Our History
‘Back in 2006, Richard Allen, a Qualified Civil Engineer, with experience in golf course design and construction and a lifelong passion for the game, first became aware of the problems associated with maintaining bunker edges. He noticed that golf bunkers were being filled in or converted into unimaginative utilitarian shapes with the intention of reducing maintenance costs. Richard then began a search for low maintenance products that could deliver aesthetically pleasing bunker edge styles without the fear of increasing long term costs. Following further research, Richard could not find any effective products or solutions in the market at that time and set out to develop a new solution. The end result was the invention of stacked sod bunker edges using recycled artificial grass. After gaining the equivalent of a US Utility Patent for his invention, and initial promotion under an alternative name, Richard launched the EcoBunker brand in 2014. Initial success in the UK and Europe soon spread to the USA and in the autumn of 2014 the first EcoBunkers on US soil were installed at Secession GC, South Carolina.
In the following years, EcoBunker has been installed at dozens of golf courses across the USA, Canada and Mexico. This includes venues that have hosted PGA, LPGA, and Champions Tour events plus Ryder Cup and Walker Cup matches. And major champions plus world number 1 golfers enjoy using their own private bunkers built with Richard’s design and products. The famous Vokey wedges by Titleist are also tested in EcoBunkers at their research and development facility.
EcoBunker USA LLC , A USA based company has now been established to make it very easy for North American clients to procure the EcoBunker system. Financial transactions are simple, and perhaps more importantly, we can deliver an unparalleled level of technical support, swiftly and effectively.
Richard Allen
Richard Allen is the owner of the EcoBunker group of companies and President of EcoBunker USA LLC. Richard is a qualified civil engineer and for nearly 30 years he designed the infrastructure to support major transportation and development projects. This included a busy and successful spell with US based multinational consultancy, Parsons Brinckerhoff.
Since taking up the full time responsibility of leading Ecobunker Ltd, Richard has continued to drive technical advances, looking for new engineered solutions or improvements to existing concepts. Examples are the stronger and more efficient EcoBunker Advanced bunker edge, and the Aquaedge lake edge method of construction.
Richard still finds time to play golf occasionally and is a Student Member of the EIGCA (European Institute of Golf Course Architects). He is convinced that the discovery of the stacked synthetic sod solution would have been impossible without the combination of a passion for golf, the engineer’s problem solving mentality, and a little bit of fortune.
Jay Morgan
Jay Morgan is Senior Executive and General Manager with a background developing, selling and managing the business behind the introduction of innovative solutions in civil engineering markets.
With a background in erosion control and steep slope stability, Jay has direct experience in the design, project management and training/supervision required to execute the construction of Mechanically Stabilized Earth structures and other green alternative technologies.
Specifically working with Municipalities, Conservation Authorities, Fisheries & Oceans and Landscape & Golf Architects, Jay has assisted the planning and construction of multiple Ecobunkers in Leven, Scotland, Alameda, California, Nantucket, MA, Calgary, Alberta, Southern Pines, North Carolina and multiple projects in Ontario, Canada.
