Better Billy Bunker

It was during Billy Fuller’s tenure at Augusta National Golf Club as golf course superintendent from 1981 – 1986 that he developed what has become affectionately known as “Billy Bunkers,” a specification for constructing golf course sand bunkers. Originally known as the Enhanced Bunker Drainage Method, the primary purpose behind this spec was to minimize sand erosion and sand contamination from native soils during heavy rainstorms. In 1994, Fuller introduced the Billy Bunker spec to the golf construction industry featuring a two-inch gravel layer applied over the bunker floor and a herringbone tile system capped with a geo-textile liner. The gravel serves as a conduit for water to transfer down the bunker floor slopes into the tile pipe system, thus greatly reducing and/or eliminating sand movement. The liner secures the gravel blanket and prevents native soils underneath from contaminating the preferred bunker sand that was installed on top of the liner. The method proved effective, consistently reducing the manpower required to maintain bunkers by up to 80% following rainstorms. With Billy's collaboration, Jerry Lemons, ASGCA, developed and patented the “Better Billy Bunker” specifications, replacing the liner with a manufactured binder to hold the gravel blanket in place, altogether eliminating the need for liners, which often created challenges when snagged and became exposed. After much study and testing, the Better Billy Bunker Method demonstrated even greater efficacy, allowing water to pass through the stone at more than 1,500+ inches per hour, while being affordable, easy to install, durable and long lasting. Today, the Better Billy Bunker Method is a patented and installed across over square feet of bunkers at courses throughout the world, including dozens of major championship venues. While these courses are located in varying climate conditions, one factor remains the same; excellent playing bunkers.