Commission weighs bunker redesign, sand selection and funding under 10‑year plan

The Fairfield Golf Commission reviewed design options for bunker reconstruction and debated how to pay for any large‑scale work.

Commissioners said an architect is preparing a next-phase bunker design and plans to visit the course to finalize recommendations. The discussion centered on two questions: which sand to use (members cited different looks and playability at sample sites) and whether to install a capillary concrete liner to prevent sand and subgrade mixing. One commissioner noted that the architect recommended a supplier such as Dunning materials or options used at other area clubs; members proposed obtaining samples and placing them in a test trap to evaluate playability.

Funding emerged as a central issue. Commissioners described a 10‑year capital plan that included a $1.5 million allocation for 2025. Speakers said much of that allocation has already been spent on projects such as cart pads and lightning detection, and they discussed the difficulty of funding a full bunker overhaul in a single year. Members suggested presenting a consolidated funding request to the town’s finance board and discussed staged spending (one commissioner referenced planning for roughly $100,000 in later biennial years) rather than one large appropriation.

The commission set a practical next step: receive the architect’s draft, reconvene a bunker subcommittee (members named for that group in the meeting) to review design and sand samples, and plan to have the architect’s report available at the next commission meeting so the group can refine cost estimates and a funding request.

No formal vote or contract award was made; commissioners asked staff to coordinate the architect visit, gather sand samples for testing, and prepare a funding proposal for review.