Methods and apparatus for stabilization of surfaces

A cured flexible bunker liner for application over native turf in a golf course bunker, the cured flexible bunker liner consisting of:

• a liquid coating composition;
• a particulate material comprising rubber particles mixed with the liquid coating composition to produce a coated particulate material, wherein the particulate material is selected to:
• form a porous structure with a pore diameter suitable to allow moisture to travel through the bunker liner and prevent particulate matter from traveling through the bunker liner;
• form a flexible structure configured to substantially conform to the contours of the golf course bunker;
• and form a stable structure that retains the shape of the golf course bunker according to the turf underlying the bunker, and
• a liquid binder comprising a moisture curing polyurethane based prepolymer mixed with the coated particulate material and cured into a preselected molded shape to form the cured flexible bunker liner, wherein the preselected molded shape comprises at least one of:
• a turned-down edge;
• and
• a plurality of stabilizing ridges on at least one of a bottom surface and a top surface that provide traction and hold the preformed flexible bunker liner in place in the golf course bunker;
• wherein the cured flexible bunker liner overlays the native turf;
• and
• wherein the cured flexible bunker liner is not affixed to the native turf.

A method of making a cured flexible bunker liner for application over native turf in a golf course bunker comprising:

• mixing a liquid coating composition with a particulate material comprising rubber particles to produce a coated particulate material, wherein the particulate material is selected to:
• form a porous structure with a pore diameter suitable to allow moisture to travel through the bunker liner and prevent particulate matter from traveling through the bunker liner;
• form a flexible structure configured to substantially conform to the contours of the golf course bunker;
• and
• form a stable structure that retains the shape of the golf course bunker according to the turf underlying the bunker,
• mixing a liquid binder with the coated particulate material, wherein the liquid binder comprises a moisture curing polyurethane based prepolymer;
• pouring the mixture of the liquid binder and coated particulate material into a mold having a preselected thickness, wherein the mold presses a texture onto the mixture of the liquid binder and coated particulate material that stabilizes the position of the cured bunker liner on top of the native soil;
• allowing the mixture of the liquid binder and coated particulate material to cure in the mold forming the cured flexible bunker liner, wherein the preselected molded shape comprises at least one of:
• a turned-down edge;
• and
• a plurality of stabilizing ridges on at least one of a bottom surface and a top surface that provide traction and hold the cured flexible bunker liner in place in the golf course bunker;
• removing the cured flexible bunker liner from the mold;
• positioning the cured flexible bunker liner in the golf course bunker over the native turf, wherein the cured flexible bunker liner is not affixed to the native turf.