Renovating golf bunkers is a large investment to many clubs worldwide, but can bring back the original design characteristics and playability the course was intended to have in the first place. So, how much does it actually cost to do this, and does it make sense financially to line your bunkers at the same time? 
Drawing from our decades of experience as  greenkeepers, I've seen firsthand how the nuances of bunker renovation can significantly impact both the budget and the final outcome of a project. Below is a distilled list of crucial factors, each accompanied by insights rooted in years of practical experience:

• Total number of bunkers you have on the course: Understanding the full context of your course's bunker infrastructure helps in strategic planning, especially in prioritizing which bunkers need renovation first based on their condition and strategic importance.
• Number of bunkers you would like to renovate: The total count directly influences the scope and cost of your bunker renovation project. Renovating a larger number of bunkers requires more resources, including materials and labor, leading to higher overall project costs.
• Total square footage of all bunkers you plan to renovate: The larger the area, the more sand and materials you'll need. This not only affects the cost but also the complexity of the project, especially when considering drainage and liner systems.
• Choice of bunker sand: Bunker sand is one of the most expensive entries in the cost table of bunker renovations. Depending on local availability, colour, desired playing characteristics, how steep faces your bunker has, and the sand grains' angularity, to name a few considerations, the costs vary heavily.
• Price of regional bunker sand per short ton, including fuel and transportation costs: Sand quality and transportation significantly affect your budget. Opting for high-quality sand that's locally available can reduce costs while ensuring your bunkers perform well in terms of drainage and playability. Using a lower grade sand and washing it in place can be a cost efficient option if long-haul of higher quality sand is your only choice.
• Average regional labor cost per hour for installation or contractor services: Labor costs can vary widely by region. Knowing the going rate helps in budgeting accurately and deciding whether to use in-house staff or outside contractors for the renovation.
• Average regional labor cost per hour for your course maintenance crew: In-house labor might be more cost-effective but consider their skill level and the opportunity cost of diverting them from regular maintenance tasks. This will affect the timeline of your project.
• Choice of using a local contractor, in-house team, or both for your renovation project: Deciding on who will undertake the renovation impacts not just cost but also the quality and timeline. Local contractors may bring specialized expertise, but in-house teams offer familiarity with the course's unique challenges.

Each of these considerations plays a vital role in the planning and execution of bunker renovations. Leveraging this experience, the goal is always to achieve a balance between cost, quality, and long-term sustainability of the golf course's bunkers, ensuring they meet the aesthetic and playability standards expected by members and guests alike.

However, to make a sound financial investment that will pay off during the coming 25 years as well, the following things is also worth taking into consideration: 

• Frequency at which you want to wash your bunker sand to restore it to 'new' condition: Regular washing will extend sand life and improve bunker conditions significantly. Even though it's a labor-intensive process it makes a lot of financial sense to choose a liner where this is possible, as frequent sand replacements can be completely eliminated.
• Frequency at which you normally refill your sand to maintain a 1'' depth: This maintenance routine is crucial for preserving bunker playability and common for many clubs when the sand gets contaminated. Frequent refills can be a sign of underlying drainage issues or sand retention problems, which should be addressed during renovation. This is often affected by bunker liner choice. Having the option to wash the bunker sand instead of touching it up every second year.

If you are not certain what bunker liner to choose, CapillaryFlow can offer you a bunker investment calculation custom to your course. It will highlight things such as:

• Net cost over 25 years for different bunker liner choices
• Total sand costs over 25 years for different bunker liner choices
• Total capital cost for your bunker renovation
• Total operating cost for your bunker renovation

Book a meeting to get your calculation‍

‍
How to choose bunker liner

First, what is a bunker liner and what function does a bunker liner have?

A bunker liner is a material or system used in the construction of golf course bunkers to improve their performance and durability. Bunker liners are designed to separate the sand in the bunker from the underlying soil, thereby preventing contamination of the sand by the soil and reducing the amount of maintenance required to keep the bunkers in playable condition. Simply put, it is a protection to your sand, maintenance crew and drainage layer from contamination and costly investments.

Secondly, one could question "do I need to line my bunkers at all?". The question is today most certainly yes. Almost all geographical locations worldwide face weather, ground conditions or other issues out of their power to control, which in turn affects our golf bunkers. By choosing a bunker liner, you can come to terms with things such as:

• Poor drainage
• Waterlogged bunker bases
• Washouts or sand migrating from faces in dry conditions
• Sand contamination from the outer lip and from the native soil
• Sand that is too dry

‍

Main benefits of using bunker liner

1. Improved Drainage: Bunker liners facilitate better drainage of water through the sand, preventing the washouts and puddles that can occur after heavy rain. This means bunkers can return to playable condition more quickly.
2. Sand Retention: They help to keep the sand in place, reducing the amount of sand that gets washed away during rainstorms. This not only saves on the cost and labor of replenishing the sand but also keeps the sand depth consistent for a better playing experience.
3. Reduced Contamination: By separating the sand from the soil beneath, liners prevent the mixing of sand with soil, which can lead to compacted, hard surfaces that are difficult to play from. This separation maintains the quality and playability of the sand over time.
4. Maintenance Efficiency: Liners reduce the time and effort required for bunker maintenance. They help in keeping the bunkers consistent in terms of playability and appearance, reducing the need for frequent interventions by maintenance staff.
5. Longevity and Durability: The use of durable materials in bunker liners means that they can withstand the elements and the wear and tear of golf play, leading to a longer lifespan for the bunkers with less need for major renovations.
6. Cost Savings Over Time: While the initial investment in bunker liners can be significant, the savings in reduced maintenance, sand replacement costs, and improved drainage efficiency can make them cost-effective in the long run.

