Wet bunker sand can be tough to play out of, and some bunkers seem to stay wetter than others. Let’s look at why that happens, and what courses can (and can’t) do about it.
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No golfer likes to be in a bunker. And if the sand is wet, you might even be more frustrated.
Wet sand plays firm, which can make it hard to hit a nice high bunker shot that lands softly.
So why does the sand in some bunkers stay wet, even if it hasn't rained for days?
The irrigation system is usually part of the reason. Sprinklers are located to make sure
all the grass gets watered around the bunkers. But that means the sand in some bunkers gets
watered as well. If the system is being used frequently, like in the summer, some bunkers
stay wetter than others. Unfortunately, there's no practical way to design an irrigation system
that avoids watering the sand in the bunkers. Superintendents can make adjustments, but
there's only so much they can do without risking dead grass. How the bunkers are built and the
sand itself can also contribute to wet conditions. If sand gets contaminated by dirt and debris,
it can become compacted and hold moisture. Aggressive raking improves drainage and fluffs up
the sand, but the effects don't last, and the process will have to be repeated routinely.
If there isn't enough sand in a bunker, that can also cause wet conditions, especially when drain
lines are installed underneath a gravel or concrete liner. And some bunkers don't have
drainage at all. In those cases, if the soil stays wet after rain or irrigation, the sand will too.
Adding sand can help bunkers play drier, and soil testing labs can help determine the right depth.
But extra sand can be expensive. Some courses have to completely replace the sand or rebuild the
bunkers to get the desired playability. And sometimes we just have to learn to play from the
sand we've got. Not every course has money for more maintenance, more sand, or a bunker renovation.
Don't worry though, with enough practice, regardless of the conditions,
there's a way to escape from any bunker.
