WRITTEN BY JACK CREVELING, OUR GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT.

With the Coates Golf Championship presented by R+L Carriers at the end of this month, Golden Ocala is continuing to improve our championship course. With our renovated bunkers now beginning to mature and given consistent conditions throughout the golf course, we have modified our raking technique to improve playability.  ‘Australian Style’ bunker raking is a method of leaving the faces of the bunkers firmly compacted and not raked. This discourages plugged golf balls and also allows for the golf ball to roll to the bottom of the bunker.  Here are some examples of what you will find at Golden Ocala.

Golden Ocala’s Bunker Raking

Hole 9 After Bunker Raking at Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club.

Hole 1 After Bunker Raking at Golden Ocala.

Raking the Bunker at Hole 7.

In the parts of the bunkers that have slopes, the sand is packed firm and blown clean of debris. Our team then hand or machine rakes the bottom of the bunkers for ideal golfing conditions.  It has been a smooth transition for our staff as it saves labor hours in the bunkers and provides a better product. For more information about how we achieve our championship golfing conditions at Golden Ocala, visit our golf blog!