Why You Should Line Your Golf Bunkers

• Enhance Playability: Consistently good playing conditions in bunkers improve the overall experience for golfers, making the course more enjoyable and challenging in the intended manner.
• Economic Efficiency: Reduced maintenance requirements and lower costs over time make bunker liners a wise investment for golf courses looking to optimize their operations.
• Environmental Considerations: Efficient drainage and reduced need for chemical treatments (to address weed growth or pests in the sand) can have positive environmental impacts.

What bunker liner should I choose?

If you want a comprehensive guide on the subject you could refer to Water and Lowe's paper which covers the basics, but has left out numerous details about our bunker liner technology. That is why to us the choice is simple, which brings us to CapillaryFlow bunker liner technology — Capillary Bunkers. What sets it apart?

Effective moisture control is crucial for bunker performance. As sand dries out on steep bunker faces, the risk of plugged ball lies and washouts during rain events increases. Capillary Bunker liners for golf courses swiftly drain excess rainwater while redistributing moisture to bunker sand during dry weather, retaining optimal moisture in the sand, preventing washouts, and ensuring impeccable playing conditions in any weather and terrain.

But how is it possible for a bunker liner to drain excess water as well as move water upwards to moisten dry sand on the bunker face?

Capillary Bunker liners are made of Capillary Material, a patented pervious cement and polymer material and the only building material to rapidly drain water while also moving it upwards. The Capillary Material’s ability to rapidly drain excess water and move moisture up to the sand in dry weather is one major reason why Capillary Bunkers are a major improvement on conventional bunker liners.

Capillary Wash Box, a value add-on to Capillary Bunker liners, is another CapillaryFlow innovation. The Wash Box enables golf courses to remove contaminants such as algae, debris, silt, clay, and organic pollutants from the bunker sand by simply washing it. In doing so, it preserves the sand’s percolation rate, color, and desired playing properties, while also eliminating the need for frequent sand replacement or long hours of maintenance.

<<<Read more: Sustainable bunker care: Why you should never add more sand to your bunker base to dry it out>>>

This is important because sand can cost between $30 and $150 per ton in the US, depending on location, sand quality, source and transport costs. But its lifespan can be as short as a few months if severe storms occur shortly after the sand is installed. Regularly washing bunker sand with Capillary Wash Box protects a golf course’s investment in sand.

Thousands of bunkers around the world, including many of golf’s top 100 courses, have successfully been renovated with Capillary Bunkers. On top of drastically improving the playability of bunkers, CapillaryFlow clients experience significant maintenance savings and +35% ROIs.

At CapillaryFlow, we're so confident in our bunker liner technology that we offer an industry-leading 15-year structural and drainage performance guarantee on our complete Capillary Bunker system and equestrian sand footing solution, including liner, vaults, and wash boxes.

All you stand to gain with the world’s best bunker liner

To recap, here are the benefits of installing Capillary Bunkers.

• A bunker drainage system that works: CapillaryFlow’s bunker liner system removes water from bunker sand at a higher flow rate than current bunker liner drainage systems and also completely stops sand from moving into bunker drainage systems.
• Unique bunker lining material engineered for all courses: The patented CapillaryFlow bunker lining material has proven itself to be effective in even the harshest conditions – from drought to heavy storms, and in freezing and sun-drenched weather conditions.
• An efficient ecosystem of bunker lining products: The Capillary Bunker liner and its bunker lining products creates an ecosystem that enables you to create the most beautiful and long-lasting bunkers out there with durable edges and washable bunker sand.
• Wash your sand instead of an expensive sand replacement: Capillary Wash Box enables golf courses to remove contaminants such as algae, debris, silt, clay, and organic pollutants from the bunker sand by simply washing it. This helps you preserve the sand’s percolation rate, color, and desired playing properties, while eliminating the need for frequent and expensive sand replacement.
• Bunker liner products that lead to significantly less maintenance: The Capillary Bunker lining material, Capillary Wash Box and Capillary Edge provides massive benefits for any course crew. This includes no migration of sand from bunker faces, no waterlogged bunker bases, no need to replace bunker sand, and reduced edge-trimming. 
• Design freedom for bunkers: The angle of repose is used to set a maximum slope for bunker faces to help limit dry sand moving down excessively steep slopes. But with Capillary Bunker liners’ optimal moisture control you can design steeper bunker faces because the optimal moisture in the sand increases the friction coefficient of the particles, allowing golf courses to design steeper and more stable bunker slopes. This is due to the Capillary Material’s property to not only rapidly drain, but also move moisture back up to the sand again when needed. 
• Quick and easy installation, all year round: CapillaryFlow bunker liners are easy to install. They can be installed by your in-house team with local materials and minimal tools, or by a local contractor. Capillary Bunkers gives you the flexibility to schedule installation during your off-season to avoid closing during peak playing seasons. The bunker is ready to be used again just 24 hours after installation.

‍

Capillary Bunkers: A risk-free decision for you and your club

The bunker system & liner with the best ROI and long-term performance

By eliminating frequent sand touch ups and occasional sand & liner replacements, Capillary Bunkers cost a third as much the coming 25 years*, compared to other bunker liner options yet still perform the same way it did year one. 

Sand and maintenance savings alone makes CapillaryFlow the ultimate bunker liner choice

Net cost over 25 years

In summary, lining your golf bunkers with a quality liner system is a smart choice for maintaining high standards of playability and aesthetics on a golf course, while also being economically and environmentally prudent. The use of bunker liners represents a blend of practicality and innovation in golf course management, aiming to enhance the experience for players and simplify maintenance tasks.