#6 Green Bunkers

The recently approved golf course Master Plan includes changes to many of the bunkers on the golf course.  However, with the bunkers at #6 green remaining as is, we felt that their renovation could easily be done in-house this spring.

The rear bunkers are surrounded by Dwarf Fountain Grass.

After hearing comments from members that they would rather land in the bunkers at #6, than outside them, it was clear that removing the jungle of Fountain Grass surrounding the hazards was a high priority.  There are always a few surprises when undertaking a project such as this, and we figured that the work required outside the bunkers would be equal to the amount required inside of them.  We were wrong--the work surrounding the bunkers has taken at least twice the time as the work inside.

The lovely Dwarf Fountain Grass (Pennisetum) didn't go quietly.  Even after scalping the area down with a mower, the grasses were too thick to use a sod cutter, and jammed our small rototillers.  A larger rototiller couldn't be used on the slopes, so we were left with one solution:  Dig each plant out by hand.  Yes, this is the kind of labor-intensive setback that is difficult to foresee, but perhaps should have been expected.

As always, the crew persevered without complaint and showed these tenacious plants who's boss.  Again, the actual bunker work was simple compared to this.

We're anticipating installing the Matrix liner this week, with sod and sand to follow.  These may not be large bunkers, but it will be nice to have two more checked off the list.