We are excited to announce the official launch of Bunker Armour Construction, now available to provide quotes for bunker renovation and construction projects across Southern Africa.
Over the years, we have gained recognition not only for installing our premium bunker liners, Bunker Armour® and Bunker Barrier, but also for our expertise in golf bunker renovation and construction. We are confident in saying we are the best in the business!
Our work at top-tier golf clubs in South Africa has revealed the shortcuts and cost-saving methods employed by golf course constructors. These insights have highlighted our ability to significantly improve bunker construction practices, which has been appreciated by our clients.
Recent Projects and Results
Our bunker reconstruction and renovation projects at Ba-Phalaborwa Golf Club (formerly Hans Merensky Golf Club), Parys Golf Estate, and Fancourt, our meticulous approach and commitment to quality and attention to detail have earned us a reputation for delivering perfect bunkers with long-term sustainability and cost-efficient maintenance, which ultimately leads to substantial long-term savings for our clients.
Our mantra is simple: Care. This focus on quality drives every project, even when it impacts our bottom line. We believe in doing things right the first time—because our reputation depends on it.
Ba-Phalaborwa Golf Club: A Case Study
A year after completing construction at Ba-Phalaborwa Golf Club, the course is thriving. It’s evolving into one of the top country courses in South Africa, thanks to expert turf management by the new owners, management team, and the dedicated oversight of the new course superintendent
But let’s rewind to June 2023. Initially, our task was to install Bunker Barrier liners. However, we decided to go further, completely rebuilding the bunkers at our own expense.
We addressed outdated and damaged bunker systems, reconstructing bases, reshaping bunkers, and installing modern drainage solutions. We even built new bunkers to enhance the course’s aesthetics, preserving the legacy of Bob Grimsdell’s masterpiece design.
Every bunker, every drain line, and every inch of Bunker Barrier liner was completed with expert precision—no shortcuts taken!
While this decision impacted our profitability, the result was our first full-scale bunker construction project—done perfectly.
Parys Golf Estate: Raising the Bar
At Parys Golf Estate, we reshaped all greenside bunkers and reconstructed the drainage systems. With our Care and meticulous attention to detail and dedication, we delivered flawless bunkers within the club’s budget.
Parys Golf Estate now enjoy the best greenside bunkers South of Johannesburg and North of Fancourt!
Our products, including Bunker Armour® and Bunker Barrier, are considered the best on the market. Our ongoing work at Fancourt, where we’ve been renovating bunkers since 2021, reinforces this reputation.
We’ve renovated the bunkers on three courses, starting with our Bunker Armour product, followed by our Bunker Barrier solution, and now incorporating our Drainbinder base solution.
Innovative Solutions
Our commitment to innovation doesn’t stop at bunker liners. We’ve developed additional products to enhance our construction services:
DuneBinder:
A solution that turns dune sand into a rock-hard substrate.
PathBinder:
A modification of Drainbinder for binding stone, creating cost-effective and attractive cartpaths and signage surrounds.
Drainage Basins:
Developed with Phillip Basson Course Construction (Accredited Bunker Armour installer), this drainage system addresses long-term bunker drainage issues while maintaining visual appeal.
We continuously explore new ways to improve bunker construction and maintenance solutions, ensuring the best bunker outcomes for our clients.
Who is Bunker Armour Construction?
Meet Norman Prior:
Operations & Project Manager
We’re thrilled to have Norman Prior leading our projects and operations. With extensive experience in the turf management industry, Norman brings unmatched expertise and attention to detail. His career highlights include:
- Assistant Greenkeeper at Parkview Golf Club – 1 year
- Greenkeeper at Kyalami Country Club – 3½ years
- Greenkeeper at Crown Mines Golf Club- 2 years respectively
- Consultant at Gauteng Cricket Board – 4 years (Built development cricket facilities for United Cricket Board)
- Regional Manager – Wallington Sports Turf – 5 years
- Regional Manager – Matkovich Golf Course Maintenance – 10 years – Zebula Golf Estate, Elements Golf Estate, Euphoria Golf Estate, Eagle Canyon Golf Estate, Silver Lakes Golf Estate, Ruimsig Golf Club, Ebotse Golf Estate
- Bunker Armour – Bunker Construction Project – Ba-Phalaborwa Golf Club
- Bunker Armour – Bunker Construction Project – Parys Golf Estate
- Bunker Armour – Bunker Renovation Project – Fancourt
Norman’s knowledge extends beyond bunker construction—he is also a trusted turf consultant. His insight is invaluable to Bunker Armour Construction.
Meet Michael Scholz
Michael Scholz is a professional golfer who has been involved in many aspects of the industry.
After playing golf on the Sunshine Tour, European Tour and Asian Tour in the 90’s, Michael started his endeavours in the industry with a golf event management business, managing events for corporate and fundraising clients.
Thereafter he invented a product called Sprinkle Ads (advertising and distance indication on golf irrigation systems) which led to restructuring the business to focus on golf course advertising. The relationships with turf managers in South Africa was born from this.
In the early 2000’s Michael saw an opportunity to restructure the RSVP processes that were typically being employed by event managers and developed an IT based, RSVP and survey solution, later entering into a JV with capital partners Vunani Capital.
In 2009, the golfing bug bit again, although this time Michael enjoyed the freedom of performing trick shot shows and MC work at golf events.
In 2015, after getting involved in bunker sand supply business, Michael started the development of Bunker Armour as he identified that current bunker liners had too many shortfalls, were too expensive, look unsightly when exposed, don’t compliment beautiful golf course design, are massively labour intensive to maintain and negatively affect playability.
The first Bunker Armour trials went into the ground in 2016!
Since then, the Bunker Armour business has grown and the business now boasts a number of other bunker specific solutions, as well as a second bunker liner called Bunker Barrier, a cost-effective bunker lining solution that can even be installed by one’s own turf team.
Our Construction Team
Depending on the size and duration of a project, we scale up to ensure that we offer less downtime, unmatched quality, best pricing and 100% transparency with regards to every aspect of our bunker renovation projects.
ABSOLUTELY NO SHORT CUTS!
We have a team of labourers who are dedicated and committed, and we lean on the industry’s leading specialists to ensure seamless, perfect bunkers with no hidden surprises down the line!
