REALITY SETS IN.....
This is where 'the rubber meets the road' as they say. Suddenly, a lofty concept becomes reality, and we need to deal with a new (or is it really the original, more natural) way of playing golf........
Att: Mr. Rick Baril
Horsens, 15th November 2008
Dear Rick,
It is with great interest that the Stensballegaard Golf Club board members has read and discussed your very interesting and well made memorandum ”STENSBALLEGAARD BUNKERS”.
We have had a very wide and open discussion about your point of view as well as we have tried to take into consideration the expectations which our members have to the new golf course.
First of all, it is our opinion that most of the members have an expectation which goes in the direction of an “American style course”. For us this means a course which is extremely well maintained with fairways and greens as well as hazards of a very high quality. Though perhaps not with white crushed marble in the bunkers, but at least a course which gives the impression of high quality.
If we understand your memo correctly we feel that we are moving towards a course which is much more like Scottish links, a more wild and nature-like golf course -a course which even though the fairways and the greens might have a high quality gives the impression of open nature. These links do have their own and often very beautiful sceneries but we fear that this is not the course our members really look forward to play on-nor is it the kind of course which from the beginning has been promised.
Looking at the bunkers of the Stensballegaard course we find that many of the fairway bunkers are pretty deep actually "pot hole" types -this mean they are not easy to play and you will definitely always loose distance by playing into them.
That a bunker is a hazard and should be avoided is of course correct but by having these fairway bunkers without a rake, we will add a new and even more difficult dimension to the bunkers as well as to the entire course. The golf club board will support the idea.
We will try to have the fairway bunkers as minimal maintained bunkers, however we think it is imperative that the bunkers may never give the impression of being neglected, grass growing unevenly into the bunker areas etc.
The golf club board has contacted the Danish Golf Association (DGU) and we have discussed the issue about minimal maintained bunkers. Everyone agree that from an economical point of view there can be saved a lot of money. However, as your memo point out -by choosing the old type of bunkers we will return to a more hazard-like attitude towards bunkers.
DGU suggests, and we in the golf club board agree, when we are looking at green bunkers, we will have to consider these bunkers differently. If the course should be used for tournaments in the future there will be an expectation that at least the green bunkers have a certain standard and that they are equipped with rakes. We are also certain that our members have an expectance about rakes in these bunkers.
Maybe even more important, we fear that the overall impression of the course will be of a lower standard than we want if we admit “minimal maintenance” bunkers around and near the greens. We do want visitors to have the impression of a very well maintained course and we need a lot of green fee visitors to make ends meet as well.
To conclude: The golf club board suggests that we in cooperation pin point the bunkers which will be “minimal maintenance” bunkers where as the remaining bunkers will be equipped with rakes.
Yours faithfully
Chr. Juel
Re: Bunkers
Dear Chairman and golf committee members,
Thank you for your letter, in response to our “Bunker Policy” memorandum. We are very pleased by your serious and open-minded approach to this issue and thank you for your thoughtful response.
Your letter clearly conveys your desire to ensure Stensballegaard Golfklub achieves its intended status. We hope you will also consider our response in the same spirit.
We feel it is important for you to understand the original design intent of the golf course, and know we will always gladly participate in any effort to improve the quality and perception of the golf course. We understand we are not the final word on these issues and policies. We are simply grateful to be included in the discussion.
Now, to your letter:
We agree and support the member’s expectations for a more “American style course”, in maintenance terms. The intent from the beginning has been; extremely well maintained fairways, semi-fairways, tees and greens. American style maintenance tends to mean “always green and groomed”* (see comments at end of letter).
As you have noted, what is very important is: The tees, fairways, fair-rough and greens must be maintained at very high standards in order to be successful with the bunker policy we are advocating. Players must be capable of easily recognizing the bunkers are being treated and maintained different from the play surfaces. This “contrast” in maintenance standard is what we envisioned. This will; 1) provide the important visual contrast (color, texture, etc) between play surfaces and “hazards and strategic signals” and 2) increase the incentive for players to avoid bunkers, fearing an unpredictable lie.
We must clearly state: The idea for “minimal bunker maintenance” was not originally conceived or presented with the intention of reducing maintenance and saving money. The idea is truly to reinstate bunkers as a strategic element and hazard. We hope the resources normally intended for bunker maintenance will be redirected toward improving maintenance of the other play surfaces.
We would strongly recommend you to treat ALL bunkers the same. We are concerned that any “compromise” (treating green bunkers different than fairway bunkers) will confuse players and likely result in this program being unsuccessful. When you provide rakes in any bunker, it conveys an expectation to “fix or smooth” the sand. And, what happens when a player doesn’t? Do his companions become upset? Does the next player in the bunker register a complaint?
The idea of minimal bunker maintenance is probably “radical” at this time. But, we believe this will be very common in the near future. Golf is “returning to its roots” in many ways. Our hope, in proposing this concept for Stensballegaard, is to place Stensballegaard at the forefront of this return to strategic bunkers. We firmly believe this will also create significant (good) publicity for the golf course. It is a return to “real golf” and we are convinced this will be seen as a true significant step for any golf course brave enough to lead this trend.
General comment about the golf course:
What we see today is not the final appearance of the golf course. The “out-rough” areas are more homogenous today than they will be in the future. These (out-of-play) areas were re-established with Fescue, following construction. In the coming years, these areas will be invaded by other species of grasses and plants. This will result in a more natural and diverse appearance in the out-rough.
American style maintenance: “Green and groomed”
For Stensballegaard, the original intent, which has not changed to our knowledge, has been to maintain the golf course to the highest possible standard. When you mention “American style course” the impression we receive from this “style” of course maintenance, is the ability to control and manage nearly any factor that would affect the appearance of the golf course.
In this case, it is important to remember, we must rely on rainfall to provide water for most the golf course. Consequently, a mitigating maintenance factor is “irrigation”. As you know, a full irrigation system was not permitted on this property. This will mean the golf course will be at “Mother Nature’s” mercy in terms of water supply, particularly during drought times. Unfortunately, drought conditions can initiate stress related issues (weed production and invasion, turf fatality, disease, etc.).
Kindest regards,
Richard A. Baril
This is part II of a IV part series. Look for part III and IV to be published very soon....
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