The work has now been completed in the 3rd year of our bunker refurbishment programme at Shortlands Golf Club.
This year was mainly focused on the 4/13th and 9/18th holes, where matches can often be won or lost.
On the 4/13th hole, we’ve reshaped both bunkers splitting the right greenside bunker into two separate pot bunkers and reducing the left greenside bunker. During the work, we’ve also built-in new drainage under the green to prevent the puddle from appearing on the left rear of the green. The front of this bunker was often littered with leaves and twigs from the overhanging large tree alongside and has now been shaped into a run-off area with the potential to provide a better temporary green during the winter.
In doing the drainage work to improve the 4/13th green we’ve had to dig up part of the green which has been raised and seeded. This area will continue to be out of play for a few months until the grass has rooted, and the surface is able to receive golfing traffic and recover from use.
The 9/18th greenside bunkers have both been reshaped and will be back in play along with the 4/13th bunkers as soon as the surrounding turf has rooted and bedded in properly. We anticipate all the bunkers being back in play early to mid-May.
Due to several factors including the weather we did not complete the work scheduled for the 3rd/12th right greenside bunkers. The back bunker is in the process of being filled and will be seeded in the next few weeks and become a grass bunker. The front bunker will remain in play and rescheduled for a future refurbishment iteration.
