Without fail, at least once each summer we get a call from someone reporting Hornets in a bunker. More often than not, what we find are not Hornet Wasps, but Cicada Killer Wasps. And while these large wasps may look somewhat terrifying, they are not out to hurt you.
The Cicada Killer is a burrowing wasp, and it seems that they find a sandy bunker face to be quite appealing. You would really need to be aggressive towards them to see them reciprocate, and turn aggressive. So, if humans have little to fear from Cicada Killers, who should be worried?
Yes, it's the Cicada that needs to look over its shoulder to make sure the Cicada Killer isn't closing in on it. The female Cicada Killer will sting a Cicada, stunning it, then walk/drag/fly/glide the huge Cicada back to its burrow where it lays an egg. If interested, you can read a bit more about Cicadas and Cicada Killer Wasps here: https://www.cicadamania.com/cicadas/10-facts-about-cicada-killer-wasps/
A word of caution: We do occasionally encounter other wasps, such as Yellow Jackets or Bald-Faced Hornets on the golf course--both of which absolutely can be aggressive towards intruders--so don't assume that everything is a friendly Cicada Killer!
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