No, those aren’t bunkers in the PGA Championship despite all the sand you see

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – Attention all viewers.

Those are not bunkers you see on the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island in this week’s 103^rd PGA Championship.

Yes, there is plenty of sand to see on the Pete Dye ocean-side course, and yes, they sure do look like bunkers. But PGA of America officials instituted a local rule this week stating that all areas on the course featuring sand are “sandy areas” and not bunkers.

“As we have in previous championships, the sandy areas will not be bunkers, and we’ve notified all the players of that. So players will be able to take practice swings out of the sand areas. It’s part of the general area,” Kerry Haigh, the championships officer for the PGA of America, said earlier this week.

Keep this in mind as you watch the @PGAChampionship this week. There are NO BUNKERS at the Ocean Course, only sandy areas.
Players are allowed to ground their club and take practice swings.

— Trevor Immelman (@TrevorImmelman) May 20, 2021

That means players legally can take practice swings in the sandy areas. Can even catch some sand with a practice swing. So don’t reach for the phone thinking a player is committing a penalty in the sandy areas.