Here is the letter I received from the Kevin Ramsey of Golfplan Architecture after our tour of the course in regards to our bunkers.
Dear Tom,
It was a pleasure meeting you during my recent visit.
Overall the golf course looks good except for the bunkers which look worn and tired. This is understandable after 25+ years. My other concern would be the aging block irrigation system. Although not visible to the members it significantly limits the control of the water application on the golf course thus leading to some areas being over watered and staying soft and wet just to apply a minimum of water to other areas that need it and are on the same block of irrigation heads. This includes over wetness in the bunkers.
After reviewing the golf course with you it was clear that the sand in the bunkers is dirty and needs to be replaced. However, doing so now will not correct the reason the sand is getting dirty. Through time the shape and edges of the bunker have changed fairly dramatically in some areas and modestly in others. Some of these changes have created very steep 1:1 slopes within the bunker, which defies the angle of repose for sand. Thus, the sand will not stay on the slope thereby exposing the native soils which then get washed into the bunker sand with overnight irrigation or swept in with afternoon winds contaminating the sand. To correct this we would recommend stripping the sod around the bunkers and reshaping and re-edging the bunker sand line to better contain the sand and reduce the contamination problem. Without correcting this problem the sand will continue to be quickly contaminated. Contaminated sand will lock up in time and not allow water to drain through it quickly or easily thereby leaving many bunkers soft and perpetually wet. Rebuilding the bunkers is a fairly easy and cost effective process as there is no drainage pipe or gravel in the bottom of the bunkers. From what I understand there are no drainage sumps in the bunkers only native soil (sand). The process we stated above would allow the sand to stay cleaner longer reducing replacement cost and providing a better playing experience for members. This combined with the reduction of sand on the course as outlined in my site notes of January 21, 2011 will greatly reduce bunker maintenance on the golf course, saving tens of thousands of dollars annually.
I can prepare a proposal for your review for our work in preparing an overall improvement plan for the bunkers that graphically depicts the bunkers to be eliminated and the reshaping of the remaining bunkers. Many of the bunkers only require re-edging and modest reshaping and this could be accomplished in a meeting(s) with The Golf course architect, the General Manger, The superintendent and the contractor. The timing of this work would be in late May and go through the summer depending on how many bunkers are to be done and in how many phases.
I would propose a flat fee of $10,000 for our work. This would include the improvement plan, 1”=100’, construction details and specifications, and our time and expenses for 3 visits. This fee basically covers our time. It is important for us to continue to stay involved with our designs and to continue to work with each club to meet their specific needs.
It would be a far better result to do this properly and fix the problems in a few phases as capital cost permits rather than just replacing current sand with new sand. While there will be a small capital expense upfront this will save greatly year after year through reduced maintenance costs.
It is our sincere desire to continue to assist you in modifying your golf course to keep up with changes in technology or the effects of wear and tear over the years.
Please let me know if you need additional information or have any questions.
Best regards,
Kevin Ramsey, ASGCA,
Principal