We have been doing a lot of work this winter fixing many of our green-side bunkers. New sand was added in areas that needed it and the drainage was repaired if it was not working properly. All of the old sand was removed from two of 11 Green’s bunkers and 6 and 12 Fairway bunkers. The drains were fixed and then new sand was added. New bunkers tend to be fluffy and will take some time for the new sand to transition into the firmness we want. We compact the sand many times to try and speed up the process.
Each bunker has a drainage system below the sand. As water falls upon the sand, it is supposed to filter through a layer of pea gravel and into the drain pipe where it exits the bunker complex.
Over time, the sand in the bunker becomes contaminated and compacted, leading to the water not entering the drains as effectively as it should. This contributes to standing water in the bunkers, making them unplayable.
Removing the compacted sand as well as the pea gravel allows us to make certain the drain system is free from any blockage that would prevent water from flowing out. The pea gravel and clean sand is replaced and clean sand is restored as well.
Sonoma Agronomy 