Marc Westenborg has completed bunker work on 14 holes at West Herts Golf Club in Rickmansworth, England, and will oversee renovation of the remaining four holes later in 2024.
The architect has been consulting the club for over 10 years and has created a masterplan for the course. “Part of the plan highlighted the bunkers, which required urgent attention because of their eroded lips, contaminated sand, blocked drainage and the fact that some of the fairway bunkers were no longer in the correct location,” said Westenborg.
A pilot bunker project on the third hole, including the installation of Blinder liner, was approved in 2017. It was a success and led the club to proceed with work on the rest of the course.
“The brief from the club was to design and construct bunkers to the highest possible specification, while at the same time adjust the location of fairway bunkers to suit modern technology,” said Westenborg. “We also planned to remove any bunkers surplus to requirements, especially greenside ones that could be transformed into grass hollows.”
“The renovation has ensured that the bunkers are in perfect condition, reducing the risk of poor lies,” said Westenborg. “Reducing the number of bunkers by 14, thereby also reducing the intensity of maintaining those that remain, has also allowed the maintenance crew more time to concentrate on improving other areas of the golf course, which in turn improves the golfer’s playing experience.
“Additionally, the creation of closely mown swales and hollows, which have replaced some bunkers around green complexes, means golfers have a wider variety of shots to play. The fact that all the bunkers are now more visible provides the golfers with a clearly framed golf hole with no hidden surprises.”
One hole where the transformation is particularly evident is the first. “We always believe that the first hole of a golf course should be a visually strong one, providing golfers with a good first impression,” said Westenborg. “Previously, from the tee, the hole was a little on the bland side; just two or three bunkers visible with some of the fairway bunkers very poorly positioned.”
Westenborg removed two fairway bunkers, added two new ones and renovated those that remained to be more visible. “The first now has a spectacular opening tee shot,” he said. “Previously, it required little more than a straight tee shot with little or no thought, but now there are at least three or four choices the golfer has to decide upon when trying to position their opening tee shot.”
The club has also had a new irrigation system installed and is creating a tree management plan (the course is located within Whippendell Woods). Once bunkers are complete, the club will turn its focus to tees.