85 Photo: Carmel CC CapillaryFlow liner. Jones and design associate Steve Weisser sought to create bunkers that were easier to enter and exit, more consistent to maintain and, importantly, more strategic. “Now, when players go in the fairway bunkers, they can hit different types of shots rather than just a recovery shot,” says Jones. Bunkers at Carmel are not just about punishment, they define strategy and provide visual guidance. “The good players will use the bunkers as targets,” says Weisser. “The bunkers are very recoverable and serve as a roadmap on how to play the hole.” As part of the process, the design team met with a range of member groups, including low handicappers, high handicappers, seniors and members who regularly play only nine holes. “We made sure the South remained a championship golf course and that it was fair for all the members,” says Weisser. In several areas, bunkers have been converted into closely mown chipping areas. Rather than presenting the same challenge repeatedly around every green, the new surrounds introduce greater variety and encourage different recovery options. Jones believes this evolution has been one of the most significant developments in recent golf architecture. “What chipping areas have done is enable architects to make every hole distinctive,” he says. “Years ago, you often had elevated greens with bunkers in front and you felt like you were playing the same hole repeatedly. Now, with different heights of cut, slopes, false fronts, rough and chipping areas, every hole can present a different challenge.” One of the clearest examples appears at the fifteenth hole, a par four where McAlpine Creek crosses directly in front of the green. Prior to the latest renovation, a bunker sat behind the putting surface. The hole already required a long carry over the creek and could prove particularly challenging for average golfers. “It is New bunkering and surrounds on the fifteenth provide more strategic options “ We made sure the South remained a championship golf course and that it was playable for all the members”
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