Capillary Concrete used in bunkers to prevent wash-outs and improve sand quality

From the Sakura Golf Club in Tokyo, Japan to the land down under at Avondale Golf Club in Sydney, Australia, golf course designers and golf course superintendents alike are finding out that the revolutionary process of bunker drainage problems from Capillary Concrete is they way to go when installing new bunkers, or re-conditioning old bunkers.

At Sakura Golf Club in Tokyo, Japan, Capillary Concrete is being installed in bunkers with the help of local distributor Toyo Green. The team from Toyo Green Maintenance is responsible for keeping a very nice layout in great condition. In Japan, it is common to have two greens complexes on each hole, one with warm season grass and one with cool season grass. The quality is impressive, and everything is very organized. With frequent heavy rains, wash outs are a concern and bunker repairs is a big item in maintenance budgets. The installation of Capillary Concrete is successfully addressing these concerns by both improving conditions and reducing maintenance costs. Tomo Nishizaka, CGCS is the first ever CGCS from Japan, manager of Toyo Green Maintenance.

In Bedford, PA at the Omni Bedford Springs Resort with its 150 year storied history which closed in the 1980s for over 20 years and the golf course had become crowded with trees and had fallen into poor condition until Omni Resorts purchased the property and a major rework occurred in 2006 by Ron Forse and Jim Nagle. Head Golf Course Superintendent Dave Swartzel and his maintenance team have taken the property to new standards of excellence. After installing Capillary Concrete in some of his most difficult bunkers beginning last fall, Dave states “After a full season of having Capillary Concrete in my bunkers I am very encouraged by the results. I am hopeful this is the solution to permanent bunker repair that can be done at your own pace and in-house.” More bunkers are slated for renovation this fall.

All over the world, Capillary Concrete is being installed to improve bunker conditions and reducing maintenance headaches for golf course crews. Superintendent David Warwick at Avondale GC on the north shore of Sydney, Australia is currently installing Capillary Concrete in all greenside bunkers. David and his crew produce some of the best bentgrass surfaces anywhere in the world with greens as firm as a dance floor and stimping at 13 feet. The variety of plants and animals “down under” is amazing. Birds flocking around the maintenance building outdoor patio are stunning in colors, but they still make noise and eat the breadcrumbs…

Hazeltine National Golf Club – site of the 2016 Ryder Cup Matches, Hazeltine National Golf Club, Minneapolis, USA. Superintendent Chris Tritabaugh and staff instal Capillary Concrete as trial to try and correct problem with bunker wash-outs. “The trial bunker after a hard 1.25″ rain last night, not a grain out of place” Capillary Concrete is the only bunker liner available to effectively control and enhance bunker moisture levels, which is critical in controlling wash-outs. Any sand is a bad sand if the moisture levels are wrong, and now we can control the moisture and thereby the compaction levels of the sand.