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How do you play 'long' bunker shots?

OldandStiff

OldandStiff

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I'm at the gym watching golf stuff and this just started playing next after another video. And it has me curious. How would you have approached this shot?

What about the second time?

The third?

If you don't watch it, just tell me what your general approach to a long uphill greenside-ish bunker shot is. What club? Square, open, wide open? Wide stance? Narrow picky? Out to the side? No wrong answers.
 
If I'm far enough back that the lip isn't in the equation, I'm most likely going PW or 9 iron. Slightly open club face. Narrow stance, hoping to get 90% ball and 10% sand.

For the second I'm going to have to take a higher loft like my 54 or 58, open it up and try to take a bit more sand because I'm most likely up against the front lip since the first attempt didn't get out.

For my third I'm probably going to take any wedge, open it wide open and try to come as close to a full skull as possible. Ball goes almost straight up in the air and floats its way out of the bunker toward the green.
 
Junkyard said:
If I'm far enough back that the lip isn't in the equation, I'm most likely going PW or 9 iron. Slightly open club face. Narrow stance, hoping to get 90% ball and 10% sand.

For the second I'm going to have to take a higher loft like my 54 or 58, open it up and try to take a bit more sand because I'm most likely up against the front lip since the first attempt didn't get out.

For my third I'm probably going to take any wedge, open it wide open and try to come as close to a full skull as possible. Ball goes almost straight up in the air and floats its way out of the bunker toward the green.
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I should have asked what excuses too. You going with the typical 'just too much sand' and 'not enough club', or stretching your creative legs a bit?
 
I just take more club and hit slightly closer to the ball then a pure splash shot. That works to 40 or 50 yards.
 
OldandStiff said:
I should have asked what excuses too. You going with the typical 'just too much sand' and 'not enough club', or stretching your creative legs a bit?
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Bad rake job or crappy sand is my go to excuse. Creative you can go I saw the bunker liner and didn't want to hurt the wrist.
 
Some recommend a 9-iron for a shot like that. I could never play that quite right.
 
Junkyard said:
If I'm far enough back that the lip isn't in the equation, I'm most likely going PW or 9 iron. Slightly open club face. Narrow stance, hoping to get 90% ball and 10% sand.

For the second I'm going to have to take a higher loft like my 54 or 58, open it up and try to take a bit more sand because I'm most likely up against the front lip since the first attempt didn't get out.

For my third I'm probably going to take any wedge, open it wide open and try to come as close to a full skull as possible. Ball goes almost straight up in the air and floats its way out of the bunker toward the green.
Click to expand...

I concur. 🤣
 
My usual approach to long bunker shots is to advance it about 10 feet at a time, take 3 strokes to get out, and cuss a lot. :ROFLMAO:
 
Snowman said:
My usual approach to long bunker shots is to advance it about 10 feet at a time, take 3 strokes to get out, and cuss a lot. :ROFLMAO:
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"I paid to be in this bunker, I'm gonna get my money's worth"? :p
 
So when I read long bunker shot, I went back to my last round. Had a 150 yards approach from a fairway bunker. I'm not one to take much of a divot, so I played it like normal. Grabbed my 8i and put it on the green.

I don't play courses with lots of sand too often, so it's really a guessing game for me. Every once in a while even a blind squirrel finds a nut ;).
 
gkeller813 said:
So when I read long bunker shot, I went back to my last round. Had a 150 yards approach from a fairway bunker. I'm not one to take much of a divot, so I played it like normal. Grabbed my 8i and put it on the green.

I don't play courses with lots of sand too often, so it's really a guessing game for me. Every once in a while even a blind squirrel finds a nut ;).
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Nice shot. Good line of thought going into it.

This is more about the greenside, but not quite greenside bunker shot. The one Harry Higgs went 1 for 3 hitting the green on here, that most people avoid at all costs to begin with.
 
I've never had a long bunker shot, I think I would just try to swing hard and get the ball out. Probably the PW regardless of distance since I tend to have a good time with that club.
 
OldandStiff said:
Nice shot. Good line of thought going into it.

This is more about the greenside, but not quite greenside bunker shot. The one Harry Higgs went 1 for 3 hitting the green on here, that most people avoid at all costs to begin with.
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Hmm...in that case I think I'd go with the same general approach just a different club. Hit either my 50* or PW, a bit open face. Dig my feet in.. Don't take much sand and look to pick it.

I know if I use my green side approach of taking a bunch of sand with a wedge I wont make it out.
 
It will depend on several factors, but the density of the sand will affect how I will play it. If it is soft sand, I would play it much like he did. The super soft fluffy stuff is hard for me at times because I can get lazy on the swing. Firm to harder sand I would play much like sitting on grass. Most of the bunkers in our area are harder and not well kept up.
 
1st. shot would be with my 52° opened up a little and full shallow swing trying to not take much sand. 2nd shot would be either from the bunker to the left of the flag with my 60° or, trying to hack it out of the tall fescue behind the green. 😎
 
The same things he was doing, except I wouldn't stand as wide. Longer shot = more narrow stance. Short shot = wider stance. Don't use a 56* like everyone grabs first. Take your other wedge, like a 50* & 52* and put the same swing on it. The goal is just to get out.
 
Logically, I'm approaching it like a shorter one, except I'm grabbing a gap or pitching wedge. Open it up less than a normal bunker shot and try to hit just a bit behind it.

In execution? Probably screwing it up big time. With that in mind, not getting too aggressive with going pin chasing and just want to make sure it's out.
 
I can’t view the vid right now but depends on the lie, bunker conditions, and location. If it’s sitting up in a fairway bunker and there isn’t a huge lip I’ll get into a slightly wider than normal stance and try to pick it out back into the fairway. With whatever club I would use at that distance (maybe 1 club stronger).

Greenside I’m opening the up face stance as wide as possible and trying to hit down just behind the ball.
 
I normally use my 51* gap wedge versus a 60* wedge if I’m green side. I take a little less sand and open the face a bit less than normal. I try to avoid that 40ish yard bunker shot altogether by laying up a lot to 85ish yards on par 5’s that have a bunch of large bunkers protecting the front of the green.

My excuse depends upon the outcome. If I hit it long it’s “There’s almost no sand in this bunker!” ;)
 
Thin it into the face, splash out, chip on and 2 putt.
 
I use my 60/56/52 out of bunkers. Close as in 10 yards 60....up to 20 the 56 and up to 30 the 52......If it is beyond that I try to pick it clean.
 
Usually take one more club and swing a bit easier similar to a tight lie on any trap outside 100yds out. Try to catch it clean. If it's real fluffy or sitting down two clubs.
 
golfinnut said:
The same things he was doing, except I wouldn't stand as wide. Longer shot = more narrow stance. Short shot = wider stance. Don't use a 56* like everyone grabs first. Take your other wedge, like a 50* & 52* and put the same swing on it. The goal is just to get out.
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Thank you. My goal is definitely not to just get out, but as he got wider and wider, and opened up like crazy I couldn't help be progressively more like .. wtf are you doing?! Lol
 
this is my thought process...form/technique supports this frame of mind?

 
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