Porous Pave, Inc. Introduces Sand Guard, a Long-lasting Bunker Liner for Golf Courses

Today at the Golf Industry Show (GIS) in Orlando, Fla. golf course owners, golf course architects, golf course builders, golf course superintendents, and other golf facility professionals have the opportunity to see an innovative, long-lasting solution for lining bunkers: Sand Guard by Porous Pave, Inc. (booth #553). Designed for bunker liner application, Sand Guard is installed with Porous Pave XLB, a permeable paving material that is flexible and durable.

Batch mixed on-site and applied directly on bunker floors at a thickness of one inch, Sand Guard forms one continuous, consistent rubber-rock permeable surface. It seals bunker floors to keep sand clean, stabilizes the sand, and holds it in place on bunker slopes. It eliminates puddles and minimizes erosion and washouts by allowing stormwater to percolate quickly down to drainage pipes. With the capacity to infiltrate 5,800 gallons per hour per square foot, more permeable than other non-fabric golf course bunker liners, it is superior for draining rainwater from bunkers.

“As a Porous Pave solution, Sand Guard offers important advantages. It is a homogenous material that establishes a solid, uniform golf course bunker liner with consistent thickness and strength, not just a thin coating sprayed over the top of loose gravel,” said John Harvey, ASGCA, ASLA, President, A. John Harvey Golf Course Design, LLC (Long Valley, N.J.). “The material’s rubber content gives it durability and flexibility to expand and contract, so it withstands high heat and freeze-thaw cycles without the cracking, crumbling or heaving problems of concrete.”

“We are renovating our golf course bunkers and looking for a different golf course bunker liner that holds up during rain events and prevents sand contamination,” said Doug Hoeh, north golf course superintendent and ski mountain manager, Treetops Resort & Spa (Gaylord, Mich.). “We are testing 1,250 square feet of Sand Guard with Porous Pave XLB in a bunker. So far its performance has been better than other products we have used on our courses.”

Porous Pave XLB consists of 50 percent recycled rubber chips and 50 percent dried granite aggregate, delivered in bags and mixed on-site in a portable mortar mixer with a moisture-cured liquid binder selected for Sand Guard applications. It is quick and easy to install with minimal disruption to property or operations. It pours in place, conforms to shape, and cures in just 24 hours.

“Since we first introduced the product ten years ago, golf courses have used it for paving patios and cart paths. Impressed with its performance, superintendents asked for a golf course bunker liner application,” said Dave Ouwinga, president, Porous Pave, Inc. (Grant, Mich.). “In outdoor applications, Porous Pave has the strength to support vehicle and foot traffic, endure sun and rain in summer, and withstand snow blowers, shovels and salt in winter. Compared to that, underneath a layer of bunker sand is like a sheltered environment. It will guard bunkers for years and is guaranteed for a decade.”

A hard-wearing, resilient permeable pavement, award-winning Porous Pave has been proven in installations across North America for more than a decade. Successful applications include loading docks and parking lots, walkways and sidewalks, and courtyards and patios. It is the only permeable paving material that works on steep slopes up to 30 degrees. Technical specifications, independent lab test results and distributor locations are on the Porous Pave, Inc. web site. Porous Pave news and notes are available on LinkedIn.