How to Build a Sand Bunker for Golf

Golf is a sport where regular practice is the key to improving your game. A great way to practice one of the more difficult shots in the game is to build a bunker, or sand trap, in your backyard. This technique can also be used if designing a full golf hole or even a course. It is a time-consuming task, but with some care and attention, the finished article will improve your game and last a long time.

Things You'll Need

  • Spade
  • Spray paint
  • Pickaxe
  • Hoe
  • Gravel
  • Tarpaulin
  • Sand
  • Burlap sacks
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Instructions

    • 1

      Map out where the bunker is to go. If it is for practice in the backyard, make sure there is enough space to hit the ball into. Alternatively, if this is a proper design, think about where the bunker will cause the most problems and ensure it follows the contours of the green.

    • 2

      Cut out the outline of the bunker using the blade of the spade, or mark off the area by spray painting the grass.

    • 3

      Dig out the bunker using a spade. It should be about 2 feet deep at its deepest point, but there are no correct ways to design a bunker and it can be made deeper by installing a lip later on.

    • 4

      Put down a layer of gravel 3 inches thick across the bottom of the cut out bunker. This will help with drainage and stop plants growing up through the sand.

    • 5

      Lay a tarpaulin sheet over the gravel and punch holes in it using the pickaxe so water can drain from the sand. Make sure the tarpaulin goes right to the edge so the dirt and sand do not mix.

    • 6

      Fill the bunker with sand. Start at the deepest point and rake the sand across the bunker. This will ensure when sand is added to the shallower parts it has something onto which it can grip.

    • 7

      Mix the sand with some of the dirt removed from the bunker and spread it around the edges to stop the sand shifting.

    • 8

      Create a lip on the bunker by either piling up the dirt removed from the bunker or pouring it into burlap sacks and positioning them like an army barricade. This is not necessary, but by doing this, you can create a deep bunker without having to dig down to far. This also means the removed soil will not have to be disposed of.