How clubs are being smart about keeping their bunkers in great shape

Every course faces the same challenge: how to  maintain bunkers that look and play great –  consistently – without blowing the budget. 

Instead of hauling in new loads of sand every few years, more and more clubs are now using a simple system called the Capillary Wash Box to fix this. The Capillary Wash Box lets you flush out contaminants like silt, clay, algae and grass clippings, restoring the existing sand’s original playability and appearance.

The approach is working at top-tier private clubs, busy resort courses, and local municipal tracks alike. The method is fast, doesn’t require heavy equipment, and uses water from the course’s existing irrigation system.

Getting more out of local sand

At Kinderlou Forest Golf Club in Georgia, Heath Allen found a clever way to cut bunker costs: instead of shipping in high-spec sand, he used sand from their local quarry. While the sand initially underperformed, running it through the Wash Box removed excess fines and dramatically improved its performance.

“After washing out the fines, it played really well – and we’ve saved a lot of money.”

Restoring sand quality without replacing it 

Bounced back after flooding – and saved hours of work

At Hoover Country Club, Alabama, bunkers often flood during heavy rain. In the past, crews had to manually skim muck from the surface – never fully removing what was left behind.

Now, after a flood, they connect a hose to the vault and flush it clean. Done in minutes.

“With the Wash Box, we just hook up a hose and blast it clean. It’s a game-changer for us.”

Bringing back bunker consistency and color

Courses in Italy and Florida are also seeing improvements, not just in performance, but in bunker appearance. The approach has helped them restore the original colour of their bright white sand without replacing any.

“We restored the sand’s colour and playability – without adding any new sand.”

— Giovanni Malcotti, GM, Castelconturbia (Italy)

 “I’m never worried about bunker consistency now.”

— Mark Reid, Director of Golf & Grounds, The Breakers (USA)

Why more clubs are trying this method

• Keep bunkers consistent by flushing out silt, clay, and algae without replacing the sand
• Save money by extending the life of existing sand and avoiding costly full replacements
• Use local sand and fine-tune its performance instead of paying a premium for imported material
• Improve moisture control and maintain ideal playability across different weather conditions or across the course
• Works with your irrigation system; there is no special equipment needed

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Whether it’s restoring discolored sand after heavy rain or upgrading the performance of more affordable local sand, the Wash Box gives superintendents an easy, reliable tool to maintain quality and appearance while reducing costs.

The Capillary Wash Box is a patented solution that only works with CapillaryFlow bunker liners. It is installed in a vault at the lowest part of the bunker on top of your drainline. 

Want to hear directly from clubs that are using it – or see it in action?

📩 info@capillaryflow.com | 🌍 capillaryflow.com/washbox

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The good news? Keeping your bunkers consistent doesn’t have to mean buying new sand—or replacing what you already have. 

With the Capillary Wash Box, course managers can now extend the life of their existing bunkers, save significantly on sand, and stay in control of moisture and playability across the course.