Moving on from COVID, it has been great to see that most courses have re-introduced rakes into bunkers. Whilst the lie isn't always perfect, without preferred lies it undoubtedly adds a level of difficulty to the game. It's a challenge most of us should and do want.
At my club in Sydney, a decision has been made to remove the rakes and bring back preferred lies for the foreseeable future. This decision (to summarise) was based on;Now whilst I agree there are some positives, during the preferred lie period, certain players may as well have tee'd it up in the bunker given the position they were putting their ball on. It created a very unrealistic experience, particularly for the higher handicapped player. Maybe some would view it as giving them a fair opportunity to get out of the bunker, but in my eyes it is a hazard we should all strive to improve our play from.
- maintenance hours req to maintain bunkers
- pace of play
- members not raking correctly
Admittedly, a lot of bunkers at Sydney courses would've copped it from the recent heavy rain. However surely this is factored in as a cost to run a golf course? My particular course is now looking to charge upwards of $20k joining fee. Is reasonable to expect reasonable quality bunkers at a course of this price point? Is it just a money hungry board looking to save a few bucks?
What is your course doing?