Brett Rumford demonstrates bunker challenge at Royal Melbourne

Watch as Brett Rumford offers an inside look at the tricky challenge that awaits players in the Sandbelt bunkers of Royal Melbourne ahead of the 2026 Crown Australian Open.

Royal Melbourne is renowned for its demand on strategy and shotmaking due to it's firm surfaces, difficult green complexes, fairway countours and punishing bunkers.

In a video posted to the DP World Tour social media channels, Rumford takes us inside the greenside bunker at the sixth hole, offering a candid look at what makes the Sandbelt course such a tough short-game test.

“I’m in the greenside bunker of the sixth hole, long left — definitely not a bunker you want to go in,” he says.

“This one is back to front, quite extreme. As far as pin placements this week, you’ve got the top back-left section, and maybe one long right. There’s a false edge that runs up to maybe eight or nine metres from the front.”

The sixth is a prime example of Royal Melbourne’s design philosophy: visually simple, but tactically complex. Even well-struck bunker shots can go awry, which Rumford showcases with his first shot.

“Keep watching that ball,” Rumford warns. "You’ll see it roll down to 25 feet short of the green. It wasn’t a bad bunker shot, but it ended up pretty terrible.”

The sand itself is part of the challenge.

“Arguably, the Sandbelt — it’s the best sand on the planet,” Rumford explains.

“It’s quite a firm base, quite powdery where it’s been raked, but you can also get it quite firm as well. So far as bounce goes, you probably need a bit less bounce in the Sandbelt — it’s very tight around the edges.”

Rumford uses an A-Grind wedge with a thin, flat sole to suit the conditions.

“You definitely need some speed out of this sand and a lot of loft. You have to open up the face, get your hands a little bit lower, and make your swing a little bit longer and a little bit slower.

“You can have all the spin in the world — comes out quite low — but with these greens you won’t find it stopping. You have to try to open it up, provide the softness of the flight to stop the golf ball rather than the spin.”

Watch the full clip to see Rumford demonstrate the precision and control required to navigate Royal Melbourne’s bunkers — and why it offers up one of the many challenges players will have to face this week.