Caversham Heath Golf Club completes stunning bunker project

By Alistair July 9, 2020 07:21 Updated

At Caversham Heath Golf Club, golf course architect Tom McBroom and contactor Mark Ely are well on target to deliver an ambitious heathland restoration project, and the bunker works are critical in establishing the desired aesthetic.

EcoBunker has installed liners on all 73 bunkers. Following occasional pauses due to bad weather and the impact of coronavirus, the project will be completed early this summer.

Richard Allen, founder of EcoBunker, said: “I was lucky enough to play the course a few times before work started in earnest. The course and the bunkers were very good, all built to high USGA standards, and I think reflected the prevailing golf course design styles of 20 years ago.

“In more recent years there has been more interest in the ‘Golden Age’ of golf course architecture, and this has led to many notable heathland renovations. It appears to me that both the club and the architect have recognised that Caversham has the terrain and soil conditions suited to a more rugged heathland character, and the first bunkers built last summer have now matured and are clearly delivering the team’s vision. I think the bunkers work extremely well in this landscape.”

EcoBunker has worked on almost 120,000 square feet of hazard area for the project. Allen describes it as “a big canvas to fill”.

“The design style worked in favour of a more cost-effective solution, as the majority of the sand surfaces are relatively flat, with occasional raised faces in strategic locations,” said Allen.

“With the client wanting a resilient liner that would not be damaged by club impact, bunker rakes or burrowing animals, it opted for the Ecosward liner.”