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Bunker Experiences

I think the main thing for me is test the sand with my feet. By knowing how much sand is in the trap with gage my angle of attack into the ball. It will also dictate my face position and body position.
For example in Vegas a few weeks back the bunker had no sand in them, a small top layer that covered extremely hard packed sand. It was like hitting off concrete. They looked nice but I couldn't even get my feet to grind down. I open the club face as wide as it would go, opened my stance, played the ball out of the middle of that stance. I took the club way outside the line and hit directly behind the ball with a very short swing. The club skipped under the ball, popped it straight up and it still carried a good 20' in the air, hit the greens and spun to a stop. This type of play would not work in a bunker with heavy sand or a lot of sand.
You have to gage your shot based on the area you are playing. The fundamentals are the same but some club, stance and weight manipulation may be required.
 
I dont know what your talking about



 
HoosierGolfer;1069651]The one weakness of my game. My home course does not have sand bunkers, so I don't play out of one often. When I do get into one at a away course, I found the a lower lofted wedge like my 52 degree is the way to go for me. Don't have to swing as hard and I normally get it out, so I'm happy.

Good tip. Hit down and follow threw. Well maintained bunkers are costly. One of the ways costs are cut on public links. Cheep chunky sand traps.
 
Okay I'm looking for input on bunker help.
I played a few days ago and it was raining before we went out just opened up and dumped on the course. I end up in a bunker saturated by the rain I tried to get out with my usual 54 wedge medium bounce and I couldnt get into the sand and bounced off the wet compacted sand and bladed it into the face of the bunker. The second time I went into the sand I tried my 58 with low bounce and tried to pick it and just chip it out well I dug in and hardly moved the ball. How do you get out of this what are your tips.

The next day I played a course and ended up short on a par 3 into a large trap that had almost no sand in it and I had to get it up about 25 feet in the air and have it stop on the green. I blew it. So how do you get a lot of height when you have no sand to dig into?

Any tips are appreciated because what I have tried just didn't work.
 
Foot wedge
 
Seriously this time... Can't you "rake and place" (if it was a friendly game), then use your wedge?
 
Bunkers at my course are so dry from the drought they're crunchy. It's weird, but easy to hit from. Knocked a 130 yarder from a fairway bunker to 8' today.

Kevin
 
Esox said:
Bunkers at my course are so dry from the drought they're crunchy. It's weird, but easy to hit from. Knocked a 130 yarder from a fairway bunker to 8' today.

Kevin
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You sir have the short game of a magician.
 
Scrap Iron said:
Okay I'm looking for input on bunker help.
I played a few days ago and it was raining before we went out just opened up and dumped on the course. I end up in a bunker saturated by the rain I tried to get out with my usual 54 wedge medium bounce and I couldnt get into the sand and bounced off the wet compacted sand and bladed it into the face of the bunker. The second time I went into the sand I tried my 58 with low bounce and tried to pick it and just chip it out well I dug in and hardly moved the ball. How do you get out of this what are your tips.

The next day I played a course and ended up short on a par 3 into a large trap that had almost no sand in it and I had to get it up about 25 feet in the air and have it stop on the green. I blew it. So how do you get a lot of height when you have no sand to dig into?

Any tips are appreciated because what I have tried just didn't work.
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I just go in really shallow when in a packed bunker. Seems to work okay for me. And gets lots of spin. The bunkers at my course are like that, so I've had to learn. I just can't get out of fluffy bunkers well.
 
Thanks man I'll try that what club do you get the best results with?
 
Scrap Iron said:
Thanks man I'll try that what club do you get the best results with?
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I don't carry anything higher, so I use my 56*. 11* of bounce. You have to keep driving down when you hit the sand or your club will just bounce off and you'll skull it like you said.
 
This is funny...I play better out of less than average bunkers than nice ones. A lot of the courses that I play the bunkers are rarely raked and most of the sand if any is pretty firm. I've gotten used to playing most of my bunker shots like a chip shot because of the hard packed sand. What makes this troublesome is if I play out of a nice bunker with plenty of fluffy sand, my swing most of the times is far to abbreviated to get the shot i'm looking for.
 
Saw this on Facebook today:


553089_376324172464576_1011626895_n.jpg



The ball must be buried, I don't see it! hahaha
 
Scrap Iron said:
Okay I'm looking for input on bunker help.
I played a few days ago and it was raining before we went out just opened up and dumped on the course. I end up in a bunker saturated by the rain I tried to get out with my usual 54 wedge medium bounce and I couldnt get into the sand and bounced off the wet compacted sand and bladed it into the face of the bunker. The second time I went into the sand I tried my 58 with low bounce and tried to pick it and just chip it out well I dug in and hardly moved the ball. How do you get out of this what are your tips.

The next day I played a course and ended up short on a par 3 into a large trap that had almost no sand in it and I had to get it up about 25 feet in the air and have it stop on the green. I blew it. So how do you get a lot of height when you have no sand to dig into?

Any tips are appreciated because what I have tried just didn't work.
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Three ways I can think of:

1) Play it like a normal chip shot. You have to ensure you hit ball first, or else your club is going to dig. However, off of extremely compact sand, you can often just chip it out.

2) Play it like a flop shot off a very tight lie. You have to have the ball forward in your stance, the clubface WIDE open and your weight forward. This is an extremely high risk shot which must be executed perfectly, so you should be prepared for the consequences if it doesn't go well.

3) As Freddie suggested, try opening the face, keeping your weight balanced and making a much shallower swing.

It should be noted that in such a situation, your goal should be to simply get the ball out. You should not expect to stop the ball quickly and you should aim wherever you have the best chance to be putting on your next shot. If there's insufficient room towards the flag, then don't aim there. Your goal is to be putting on the next shot and avoiding disaster. Take your medicine and move on.
 
I have the world's worst short game, however put me in a greenside bunker and I feel confident and normally get v close to the hole regardless of the quality. rather like Sean I use my feet to get a good feel of the sand as I take my stance. If it is soft I open the face as much as I need and give it the appropriate swing. I was once told, cant remember where, that for a solid/wet bunker you should close the face. First time I tried this I put the ball 6 inches from the hole! It does seem to work for me. I dont practice sand shots, for some reason they just seem to work out! But that closed face technique was great advice for me.
 
I don't usually do so well in bunkers mostly due to ignorance. Also tend to blame the lack of a sand wedge (inconsequential I know). It's become a lot better as I've watched the Pros do it and get (lots) of experience myself. A big challenge is still bunkers with high lips. HATE it when you don't get the height and the ball rolls back to your feet. You can almost hear it mocking you.
 
I am no bunker genius - and the ones at my course can be great or horrible. For me the key is mental. If I take a moment, try to envisage the shot and play it with confidence - more often than not it works. If I walk in thinking 'oh no - this will never come out'...surprise surprise - it doesn't.
 
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