Where does the word bunker come from in golf?
The word Bunker in golf does not appear until the 1812 Royal & Ancient rules of golf. The word 'hazard' is French in origin, as Caddie , reflecting the strong connections between Scotland and France in earlier times.
When did the bunker rules change in golf?
After the current golf rules were brought in at the beginning of 2019, there were two key changes to note when it comes to bunker. Below we have explained them both and indicated how both rules have changed.
What is a bunker shot in golf?
A stroke played out of a bunker is called a "bunker shot." Bunkers themselves can also be called traps, sand traps or sand bunkers. Most golfers use "trap" and "bunker" interchangeably. But golf's governing authorities, the R&A and USGA, only use the term "bunker," never "sand trap."
What is the biggest bunker in golf?
According to the Guinness World Records, the biggest bunker in the world of golf is Hell’s Half Acre on the seventh hole of the Pine Valley Course in Clementon, New Jersey. The hazard starts some 280 yards from the tee and extends 150 yards to the next section of the fairway.
Why are they called bunkers in golf?
Early golf developed on links land, where sand blew across the course and 'burns' (small rivers) ran across it to the sea. In time these were shaped into the hazards that they are today, especially the sand, putting it in pits called bunkers.
Why is it called a bunker?
Etymology. The word bunker originates as a Scots word for "bench, seat" recorded 1758, alongside shortened bunk "sleeping berth". The word possibly has a Scandinavian origin: Old Swedish bunke means "boards used to protect the cargo of a ship".
What do Americans call a bunker in golf?
Bunker is the proper term for what is commonly called a sand trap. Bunker is official terminology, sand trap is just what people say.” Here again, as with the verb debate, a lot of people seem to be at war with common usage.
Why are there sand pits in golf?
Sand bunkers provide a psychological landmark. They accentuate the hole and provide targets for directing the golfer to a defined landing area whether it is the fairway or green. Sand bunkers provide safety buffers for adjacent fairways, tees or greens, both physically and visually.
Who invented bunkers in golf?
History of the original "Billy Bunker" In 1994 he introduced the Billy Bunker spec to the golf construction industry, and since then more than 600 golf courses across North America have used this method to construct bunkers.
What bunker means?
1 : a bin or compartment for storage especially : one on shipboard for the ship's fuel. 2a : a protective embankment or dugout especially : a fortified chamber mostly below ground often built of reinforced concrete and provided with embrasures. b : a sand trap or embankment constituting a hazard on a golf course.
Why don't they say all square anymore?
As part of the massive overhaul in the Rules of Golf, the USGA and R&A decided to change the vocabulary used to describe match-play status. An "all square" match is now "tied." There's no such thing as a "halve" of a hole or a match; it's now a "tie."
Is there a difference between a sand trap and a bunker?
The most significant difference between a sand trap and a bunker is in its design. A sand trap is a man-made pit on the course that is then filled with sand. A bunker is also a depression on the course (either natural or man made), but it doesn't always have to be filled with sand.
Where is the deepest golf bunker?
The deepest bunker in golf is named after a mountain range, and for good reason. It's called the Himalayas or Himalayan bunker, and it's a 40-foot-deep, 25-foot-wide bunker at Royal St. George's, a regular host of the British Open Championship.
What are the bunkers called in Scotland?
Pot bunkers originated on the earliest golf courses, Scottish seaside links, as natural depressions in the linksland. Their small, deep, steep-sided nature kept the seaside breezes from blowing away the sand.
What does golf stand for?
The word 'golf' is not an acronym for anything. Rather, it derives linguistically from the Dutch word 'kolf' or 'kolve,' meaning quite simply 'club.
Who invented golf sand trap?
The sand wedge was actually invented and patented four years earlier, in 1928, by a gentleman named Edwin Kerr MacClain, a member at Houston Country Club in Texas.
What is the oldest bunker in golf?
Prestwick Hole 17 Alps one of the oldest and biggest bunkers in golf. The word 'hazard' is French in origin, as Caddie , reflecting the strong connections between Scotland and France in earlier times. When courses were created inland they incorporated the tradition of these hazards as the Bunker and the Water Hazard.
