“Our most played naturally revetted bunkers needed replacing every two to three years, so the pleasure the team gets from building a bunker that they know will still be around in 20 years can’t be overstated,” said Gavin. “We also get regular feedback from members and visitors on how well maintained the bunkers are. So not only is the longevity of an EcoBunker construction financially and ecologically sustainable, it’s also really satisfying for everyone involved.”
Phase one of the project began 13 months ago with the construction of 22 bunkers under the instruction of the team from EcoBunker. Having learned the build technique, the team at Lundin began work on 25 more bunkers in October of last year.
“I was nervous about introducing synthetic bunkers to the main course simply because they were not ‘natural,’” continued Gavin. “We visited Dunbarnie Links and Crail to see their EcoBunkers and were really impressed. We colour matched the synthetic turf to our course surroundings, and now they they look so sharp and natural. The only problem I have is the membership asking when they’ll all be finished!”
Having seen the first bunkers from phase one go through a full year of use, Gavin has been delighted with the reduced maintenance burden, increased sustainability and obvious improvement in the rate of deterioration from the previous naturally revetted programme.
“The ecological impact of a turf nursery is quite significant, and we don’t have the space or resources. With the high price of purchasing turf and the constant re-building and maintenance of the turf grass walls we are already noticing savings. When we reconstruct our natural bunkers they are great for three or four months, but then they show signs of wear and tear. In a year with EcoBunker we just give the faces a brush and an occasional hand weed and they’re as good as day one.
“Over the four phases we will replace 90% of our bunkers, from the revetted walls to the low edged natural bunkers. Whatever the style, we are consistently improving the look of the bunkers, increasing the lifespan and sustainability, and we’re dramatically reducing the maintenance costs. But most of all I’m enjoying the feedback from our members and visitors, and the satisfaction from every member of my course team. On every level, EcoBunkers are giving us more than we expected.”
