I have read all the mags but they seem to be no use. At my course, we have 7 types of bunkers being cement to fluffy sand. The green keeper does a great job. Funding or too many beers at the bar. Take your pick? Is there a bunker freak on this forum! Help us out!!!! I have no problem hitting a mid iron as the bunkers are like a bare patch but hitting a shot around the green can be a mystery.

bunkers are so variable. height of bunker/angle of exit path vs length of run/stopping distance on the green

add in soft vs hard sand

the main problem people have in bunkers is trying to hit a ‘bunker shot’ ie open face out to in, when they dont need to. if the face isnt particularly high just chip and aim to catch a little sand before the ball

after that you can talk about loft, bounce, technique, but keep it simple and its all good

Jerry,
Do your self a favour and have a bunker lesson.
Then you will be king of the sand,
kiwi

jerry, have you ever taken a bucket of balls into the bunkers and tried to figure it out yourself?

Scribe a line in the sand even with your ball and monitor where you’re entering the sand.

For hard sand, consider using your lob wedge or pitching wedge instead of a sand wedge.

Just lash it. Every problem is solved by lashing.

A technique I find works very consistently (and read in a mag that it’s also Tiger’s preferred technique) is to;

1. Play the ball off the leading foot with an open stance (about 20 deg) so that the low point corresponds with just under the ball.
2. Lay the club face open, leading edge pointing at target, and plan to hit 2-5cm behind the ball depending on the sand, length of shot, etc.
3. Most important, lift the club up very sharply with the wrists right from the start of the backswing
4. Ensure a good follow through

I’ve found this almost never fails to get me out in one. Next of course you need to develop your feel for distance.

swear at it, and you must ensure you get sand in your face, that gritty feeling in your teeth is great!
seriously, I only use my 60 lob wedge from the bunker. my HC is 26, so I am not fantastic, but my bunker escapes would be 8 times out of 10, at least to a spot where I have a chance of making the putt, i.e., not in the bunker. I found that if i stand behind the bunker and think too much, it is bad, but as soon as I know it is in the bunker, have a quick look at the green, pick a realistic spot to land it, and simply walk in saying to myself one inch splash, one inch splash (as in one inch behind the ball. ok, it may be 2 or3, but that is what works) , hit and get out. About that quick.

Try this in practice … shut the clubface to the point where the blade is almost facing the target then take the usual shot for a bunker (accellerate, take some sand behind the ball) and watch the ball and lots of sand come out every time. Not real accurate but very effective when you are tight to the lip in a Medal day and works well for plugged balls.

If you have the spare time, practice on all surfaces and see what works for you. My h’cap is 22, but I can get out of bunkers. As a general rule, if the bunker is firm, i use a SW, however, if it’s nice and fluffy I use my 60 LW. I just adjust the length of swing according to the distance, where I make contact remains the same, about 2 inches behind the ball.

Also, by watching a video on utube of the pro at our course, I’ve learnt to keep most of my weight on my front foot, and wrap your bottom hand around the club just a little further, it aids with maintaining a clean stroke through the sand. I hope this may help, good luck!

Jerry42,
I know exactly what you are facing in the bunkers on your course, mine is the same!
I have found the advice like that from Styles to be the only answer. But the possible variations of what to hit and how to hit need to be explored.
The variations as I see them include:
lob or sand wedge
open clubface to splash or square to cut through the sand
even play a flop type of shot
yes, sometimes chip but always follow through
Those hard pan deep greenside bunkers are just a curse and should be a higher priority for grounds staff to fix.
My previous experience was playing at a sandy course where you just had to dig a hole to get a bunker, the texture was consistent. My current course is built on clay that seems to quickly absorb the sand thrown into the hole they dig to form a bunker!
Best of luck!

The rotation of the clubface 10 degrees closed is for “snow-plowing” it out of a buried lie. Effective, but it comes out low and hot.

Just saw this tip from Michael Jacobs on YouTube. Open the clubface, but without regripping. Just rotate the forearms with your standard grip, presetting for “vertical hinging”. Normal stroke, ball forward. Not a cut lob.

He says entry point is farther back than you think. Dunno about that.
I’ve tried the method with encouraging results. Not enough practice.

So a vertical hinge is the best way to play the bunker shot?

I find it easier myself but it is not the only option. VH gives you the most loft and is the classic face points to the sky look post impact.

The rotation of the clubface 10 degrees closed is for “snow-plowing” it out of a buried lie. Effective, but it comes out low and hot.

I don’t agree. When I use a closed club face it brings out a lot of sand and the ball tends to pop up without any spin, so let’s say warm but certainly not low. This is a great shot for people who don’t like bunkers and are close to a high lip. I showed this shot to a lady golfer a few weeks ago in an ambrose and first time the ball pops out of the bunker – she was hooked!

Whitednj, maybe I need some more practice with it. Good method, little known. Thanks.

MrC. ...and the well-worn method is a cut lob.

But on different textures you can often get great results with chips and pitches also. Picked. Maintain left shoulder height, extensor action.
The difference between those two is wrist action. Between them I’d chip, probably.

Actually Dart was telling me that you could just use the basic motion to get the ball out. Haven’t tried it, but might give it a go today when I head out after I vote (yey!). Will try the VH too (at least I think its the VH, I stumbled upon it accidentally. But the clubface does point to the sky so for now good enough for me!)

we have several diffent bunker types too. i hit a 56 out of soft sand, my focus is a full swing- it may sound odd, but i try to hit it fat and it works really well for me. in the hard as a rocker bunker, i use a 60 deg, open it up, and swing like it is a flop shot from around 5 metres.

even better though are the days when i stay out of the pots :)

Yes I prefer square clubface to target and open stance and zero pivot and vertical hinge. I can’t do the very open club face like in Short Game bible (Dave Pelz) – must be because I cant dig into the sand with the bounce that extreme. Pretty much basic motion.

Gave the vertical hinge ago and was very impressed.

MrC – how great is it to be able to just change those hinges on the fly.

Ha totally agree, I still have much to learn mind you,but I can get the club to finish laid back, rolled or half rolled so I assume I know what I am doing :-) Pre rotating the forearms (as Loren said) is the only way I have played the VH so far, because I get scared of flipping (but once I learn the ins and outs of the hinges, then I am sure that fear will go).

Right – i have a hitting action and the most difficult hinge for me is the horizontal hinge – just feels odd. Angle and vertical is fine. One thing that I’m working on (as Dart must have mentioned to you) is practising when to hinge – early middle or late. I’m practising this to reinforce each hinge and educate my hands. Some of the ball flight is pretty cool! I always wondered how the pros work the ball (or some of them anyway). Hinge and direction. Amazing stuff.

My biggest concern for the last couple of months has been overcoming the shanks. I feel I am about to win that one, and so now I can get into the fun stuff ;-)

good stuff mate – I’m in the same boat as you. I didnt shank even one on saturday. The only time that happens now is if I dont commit to the shot…