Where did the word "bunker" come from?
The etymology of the word bunker itself is variously ascribed to the 16th century Scots word 'bonkar', meaning a chest, or, by some, to Scandinavian or Old Flemish. The word Bunker in golf does not appear until the 1812 Royal & Ancient rules of golf. The word 'hazard' is French in origin, as Caddie , reflecting the strong connections between ...
What are the hazards of golf?
Bunker and Water Hazard. Early golf developed on links land, where sand blew across the course and 'burns' (small rivers) ran across it to the sea. In time these were shaped into the hazards that they are today, especially the sand, putting it in pits called bunkers.
Is the sand bunker in Scotland?
The sand bunker is incontestably Scottish as there is no evidence of it in any other game anywhere else. Crail Balcomie 14th hole - take your step ladder! Bunkers may also have been inspired by the quarry pits which proliferated on many links, such as Aberdeen, Bruntsfield and Gullane.
What is a bunker?
"A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil has been removed. These are not part of a bunker: 1 "A lip, wall or face at the edge of a prepared area and consisting of soil, grass, stacked turf or artificial materials, 2 "Soil or any growing or attached natural object inside the edge of a prepared area (such as grass, bushes or trees), 3 "Sand that has spilled over or is outside the edge of a prepared area, and 4 "All other areas of sand on the course that are not inside the edge of a prepared area (such as deserts and other natural sand areas or areas sometimes referred to as waste areas)."
Where are cross bunkers in golf?
Cross bunkers can be entirely in the fairway, entirely in the rough, or partially in the rough and jutting into the fairway. They are typically (but not always) wider than they are deep and aligned roughly perpendicular to the fairway.
What is a shot out of a bunker called?
A stroke played out of a bunker is called a "bunker shot.". Bunkers themselves can also be called traps, sand traps or sand bunkers. Most golfers use "trap" and "bunker" interchangeably. But golf's governing authorities, the R&A and USGA, only use the term "bunker," never "sand trap.".
What is a cross bunker?
A "cross bunker" is a bunker on a golf hole that is positioned so that a golfer must cross it on the normal line of play for that hole.
What is a church pew bunker?
A " church pews bunker " is a long bunker whose length is interspersed with rough-covered berms. Church pew bunkers are rare, but one of the most famous bunkers in golf is the church pews at Oakmont Country Club . In the vernacular, one might hear reference to a "grass bunker," a hollowed-out area or depression in which, rather than sand, ...
What is a greenside bunker?
A "greenside bunker" is any bunker that is adjacent to the putting green. Such a bunker is often said to "guard the green.". A " pot bunker ," sometimes called a pothole or pothole bunker, is a small, round, but very deep type of bunker common on links golf courses . A " church pews bunker " is a long bunker whose length is interspersed ...
What is the rule book for bunkers?
There is a specific rule in the rule book — Rule 12 (Bunkers) — that covers the do's and don'ts of playing from bunkers: what is allowed, what is not allowed. That rule also includes a diagram and video to help golfers understand what the rule book allows and disallows when your golf ball is inside a bunker.
Where Did Golf Bunkers Come from?
The earliest golf courses were established on links land where sand blew across the course from the natural beaches that hugged the coast.
What Types of Bunkers are there in Golf?
From a traditional perspective, there is only one type of bunker in golf: the sand bunker. If your ball finds its way into a sand bunker , you cannot ground your club before making contact with the downswing of your attempted shot.
What is the Difference Between a Sand Trap and a Bunker?
But is there a difference between a sand trap and a bunker? Well, in common parlance, players often refer to sand traps and bunkers as if they’re the same thing, and there’s nothing really wrong with that.
What are Deep Bunkers Called?
You might hear a particularly deep bunker called a pot or pothole bunker on occasion, owing to its size and depth. They tend to exist on links golf courses and originated on Scottish coastal golf courses.
What Happens if a Bunker is Full of Water?
Unfortunately for those of you who find your way into a bunker full of temporary water, you either have to play it as it lies or opt for free relief within the same bunker (at the nearest point of complete relief within one club length, according to Rule 16.1c).
Why are sand bunkers important?
