We've launched the new forums! Read more here

How is your sand game?

I would say pretty descent or lucky! I just switched from a Cleveland Smart Sole S to a CBX2 56 degree. Hit into 3 green side traps last time I played and converted two for par, got out fine on the third but missed the putt.

I am considering making some kind of practice area at home, more or less a large sand box because it is hard to find a good practice facility near me and I have plenty of room.
 
I try avoid sand as much as possible. All hazards Itry to avoid.

As for my sand game, I can usually get out in one swing. Of course where the ball winds up is another issue.
 
my game may not always be good out of the sand, but I always look good while doing it
 
As long as I'm familiar with the sand I am fairly consistent whether in the fairway or greenside....I think my biggest issue is making the appropriate club selection in unfamiliar bunkers.... with that said, I have my share of bad shots.... bunker or not
 
OldandStiff said:
Let me find you a bag for some of that sand, guy that says he's terrible with wedges around the green..

🔥
Click to expand...

lol i can swing hard in the bunker. it's literally the easiest shot in the game. the margin for error is bigger than any other shot. not so much with a delicate pitch.
 
I would have considered my sand game as fair... for me. For everyone else this is what's known as below average but it would normally only take me 1 or 2 strokes to get out of a green side bunker.

The last time I was in a greenside bunker it took 5 swings. Then I just threw my ball onto the green. I don't know what it was. I got good contact with the ball in the bunker, my stance was open, as was my wedge face. I swung increasingly harder at the ball and, each time, got contact with it and it moved just like it was supposed to... flying on a cushion of sand. It just didn't move far enough to fly out of the bunker.

The only thing I can think of is I had my wedge face too open and should have closed it more... but my fear was skulling it across the green. Maybe I should have taken the risk.:confused2:


Fairway bunkers... I don't wind up in them too often. When I do I just try a simple punch shot.
 
McLovin said:
lol i can swing hard in the bunker. it's literally the easiest shot in the game. the margin for error is bigger than any other shot. not so much with a delicate pitch.
Click to expand...
Come play a municipal course that uses playground sand and instead of dragging it, adds another layer to try to smooth it out. You can't even walk in the bunkers at my course.
 
McLovin said:
lol i can swing hard in the bunker. it's literally the easiest shot in the game. the margin for error is bigger than any other shot. not so much with a delicate pitch.
Click to expand...





You know how I know that?! 'Cause you just said a greenside bunker shot is the easiest shot in the game!! :ROFLMAO:
 
I really kinda hate bunkers. I don't have any facilities to practice bunker shots and I find myself in bunkers fairly rarely so when I do land in a bunker I'm fumbling at how to approach it. I usually get out first try but it's not pretty.
 
Green side I am better then average I would say. I don't leave it in the bunker for sure but I am not always dead locked on the pin either. Fairway bunkers, honestly, I rarely play out of them. I only remember once in the last year or more and that was a month or so ago. I came up just short of the green. It is hit or miss with them though in the past. My swing has changed tremendously since then though and being more shallow and stable, I suspect most fairway bunker shots should be decent for me.

For me to be successful in greenside bunkers, I have to think keep the head outside my hands going back and smooth easy swing almost cutting across the ball. Weight on front foot and slap the sand a little behind the ball. I think I saw a Rickie Fowler video talking about he keeps the club head outside his hands and cuts across and that is when I started doing that. I doubt I am really cutting across it from the look of the sand after the swing and doubt he is too, it is more of a mental thing.
 
Streaky at best probably. The courses around me are consistent only in the inconsistency with which they treat the bunkers, so you're never sure what you'll get, even trap to trap on the same course. If there's actual sand and I'm not having some sort of malfunction, I'm usually able to get out but tend to struggle with distance control. Fairway bunkers I'm usually pretty solid as long as I can clear the back lip.

All that said, I generally do my best to avoid traps when I can. Especially since they stopped putting rakes in 'em.
 
Pretty good now. Used to be terrible out of the sand. Have really improved it over the last 2 years.
 
I somehow seem to avoid fairway bunkers pretty well, probably because my tee shot usually isn't long enough to reach them. The few times I have found myself in one, I've had success from there. Greenside bunkers are a different story. I don't seem to have an issue getting out of them (my Mack Daddy CB works great), but I never have any idea how much I need to put on it. Sometimes it works out, and sometimes I blast it too far.

