Bunker play - how often do you practice?

[Achilles]

I had a lesson this evening after work to sort my atrocious attempts at getting out of the sand (especially after Friday's debacle) and by the end of it I was feeling much happier, with some good and relatively consistent results.

Obviously intend on some more practice to hone what we went through so I just wondered how often (if ever) others practice? I've hardly ever seen people in the practice bunker so I'm curious what y'all do....

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Re: Bunker play - how often to you practice?

I would put more effort in but our practice bunker lacks one key component - sand. Hardly any sand in it at all especially compared to most on the course and so it doesn't replicate anything I'd encounter when playing. I have been using the practice facilities at Sand Martins which has helped but it is just a pain to keep schlepping over there. I might go to the local range (Blue Mountain) as I've not been in their practice bunker for a few years and see if that is any good. I need to put the work in

 

[Crow]

I get in the practice bunker maybe a couple of times over a year, nowhere near enough in other words.

 

[stevelev]

I think many clubs have poor practise bunkers and chipping greens. They no wehere near replicate what happens on the greens or course bunkers during a round at the same venue.

I know at our club there is a single bunker that is of the same consistency as another (the practice bunker may as well be a hole with concrete and a bit of dust in it)Also the grass on the chipping green seems totally different to the playing greens. But I must admit our greens are some of the best around, true immaculate and smooth (just need more people to repair their pitch marks)

 

[jammydodger]

Whenever I hit my practise chipping balls into the bunker by mistake I go in there and fetch them out

 

[Mongoose]

A decent practice bunker is a basic and cheap practice facility that seems rare, maybe as most golfers scorn practice, the powers that be at golf clubs feel they cant justify the couple of quid, when it could be spent on important stuff such as expenes for the secretary to attend events, and some half dead plants for the grotty display urn outside the club. Its not suprising as most courses cant even be bothered with putting decent sands in their bunkers, and when they do, they are clueless on how to tamper it down then rake the surface.

The problem with bunkers is they have become part of any courses essentials yet they are some of the most neglected parts of the course.

Back to the OP. I practice where and when I can. I would practice bunkers shots a lot if the facilities were more widely available. With most golf holes having bunkers and their proximity to the green, one is going to visit them often, so its an important part of the game.

 

[RGDave]

Whenever I hit my practise chipping balls into the bunker by mistake I go in there and fetch them out

LOL

 

[ScienceBoy]

Not enough! I am VERY inconsistent! Sometimes I am good sometimes I am bad.

Its a hard thing to practice, our bunker faces a road about 50 yards away so I am always afraid of thinning one into traffic! Thankfully its the road to the club so not exactly as busy as the M25 round the dartford tunnel

I hope to get a lesson very soon on it, just need to bring my irons back on plane first then I will focus on the scoring game.

 

[RGDave]

I don't need to practice from bunkers. Life's easy when you can't actually reach them!

 

[Achilles]

The worry of thinning them is one of my problems, and as a result I often quit on the downswing, despite knowing what'll happen. As for facilities, the pratice bunker at my new club is quite good so I'm going to try to make the most of it. Just a shame I seemed to be finding every single one on the course at the moment!! Ironically, the practice bunker at my previous club was regarded by many as the best bunker at the club...not sure what that says about the other bunkers though...

 

[bladeplayer]

Cant say ive ever practiced bunker play , pretty ok out of them so dont bother .. then when i fluff one in the bunker i wish i did ha ha.. every course has different quality & ammount of sand in them.. some courses my own included has the same problem on different holes, so dont see the point realy

 

[Achilles]

I don't need to practice from bunkers. Life's easy when you can't actually reach them!

Another advantage of the short game then!

 

[Gazboy]

I get enough practice during a round - if there's a bunker to negotiate on a hole, I'll find it. I need to practice not going in them in the first place

 

[beggsy]

you should head over to malton an norton gc they have great chipping an pitching greens and also practice bunkers

 

[EZprophet]

Once a week I head down to our short game practice area which has a couple of bunkers and spend the afternoon there practicing and messing about. Probably spend about a third of the time in the bunker. I actually find it the most enjoyable part of the game to practice.

 

[chrisd]

Once a week I head down to our short game practice area which has a couple of bunkers and spend the afternoon there practicing and messing about. Probably spend about a third of the time in the bunker. I actually find it the most enjoyable part of the game to practice.

Are you starting to develop a hump or finding yourself humming the theme tune from Lawrence of Arabia at all??


Chris

 

[sweatysock41]

Not enough - I too had a lesson tonight as bunkers were my nemesis. 1/2 hour with the pro and now I have more confidence and I know what I should be doing, what I should use given the lie, ball position for different lies.

Practise bunker at the club is not that good but there are 2 at the range with plenty of sand. I'll certainly spend less time on the mats and more in the sand to try and improve.

 

[barrybridges]

It's a really good question.

I would practice more often, but the practice bunker at our course is awful. The sand is like concrete, full of stones and you might as well be wrapping your SW around a metal pole as the result is likely to be the same.

Judging by what others have said, it's the same most places.

Surely maintaining a practice bunker must be incredible cheap in the grand scheme of things? As in, a few hundred a year for sand and a little bit of effort?

If the bunkers resembled on-course bunkers then I'd probably practice once a month.

 

[19thagain]

How I miss Nairn where I could spend the tail end of Friday on the practice area which embraced a full driving area ( except for Tim, he would be restricted to his five iron) a green and bunkers at different distances from it. To this day the bunker practice at Nairn has meant that I do not see bunkers as a BIG problem.

A quick round on the nine holer followed and ready for the off on Saturday morning.

How I envy Patrick!

 

[SatchFan]

If the course is quiet I will finish the hole I am playing and then throw three balls in the bunker and try to get them all within three feet of the hole. Sometimes I am there for a very long time.