Cologne, Germany: Germany’s largest Capillary Bunkers installation so far has been completed at the Marienburger Golf Club, by architect Christian Althaus and contractor Sommerfeld.

Founded as Cologne Golf Club in 1906, the club moved to its current site in Marienburg in 1909. The construction of an autobahn (motorway) to Aachen in the 1930s saw the course reduced to nine holes, which it has remained ever since.

The club called in architect Althaus to advise on course improvements several years ago. In 2021, the upgrade project got underway, incorporating the reconstruction of all nine greens – which were not properly drained – as well as bunkers, and the re-grading of fairways to provide better drainage and more interest.

“The course is within one kilometre of the Rhine River, and is thus partially sandy, but even so it was clear that we needed a bunker liner,” said Althaus.

“Even on the parts of the site that have a sand base, the steep faces of the bunkers would erode quite badly without it, and also the sand of the sub-base and the bunker sand would intermingle and contaminate the bunkers,” he added.

Althaus considered various liner options, but was led to select Capillary Bunkers on environmental grounds.

“We considered various liner options, but I knew I needed a very strong and stable liner on environmental ground, which led us to choose Capillary Bunkers. The strength and neutrality of the Capillary Bunkers product made it the right choice,” he said.

Construction work is complete, and the project is growing in. The course will re-open in spring 2022.

Capillary Bunkers is an Associate Business Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.