Can a Robot Rake Bunkers? What Exists and What Crews Still Do

Can a robot rake a golf course bunker?

Yes, a few bunker raking robots exist, including Korechi's Raek'r, introduced at the 2026 PGA Show, and the Dutch SmartRake and SmartTrike. Service Robot Co. still treats bunkers as crew work today and puts robots where the record is stronger: fairways, roughs and the range. Here is what each machine does and where it stops.

This is an information piece. We name the machines because superintendents ask about them, and we describe only what public sources say. We do not deploy or service any of them.

Why do bunkers take so much crew time?

Raking is daily work at many clubs, and the hours add up. National Club Golfer reported in August 2026 how long raking takes at three clubs. One in Hampshire said it takes about six hours a day. Another in Hampshire said two staff spend about four hours each, Monday to Friday, with one person on weekends, and that about an hour of that is tee set-up. A third, in Ayrshire, estimated 10 to 12 hours a day with two and a half staff raking for about four hours.

Those are three UK clubs, not a national average, but they explain why raking is the task makers target next. It is repetitive, it happens early in the morning, and it pulls people off greens and tees.

What is the Korechi Raek'r?

TurfOps Weekly reported on February 7, 2026 that Korechi Golf had announced availability of the Raek'r, an autonomous bunker raking robot designed and manufactured in Canada and formally introduced at the 2026 PGA Show in Orlando. Korechi, based in Oshawa, Ontario, also makes the Pik'r range picker, and its product page says the Raek'r is built on the same platform.

According to Korechi, the Raek'r has a three-wheel-drive system and a stainless-steel chassis for soft sand and uneven contours, works without perimeter wires or permanent infrastructure, and is run through a mobile app for scheduling, monitoring and routing. Korechi lists runtime of up to 20 hours on a single charge, depending on bunker size and routing, and a warranty of two years on the base unit and five on the battery. The product page says dealer installation, training and service support are offered.

Golfdom's editor-in-chief saw it at the 2026 GCSAA Conference and Trade Show in Orlando and interviewed a Korechi representative about it. The TurfOps report relies on manufacturer materials and includes no independent testing, so treat the runtime and autonomy figures as Korechi's claims.

Which other bunker rake robots are out there?

TurfNet reported on January 6, 2023 that TurfTroniq, a Dutch company based in Renkum, had added the SmartRake, a self-contained robotic bunker rake that can be programmed to groom mostly flat bunkers of any size anywhere on a course. TurfNet noted that it might still require a live person for transport, oversight and even clean-up around edges. A Point One Navigation case study from October 2025 says an operator pilots the machine once with a controller to record a raking route, and that later runs follow the stored path.

A June 2026 GreenInside report, first published in Dutch, describes the SmartTrike, which it calls the smaller sibling of the SmartMow. It is made by TurfTronic, the spelling that article uses, and runs at a Dutch club operated by De Enk Groen & Golf. An operator drives a route with a controller, the robot records and repeats it, and staff monitor and restart it through an app. It rakes 45 renovated bunkers, works one side of the course until the morning break and then the other, finishes by about one o'clock, and runs five days a week. The article says it is also in use at two other Dutch courses.

A third name is Wayrobo. A January 2026 press release, reported by TurfOps on February 1, 2026, shows a preview of an autonomous bunker rake and says demonstration appointments are expected to open later in 2026. The release gives no pricing, availability or performance figures, so it is a preview and nothing more.

What do bunker robots still need from a crew?

Quite a lot, according to the sources. TurfNet's report on the SmartRake says people may still be needed for transport, oversight and edges, and that the machine suits mostly flat bunkers. Korechi's product page describes sensors and fail-safe behaviors that allow unattended operation, and it does not state terrain or slope limits.

The GreenInside report on the SmartTrike adds practical detail. It stops automatically when something such as a rake holder is in its path, and staff must investigate. Staff added water to the wheels for grip and removed weight from the rake to reduce the sand it carries, and grip changes with the weather. Golfers are still expected to rake after use, and members are reminded through social media. The head greenkeeper called the machine an extra service.

Put simply, today's bunker robots appear to take the repetitive laps. Edges, steep faces, recovery after a stop and decisions about when bunkers should be raked remain with your crew.

What do robots do well on a golf course today?

Fairways, roughs and the practice range have the stronger record. At a 27-hole Aberdeenshire course, a course manager told a BIGGA round table that robot mowers were cutting rough and semi-rough about three times a week, against once or twice before, and leaving no clippings to collect. The freed time went to edging, weeding and hand-cutting greens. A Husqvarna segment manager in the same discussion said greens remain beyond the capabilities of automated machines.

On the range, a June 2024 Korechi press release said its Pik'r-1500 ball picker was operating at the 124th U.S. Open at Pinehurst and collects thousands of balls daily. That is a manufacturer's claim, not an independent count, but it shows where autonomy on a course started: large, repetitive, open ground.

That is also how our golf work is framed. Robots take the long passes on fairways, roughs and the range, and your crew keeps the greens, tees, bunkers and the details golfers notice.

What should I ask before trying a bunker robot?

Start with your own bunkers. Shape, slope, sand type and drainage decide if a rake can run. The SmartTrike report describes a machine running on renovated bunkers where staff still adjusted wheel grip and the weight of the rake.

Then ask the maker or dealer for a course that has run the machine for a full season, and speak to its superintendent directly. The checklist below lists what to ask. Be as specific about service as you would be about the machine: who comes, how fast, how often, and what happens if the maker changes hands.

Want help with fairways, roughs or the range? Talk to us

If your crew is stretched, the fastest hours to win back are usually on open turf. Service Robot Co. picks the right machine for your course across manufacturers, leases it on a 3-year lease with a $1 buyout at the end, deploys it, trains your crew and services it with 24/7 support, 10-minute specialist triage, regional service engineers in every state we service, three check visits a year and a 12-month warranty.

Book a free site assessment with Service Robot Co. and we will walk the course with you. See the golf course page on servicerobotco.com for how we handle fairways, roughs and the range.