Bunker Study, Part 2: Placement

By Jeff Mingay

It is much too large a subject to go into the question of the placing of hazards, but I would like to emphasize a fundamental principle. It is that no hazard is unfair wherever it is placed. A hazard placed in the exact position where a player would naturally go is frequently the most interesting situation, as then a special effort is needed to get over or avoid it.

Dr. Alister Mackenzie, from his classic 1920 book, Golf Architecture

There are a number of logical reasons to place bunkers at certain locations throughout a golf course: to simply penalize a missed shot; to prevent wayward balls from reaching worse trouble; to steer golfers away from adjacent holes and other potential danger; to deal with sharp changes in elevation; to set-up angles, asking golfers to shape shots; and, of course, to create strategic interest.

As Dr. Mackenzie states above, the most interesting bunkers are indeed those placed where golfers would naturally go. Odd then, isn’t it, that we more often find bunkers flanking opposite sides of comparatively narrow fairways. Such an arrangement dictates play down the middle, effectively eliminating any requirement for strategic thought.

This flanking style of bunkering was popularized more than a half century ago by Robert Trent Jones, beginning with his infamous redo of Donald Ross’ South course at Oakland Hills Country Club in suburban Detroit in preparation for the 1951 United States Open. During that championship, won by Ben Hogan, Walter Hagen remarked it was the first time he’d seen the course play the players rather than the players play the course.

Oakland Hills’ South is the anti-thesis of the Old Course at St. Andrews, where golfers are free to choose from optional routes over wide swaths of short grass peppered with (mostly invisible) bunkers often located in the exact position where they would naturally (like to) go.

One of the most interesting dilemmas at St. Andrews-Old is presented at the sixteenth hole, where a collection of three pot bunkers sunk into an odd little mound – dubbed the Principal’s Nose – features. There’s a wide berth for the tee shot at the sixteenth hole, including plenty of room left, away from the boundary fence. But, there’s the Principal’s Nose, residing where most golfers would be happy to place their tee shot.

Decision time:

Bail left, where a comparatively awkward approach played semi-blind over grassy hillocks, and Grant’s and Wig bunkers short-left of the putting surface awaits?; sacrifice length, and drive safely short of the Principal’s Nose?; attempt to carry the bunkers with a big hit from the tee?; or, take the bold line, “threading the needle” between the Principal’s Nose and out-of-bounds at right?

In theory, the last option leaves the simplest approach. Curiously though, Jack Nicklaus describes this route as “strictly for amateurs”. Nicklaus claims to always drive left of the Principal’s Nose then play a lofted iron, over the trouble, onto the putting surface.

Late in his career, after becoming renowned for creating stylish hazards throughout the world, Dr. Mackenzie advocated using a minimal number of thoughtfully placed bunkers rather than over-decorating a course with sand. His original design at Augusta National exemplified this philosophy, featuring just twenty-six bunkers over eighteen holes.

By comparison, Oakmont – host of the US Open later this year – features more than 180 bunkers. Bill Fownes – an excellent amateur player, and son of club founder, W.C. Fownes – constantly tinkered with his father’s original design, adding many bunkers over the years, exactly where golfers are likely to go, after carefully observing play over the notoriously difficult Oakmont course in suburban Pittsburgh.

The placing of hazards is indeed a very large subject. In brief summary, thank goodness for varying philosophies. As in life, variety is the spice of golf.

Originally appeared at MingayGolf.blogspot.com, February 12, 2007