They tend to be shaped and styled in various ways and are included to test the accuracy and strategy of players all over the course.
What is a sand bunker?
According to the R&A, a sand bunker is “a specially prepared area of sand” that acts as a course hazard, while a waste bunker is just a “general area” that has no special rules assigned to it.
What is the name of the bunkers in Dunn's bunkers?
And although his “architecture” would ultimately be roundly criticized, he wasn’t entirely without creativity: At Hanger Hill, in West London, his bunkers feature bizarre looking formations—the Apennines and Pyrenees —which, not unreasonably, are often referred to as “Dog Turds.” In America, brother Willie Jr. was doing something similar at Shinnecock Hills.
What do bunkers tell about a course?
Most would rather have nothing to do with them, much less study them. For architecture devotees, however, bunkers tell stories and, like greens, say much about a course and its past. They’re not merely functional hazards but reflections of the architect’s and shaper’s skill. Their style and dimensions contribute hugely to a course’s identity ...
Where did Willie Dunn grow up?
And though a Scotsman born in Musselburgh, Dunn grew up in London, at Blackheath, where his father, Willie Dunn Sr., was Custodian of the Links. Blackheath, where golf had been played since the early 1600s, sat upon heavy soil and was to links golf what the slow, clay-like surfaces of Roland Garros, site of tennis’s French Open, ...
Who was Alister MacKenzie?
Alister MacKenzie was a proponent of this new natural, strategic philosophy and the figure whose globetrotting helped spread its message around the world. MacKenzie built bunkers not unlike those of Colt, with whom he formed an alliance, alongside Charles Alison, from 1919 to 1923. And although MacKenzie’s Leeds, Australian Sandbelt, and American (Augusta National, Cypress Point, Crystal Downs, Pasatiempo) bunkers had their differences, they were invariably big, natural, and not only asked strategic questions of the golfer thanks to their careful positioning, but also added to the course’s beauty in a way Dunn’s Victorian bunkers never had.
Who designed Harbour Town?
Harbour Town (photo by Kevin Murray) Inspired by Dye’s willingness to experiment and follow his own path, one of his acolytes, Bill Coore, more or less instigated another new phase of architecture and bunker-styling with his, and partner Ben Crenshaw’s, pioneering design of Sand Hills in Nebraska in 1995.
Who was the most prolific cross bunker builder of the time?
The most prolific cross-bunker builder of the time was Scotland’s Tom Dunn, who laid out well over 100 courses using a formulaic style featuring a fairway-spanning hazard to be cleared with the drive and another for the approach.
Who built the hills and hollows?
J.H. Taylor also perpetuated this Victorian approach, but, at the same time, challenged it. Around 1910 at Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club, nine miles west of Big Ben, he built a series of irregular hills and hollows, “the idea being to copy nature as closely as the hand of man admits.”.
Where is a bunker in golf?
A bunker in golf is a pit of sand which typically sits near the green or alongside the fairway. Bunkers are considered one of golfs hazards that are used to make the game more difficult.
What is a fairway bunker?
A fairway bunker sits alongside the fairway of the hole and are less common to end up in. These bunkers are typically filled with harder sand and do not have as much depth as greenside bunkers.
What is the difference between greenside bunkers and fairway bunkers?
The main differences between greenside bunkers and fairway bunkers is the sand within them. As well as their typical shape and depth.
Can you ground a golf ball in a bunker?
One rule you need to remember to follow when you hit your ball into a bunker is that you are not allowed to ground your club in order to change the lie of your ball.
When did bunker rules change in golf?
After the current golf rules were brought in at the beginning of 2019, there were two key changes to note when it comes to bunker. Below we have explained them both and indicated how both rules have changed.
What is the challenge of bunkers?
The challenge of bunkers is meant to be playing from sand and not having to also deal with pine cones, twigs etc.
When can you drop outside the bunker?
You may only drop outside the bunker when proceeding under the stroke and distance option (1 on diagram) of the unplayable ball Rule. If dropping back on line (2), or within two club-lengths (3), you must drop within the bunker.
Can you drop back on line outside the bunker?
An additional option allows you to drop back on line outside the bunker, but under penalty of two strokes (4).
