Should golf do away with bunkers?

[boogielicious]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Just expressing my puzzlement over people who always want to change the way things are rather than make the effort to learn to deal with them.  It comes up in 3/4 of the rules threads, and now it comes to bunkers and course design.  If I play a course and I don't like the way it plays, I don't go back there.  I don't come online and lobby for them to change it because it's apparent that some people must like it or it wouldn't be designed that way.  I can always find another course that suits my preferences better.

Bunkers are expensive and courses are cutting costs.  Using grass "bunkers" or mounding are ways that can lower maintenance overhead while still preserving a penalty for missing a green in the wrong spots.  This is a practical, economic decision many courses can make.  But wrap yourself in some golf purity shroud if you wish.  And take your meds.

Knock off the snide comments please.

[dchoye]

Sounds like sour grapes I felt like the OP couple of years ago while I joined club which had sand traps as a player who came from muni course which had no sand Couldn't get out of sand consistently. Felt like I had to relearn my short game all over again. Now I'm very confident out of the sand. Love playing with courses with lots of greenside bunkers but also like to play courses without sand too

[mcanadiens]

I think as long as courses can maintain decent bunkers, they should. Bunkers are part of the game and the game would be lesser without them. That said, if courses can't maintain bunkers to a reasonable standard, they ought to let them go. I'm not talking about sparkling, pretty, manicured sand either. All I ask is no rocks, no weeds and, at least, some sand instead of just dirt. If that's not possible, the course may as well just grow em over.

[RGoosen]

Even though I am not a great bunker player, I would hate to see them go. I find them asthetically pleasing and are important in defining a hole. There is one course on the RTJ Golf trail in Alabama (Huntsville site) that does not have a single bunker on it despite it being a premium course. Every time I play it I feel like something is missing. It makes it boring compared to the sister course on site.

[Mop Bucket]

Hell no. Bunkers are a huge part of the game and offer a hole a little protection. Without bunkers, you could simply run and gun every hole with little to no resistance. I think it would be an awful idea to take them out especially when hitting from them isn't that difficult with the right form and mindset. They are a perfect way to punish a greedy golfer.

[Lihu]

Hell no. Bunkers are a huge part of the game and offer a hole a little protection. Without bunkers, you could simply run and gun every hole with little to no resistance. I think it would be an awful idea to take them out especially when hitting from them isn't that difficult with the right form and mindset. They are a perfect way to punish a greedy golfer.

Actually, I couldn't agree more with you. After thinking about this a little, it takes away any need to hit the ball properly.

[Mop Bucket]

Actually, I couldn't agree more with you. After thinking about this a little, it takes away any need to hit the ball properly.

Agreed, they are a perfect for making golfers pay for a bad shot, but at the same time, not ruining a round by making that person drop or retee. It offers the player a chance to make an equally impressive shot to void out their mistake.