How Deep Should Green-Side Bunkers Be?

By: Jeffrey D. Brauer


Again, there are no rules here, just general ones. Most agree that golfers will use a sand wedge for recovery for an elevated shot, and deeper bunkers are acceptable. And, again, green-side bunkers need to fit the topography and look best if they sit naturally.

There are a few things to consider where you have some latitude in what you build:

Public vs. Private

While bunkers are getting easier for better golfers, they remain problematic for average players, and many public courses have very shallow bunkers. Some even encourage putting out, which most frown upon. As below, the maximum depth on a public course should usually be 4 to 5 feet, and depths of 2 to 3 feet generally play a little easier.

And when considering speed of play, shallower is usually better. Shallower bunkers in high-play areas - like the front-right of most greens - also make sense from the operator's perspective.

Vision Out

Like fairway bunkers, it's always more comfortable if you can see the pin when in the bunker. With eye level between 4 to 5 feet, this suggests bunkers be just a bit shallower. In addition, this depth requires an elevated shot (no putting or chipping out!) but is not overly taxing for any player.

There is also the belief among even good players that limiting bunker depth to these levels makes the sand-recovery shot more a matter of skill than luck, so many favor these moderate-depth bunkers.

Proportional Punishment?

While most architects focus on fitting bunkers to the topography, there is some thought that bunker depth should be proportional to approach-shot length as well. If physics mean that missing a green with a long-iron is more probable than with a short-iron, then perhaps bunkers on long par-3 and -4 holes ought to be shallower to compensate.

Similarly, a hole designed for a short-iron approach - which theoretically should be more accurate - perhaps deeper bunkers on these greens provide a more appropriate penalty.

The companion sound bite to fairway bunker depth is, "Green-side bunkers can be as deep in feet as the expected approach club, or 2 feet deep for 2-irons, up to 9 feet deep for short-irons." Between topographical variations and other factors, I don't think I have ever followed this rule strictly, but don't discount it as a general guideline.

There are a few different ways to create any desired proportional penalty. For instance, if a green is oversized to the shot, then perhaps bunkers can be deeper. And, if there are bunkers only on one side of the green, with plenty of room to bail out wide to the other side, deeper bunkers might be acceptable.

Jeffrey D. Brauer began his career as an apprentice in the Chicago area in 1977. His first project was Kemper Lakes, which shortly after hosted the 1989 PGA Championship. He formed GolfScapes in Arlington, Texas, in 1984. In the last 29 years he has designed and consulted on a wide spectrum of projects, ranging from partial renovations to international resorts. His recent work includes teaming with the design team of Pascuzzo and Pate on a remodel of the world-famous La Costa Resort & Spa in California, and renovations at Superior National Golf Course in Lutsen, Minn., and Mesquite Municipal Golf Course in Mesquite, Texas.

He has been a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects since 1981, serving as President during its 50th Anniversary year in 1995-96. Jeff still studies the classic works - both old and new, and has played more than 75 of the best courses in the world.

Jeff gives many presentations and is a regular architecture columnist for many publications and websites, including Golf Course Industry and Cybergolf.com. He has also been a strong advocate for the "Tee it Forward" campaign and strives to make his courses fit the description of "fun to play every day."

Jeff's work has been spotlighted in most of the world's major golf magazines. Golf World ranked him as one of the top-20 golf course architects and Golf Inc. ranked him as the world's fourth-best value in golf architecture in 2010. Jeff's portfolio and reputation keep him at the forefront of desired designers for new courses, reconstruction and renovation projects. For more about Jeff, visit http://www.jeffreydbrauer.com/sites/courses/layout.asp?id=859&page=48451.