Why is there a bunker on Elk Ridge Golf Course?
The now closed Elk Ridge Golf Course in Atlanta, Michigan had a pig-shaped bunker on the 10th hole. This was because the owners were the Honey Baked Ham company, so that makes sense.
What is the only bunker in the world that is shaped like a Dungeness crab?
Perhaps not surprisingly, “Ole Crabby” lays claim to being the only bunker in the world shaped like a Dungeness crab. This unique hazard guards the green at Cedars’ par-five 3rd hole and the sand is actually red volcanic cinders brought in from Bend, Ore. As the course’s website warns: “Whatever you do, don’t get caught up in its claws.”
What is the name of the hole in New Orleans?
While there are holes at other properties that have bunkers with red sand or black slag, the closing hole at this New Orleans course, nicknamed “Fire in the Hole, ” sets a new standard. The bunkers around the green are shaped like flames and are full of red sand, a tribute to local firefighters.
How many bunkers spell I-O-U?
I would add the 3 bunkers that spell I-O-U on the Olympic Club Lake Course 18th hole.-reminding everyone to pay their bets at the conclusion of the hole.
What hole is the island green at King's North?
Miss the green to the right on the par-three island green 12th hole at King’s North and you’ll be in the water. Miss to the left and you’ll end up in the course’s distinctive “S.C.” bunkers—yep, for South Carolina—and be left with a very delicate shot from the sand.
When was the bunker rebuilt at Disney World?
The iconic and ironic bunker was completely rebuilt in 2017 and shortly thereafter two more Mickey-shaped bunkers were added at other Walt Disney World Resort courses: at the rear of the 9th hole at Lake Buena Vista and alongside the 9th green of the Oak Trail course.
Where is the clashing rocks hole?
Gone, but not forgotten, is the "Clashing Rocks" hole (#7) at Stone Harbor Golf Club in New Jersey (Desmond Muirhead, architect). Gone, in the sense that the original design with "a pair of shark-toothed jaws [bunkers] about to clamp shut on a green" has been replaced with a rather bland peninsula green. Truly unforgettable. It is too bad they took that out.
Where was the deepest bunker built?
The World's Deepest Bunker was to be built at a resort in Portugal that doesn't exist and designed by a fake architect, Walther Mittë. Courtesy of Harris Kalinka
What bunker is the 8th at Royal Troon?
Any bunker named Coffin is a shoe-in for our story. This sod-walled bunker right of the green has been victimizing pros and amateurs on the Postage Stamp hole - the 123-yard 8th at Royal Troon - for more than century. It took Rory McIlroy six shots to get out during a practice round for The Open in 2016.
Why is the 17th hole at Muirfield called a coffin?
This deep crossbunker on the par-5 17th hole at Muirfield is called "coffin" by the caddies because "you're dead if you're in it." Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass
Where is the new Nessie bunker?
The new "Nessie" bunker guards the right side of the 590-yard, par-5 seventh hole 'Curran Point' on the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush Golf Club. David Cannon/Getty Images
What bunker is the most lethal?
When Pete Dye co-wrote his book, Bury Me in a Pot Bunker, maybe this is what he meant. Out of the nearly 1,000 bunkers on the Straits Course at Whistling Straits, this treacherous pit dissecting the 6th green might be the most lethal. Sadly, it never came into play during the Ryder Cup in September as the PGA of America decided to keep the hole driveable each day with the pin on the left side of the green. It would have been fun to see how the best players in the world would handle such a diabolical shot.
How many yards from the tees are the Pacific Dunes?
Golfers who attempt to drive the green on this 316-yard hole (288 yards from the tees most people play) at Pacific Dunes do so with more risk than reward. Tom Doak says this bunker left of an severely elevated green isn't the deepest bunker he's built, but it's close.
What hole is the San Andrea fault?
Only something from the mind of Pete Dye could be No. 1. The 16th hole on the Stadium Course at PGA West and the 20-foot-deep bunker to the left of the green are named after the underground fault line that may someday cause the big earthquake all Californians fear. Let's hope the "San Andrea Fault" sticks to only wrecking scorecards.
