Any Suggestions

[HomerJSimpson]

Bunkers

What's the correct position for the ball in the bunker. I've been playing it from a centre ish stance and feeling like the right hand releases under to utilise the bounce. It had been working well until recently and I've started to struggle. I moved it forward to inside the left heel and went back to the more linear way, still allowing the right hand to "release" and it seems a bit better although I lack conviction with it. Should the ball for a traditional, aka not the linear, bunker shot still be way forward or is a position middle erring a fraction towards the left foot ok.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Re: Bunkers

I went to Bearwood Lakes recently for the little short game clinic with Luke Donald, Chris Wood and Daan Huizing. They all advocate having the ball forward in the stance in bunkers :thup:

 

[hovis]

Re: Bunkers

Homer, i was speaking to rob rock and tom whitehouse the other day and they said its a very individual thing and recommend i spent a short while in the bunker messing about with ball positions. I found a two balls forward from centre was spot on for me

 

[virtuocity]

Re: Bunkers

I think as it's easier to hit a ball fat when it's forward in your stance, then it's a good idea to put it forward.

My bunker play is strong, but it's a very feel-based shot and it took me a good bit of thinking to realise that my ball position is very much forward of centre.

 

[the_coach]

Re: Bunkers

Couple things to keep uppermost in the mind, greenside or nearby front bunkers a short distance from the green, obviously you don't want to contact the ball, but the sand couple inches back of the ball. To that as well, all good bunker players have a shallow angle of approach to, so under the ball, taking a shallow longer, 'paper money' divot. (Always a few exceptions to that such as real plugged lies, stuck up the front in the slope, etc)

{The other exception being distance shots from bunkers a ways back in the fairway, where you want to contact ball first, no sand but clean strike, to be able to get good ball contact so the right distance needed. So these do need the ball position at center or half/or full ball back of center to get that clean contact, bearing in mind it will start with a lower trajectory so say 7i will come out more like a 6i, so you've gotta to be a ways careful depending on the height of the lip to clear. Any sand before, it's fat, so no distance.}

So greenside bunkers playing the ball center stance you got to be making it a good ways more difficult to get the shallow angle of approach, to get that shallow longer divot of sand under the ball to be able to get consistent distance from the shots, plus spin.
Center of stance you're naturally going to be a good ways steeper into the sand then it's also going to be working steeper, more sand, less easy to regulate the distance, plus all that sand kills the chance of getting spin.

So it's going, for those reasons to be somewhere around a ball to two balls inside of your left heel. But shouldn't be center as then you haven't got enough area of travel as the club comes down to get a shallow approach into the sand, not enough distance between the 'down' part of the swing to 'forward' part of the swing, steep you either meet the ball first & clean it across the green or into the front bank of the bunker you're in, or bury the club in the sand and the ball either doesn't come out at all or if it does ends up a good ways short.

Another thing to consider, if your stance is exactly square to the ball target line, the shot (speaking of a good one with ball front-ish of stance so shallow entry etc) will travel further than exactly the same length of swing when the stance is open left of the ball/target line some. Good thing to keep in mind for pins both further & nearer to the bunker you're in.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Re: Bunkers

Thanks guys. It does feel better maybe 2 balls inside the left heel and so I had probably just let it drift too far back. The divots themselves are much shallower as well. Problem solved I think

 

[John_R7]

Re: Bunkers

Homer, is your stance open?

For all my short game, but particularly bunkers my feet 'allignment' is WAY left of target, probably 45* off line. I am pretty sure this is fairly 'standard' in a bunker?

 

[chrisd]

Re: Bunkers

Homer, is your stance open?

For all my short game, but particularly bunkers my feet 'allignment' is WAY left of target, probably 45* off line. I am pretty sure this is fairly 'standard' in a bunker?

A lot of current teaching is to stand square to the target in a bunker. If you are watching the US Open you will see this quite a lot and it's certainly taught with the linear chipping method

 

[Dave B]

Re: Bunkers

Homer watch the Luke Donald series of bunker video's.

My bunker play has improved radically since adopting his approach. It took me one bucket of balls in a bunker to sort it although it would have helped if the bunkers had a decent amount of sand in them.

Think of scooping an egg out of a pan and shallow divot when hitting your shot. I use a 58 wedge for close up shots, 54 for medium and will even use a 50 degree if I need a longer approach shot.

Manipulate the club face to suit the shot. On shallow bunkers I tend to take a flatter swing especially if the flag is close to the edge.

20 minutes watching the video's, 2 buckets of balls and you'll have it sorted

 

[srixon 1]

Re: Bunkers

What's the correct position for the ball in the bunker. I've been playing it from a centre ish stance and feeling like the right hand releases under to utilise the bounce. It had been working well until recently and I've started to struggle. I moved it forward to inside the left heel and went back to the more linear way, still allowing the right hand to "release" and it seems a bit better although I lack conviction with it. Should the ball for a traditional, aka not the linear, bunker shot still be way forward or is a position middle erring a fraction towards the left foot ok.

Ball slightly forward is good, but also try and keep forward shaft lean to a minimum. A vertical shaft is good with the hands level with or just slightly behind the ball. Swing easy and free and just have the sensation of the club head releasing under the ball.

 

[Maninblack4612]

Re: Bunkers

Homer, is your stance open?

For all my short game, but particularly bunkers my feet 'allignment' is WAY left of target, probably 45* off line. I am pretty sure this is fairly 'standard' in a bunker?

Not for everyone. I've got on well with the method recommended by Stan Utley. Square stance, ball well forward. Wide stance with knees bent so your bum is almost touching the sand. Aim for the ball, not 2" behind, and the ball flips out beautifully with the club passing nicely under the ball with a shallow path.

For shots of a longer distance, simply hit an ordinary shot with a club with enough loft to clear they lip. As long as you contact the ball first it will come out fine.

 

[Foxholer]

Re: Bunkers

Here's Pete Cowen's take.

Works well for me - though I don't use his 'butterfly grip'.

Left toe and knee open; heels square. Hear that slap and Dollar divot.

Key is having the shaft upright at/through impact - as opposed to leaning forward.

 

[One Planer]

Re: Bunkers

If (and this is an if as you haven't specified) you have the ball centre in your stance, but are standing open, you effectively move the ball back in your stance.