1/10/2016 2:01 PM
The Indiana Green Expo last week had a presentation of 3 different bunker methods by the Supers who had them installed. BBB, Matrix, and capillary Concrete. Each looks like a viable solution but out of our price range. One big unknown is how long each will last and what it will be like replacing each type when the time does come.
We have been turning our bunkers over for the last 12 years, a few per year, doing the old method of removing the old sand, adding drainage laterals to the existing 1 line down the middle, new pea fill in the trenches, then new sand. No liners, etc.
We have been adding sod to some of the faces nearly eliminating the high splash look and making the sand surface nearly flat. This has helped with reduction of the post rain event repairs greatly. In some bunkers where lowering the sod down the face wasn't an option, or if we couldn't lower the sod much in order to keep the sand visible from a distance, we dug straight down vertically, in some cases over 2 feet deep, in order to make the floor almost flat with just enough slope to get the water to the drain lines. We have a good sand that even though the sand is very deep, it sets up well with no fried egg lies. The sand in those places still has some slope but does not wash.
Chris Thuer, CGCS, Bear Slide Golf Club, Cicero, IN