A sand trap, water, or bunker on a course
A sand trap, water, or bunker on a golf course is a hazard designed to add challenge and strategic gameplay to the game of golf. These obstacles require golfers to use different shot techniques and strategies to navigate around them.
1. Sand Trap: Also known as a "bunker," it is an area filled with sand strategically placed on the course. When a golf ball lands in a sand trap, it can be challenging to hit it out due to the sand's texture and the decreased distance that a shot typically covers when played from a sand trap. Golfers need to use a specific technique called a sand shot or bunker shot to escape the trap.
2. Water Hazard: A water hazard is an area on the golf course that contains water, such as a pond, lake, or stream. Hitting a golf ball into a water hazard results in a penalty stroke, and the golfer must play their next shot from a designated drop zone or re-tee if they hit the ball out of bounds.
3. Bunker: Besides sand traps, bunkers can also be filled with gravel, dirt, rocks, or other coarser materials. Unlike sand traps, hitting a golf ball into a bunker other than a sand trap does not pose the same difficulty in getting it out, but it can still affect the player's shot selection and strategy.
These course hazards add excitement, difficulty, and a strategic element to the game of golf, challenging golfers to carefully plan their shots and execute precise techniques to avoid penalties and achieve the best score possible.