My round on Sunday was at a course with a ton of bunkers. I found five of them. Three times I successfully put it on the green, with one of those being for a tap in. Twice I blasted it all the way over the green. Both of the ones that went to far were the result of inadvertently picking the ball clean off the sand rather than thumping it out. That's my usual mistake on bunker shots.
 
for some reason I am ok out of the sand. Greenside I have been using the Cleveland RTX 60 and get it out fairly close to pin (within 5-10 feet) most of the time. The 60 sat idle for a bit and I used the 56, but I am much better with the 60 greenside
 
I used to tell you that I was pretty ok for a high capper. I have pulled off some spectacular shots. But recently things have taken a turn for the worse. Partly because my main course has really crappy bunkers so I can't get good practice. The other is that I developed an extreme open face technique with my body equally open to compensate on green side bunkers. When i hit the perfect depth this was working. However, its somewhat of a hot mess at the moment. Watching better players they do not have have an extreme body/face position. I need to get a specific lesson to learn a better technique.

One thing I know about bunkers...I'm not afraid to swing with aggression when in them. So there are always fireworks. ;)
 
Recently, I actually haven't been super worried about them. That's not saying I'm comfortable putting it close, I'm just not scared to death to be in them anymore. For my recent PB, I actually got up and down for par both times I hit the sand. That's saying a lot with how bad my bunker play was earlier this season.

Fairway bunkers used to be no worry for me but my success out of them has dropped a little bit this season. With how rarely I'm in fariway bunkers though, I'd gladly trade that for my increased confidence in greenside ones like I mentioned
 
McLovin said:
Click to expand...
.



Oh wow. I never get to sit in this chair. It's so exciting!

So, where to start...


Screenshot_20210713-121312_Chrome.jpg

Well, first and foremeost, at 64% you're better than tour average. As a low single digit. :eek: So by internet golf decree #27 any future arguments, statements, and anything that even remotely makes sense coming from you is considered null and void. Just don't even try. Especially if you think you can hit an 8i 160. :ROFLMAO:


I was actually going to combat this with a stat on average amatuer sand save percentage, or a grint graph with save % by handicap, or anything that applied to people not playing from bunkers you can't see out of to lightning fast greens, but oddly, I can't seem to easily find one. It wouldn't matter anyway because you're wrong and you lie and that's the only thing that lets us believe we don't suck so just SHUSH WITH YOU AND YOUR NEVERENDING SANDIES!!


I feel fairly confident when I find a chart it will show that up and down percentage from non-bunker lies for amatuers is stronger than from bunkers though. Even among the obsessed, it's still generally considered more of a penalty to find a trap than the rough, if all else is equal.
 
Greenside bunkers I am quite comfortable with and usually can put it within 15 feet in most situations. Fairway bunkers are hit or miss for me. My tendency is to hit those too heavy and come up short
 
I would prefer to avoid it if possible. Definitely not going to aim for a bunker greenside. Have gotten better and more confident of getting out of them.
 
OldandStiff said:
.



Oh wow. I never get to sit in this chair. It's so exciting!

So, where to start...


View attachment 9016526

Well, first and foremeost, at 64% you're better than tour average. As a low single digit. :eek: So by internet golf decree #27 any future arguments, statements, and anything that even remotely makes sense coming from you is considered null and void. Just don't even try. Especially if you think you can hit an 8i 160. :ROFLMAO:


I was actually going to combat this with a stat on average amatuer sand save percentage, or a grint graph with save % by handicap, or anything that applied to people not playing from bunkers you can't see out of to lightning fast greens, but oddly, I can't seem to easily find one. It wouldn't matter anyway because you're wrong and you lie and that's the only thing that lets us believe we don't suck so just SHUSH WITH YOU AND YOUR NEVERENDING SANDIES!!


I feel fairly confident when I find a chart it will show that up and down percentage from non-bunker lies for amatuers is stronger than from bunkers though. Even among the obsessed, it's still generally considered more of a penalty to find a trap than the rough, if all else is equal.
Click to expand...

but i do hit 8i from 160.

 
i guess i just think the greenside bunker is the easiest shot because you don't have to hit it perfectly. there's a massive margin for error. every other shot in golf requires precision of contact.

and i'd say the up-and-down stat is misleading. not every up-and-down is equal. it probably counts chutts and very simple chips from the collar, whereas bunker shots typically have very similar degrees of difficulty.

check. mate.
 
I would say it is better than average - having recently played in North Carolina for a week I can say I am confident in my sand shot ability for sure.

Less confident in fairway bunkers but greenside bunkers I am at times more confident than say a short sided chip.
 
ShanksaloT said:
I would say it is better than average - having recently played in North Carolina for a week I can say I am confident in my sand shot ability for sure.

Less confident in fairway bunkers but greenside bunkers I am at times more confident than say a short sided chip.
Click to expand...
Loving the exchange….but green side bunkers have similar degrees of difficulty?

0442745C-26B9-4BC2-A97B-AAB610BCDD96.jpeg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top