunkers, which were redesigned in 1990 to deepen and create sand faces on the greenside bunkers.

After 1990 redesign

In 2003, three fairway bunkers were added, two on the RHS and one on the LHS. The greenside bunkers were changed to three in the RHS and one on the LHS, all with sand faces and all to the Wilcher design.

16th Hole

In October 1994 the front bunker on the 16th was reconstructed and the bunker face reshaped, the floor enlarged and raised and better drainage added.

In October 2002 the relocation and rebuilding of the bunkers at the 16th green commenced. It involved filling the front bunker and converting it to turf. The RH bunker was rebuilt to new design and new bunkers were built at the left front and the left rear, sevreral metres from the edge of the green.

In November 2017 the front LH bunker was reshaped, the drainage flushed and the floor raised by 300 mm.

17th Hole

The two greenside bunkers on the 17th hole were put in place in 1948, and since that time have remained largely the same with only minor changes.

In May 2005 the RH fairway bunker was reshaped and the sand base was replaced. The bunker wall on the greenside of the RH bunker was changed from being grass face to sand face.

18th Hole

In 1992, a decision was made to replace kikuyu with Santa Ana couch on the grass faces of the bunkers. Originally grass faces were introduced into bunkers as a temporary measure to help prevent the bunker walls from collapsing. However the execution was delayed until April 1993 and then the decision was to make the face part couch and part sand. It was done with the proviso that if the outcome of replacing grass with sand faces on the 14th, where it was being trialled, proved unsatisfactory, they would reconsider what approach would be taken on 18th. This was overseen by Tony Gresham and Bob Batho, Course Supt.

In March 1995 all bunkers on the 18th were rebuilt to Wilcher designs with improved drainage and sand faces.

However, in March 1996 the bunkers were not considered good enough and an experiment was conducted on the RH bunkers to try to make the faces harder in order to get the ball to roll back to the bottom. Additionally the right front and middle bunkers and the left front bunker had 50-60% of the sand removed from the faces to try and eliminate ball plugging.

The following month this was reported as appearing to have worked well.

In October 1997 the RH front bunker was redesigned by removing rock from the back area to create a flatter floor. Also a new type of sand was trialled which appeared to be work well, reducing the incidence of plugged balls.

In February 1998 a final decision was made to adopt sand faced bunkers for all future bunker renovations.

In October 2005 the floors in the front and middle RH bunkers were raised and sand in all the 18th greenside bunkers was replaced.

A new order

In July 2013 bunkers remained a challenge and were very labour intensive. The strategy developed for bunker improvement was published on the website showing confirmation of a commitment to undertake bunker improvement works over the next 3 to 4 years subject to available funds, estimated to be $450K for 63 bunkers.

In support of this, in December 2013 expressions of interest were sought for bunker reconstruction from:

• Craig Parry

• Bob Harrison

• Golf by Design (Jim Wilcher)

After on site meetings held with Bob Harrison (Harrison Golf) and Jim Wilcher (Golf by Design) in February, ( Parry having previously visited on two earlier occasions), the key factors being stressed were playability, accessibility, drainage and implementation and ongoing maintenance costs, and a likely assumption that capillary concrete technology would be a key component in the design. Funding of the program had to be agreed with a levy being discounted.

Golf By Design

In May 2014, a decision was made to appoint Golf By Design to complete the first stage of the project. A subcommittee consisting of the two Club Captains plus Richard Kirkby and Phil Bush would oversee the plan.

June 2014, an audit of bunkers on all 18 holes was completed by the Bunker Subcommittee. Over the next months, the program was carefully refined and worked through, including site visits to different clubs obtaining useful information for the club’s consideration.

In November 2014, the Bunker Subcommittee met and agreed the first holes to be updated would be the 1st, 4th and 7th. These holes were selected on the basis of available budget and those most unlikely to be impacted by changes envisaged by a revamped course masterplan.

Following member feedback, draft detailed plans for redesigns were available for the these holes prepared by Jim Wilcher.

The work to execute the bunker changes was put out to tender and the work commenced in March 2015. As the program progressed the removal of topsoil around the bunker area confirmed just how near to the surface clay existed which lead to inherent drainage issues. This helped explain why the existing bunkers had gradually become more prone to filling with water after heavy rain, because of the clay mixing with the sand.

Late April 2015 work on the 1st hole bunkers was complete. Feedback from members and performance of the new bunkers in recent wet weather was very pleasing.

In August 2015 the bunker reconstruction work on holes 4 and 7 commenced, with work on holes 5 and 12 deferred until 2016. The 4th and 7th holes were back in play in November 2015, delayed in part by the availability of capillary concrete.

These newly built bunkers with capillary concrete lining over gravel bed and ag. drains were highly successful in coping with even the heaviest rain, and were fully protected from wall erosion by the concrete. The sand covering needed to be kept at least 100mm over the concrete to avoid clubhead striking the concrete when playing shots.