Bunker play

Orikoru

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Nov 1, 2016
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I’ve been struggling out of bunkers lately as ours are inconsistent, some have a foot of sand and others have a millimetre. When I try the open face, splash it out approach it’s either a shank, thin over the green or digs down too much and I don’t get it out.

I watched this video the other night and was in 2 bunkers last night. Used the technique and hit both of them to within 8 foot.

Exactly the same as me. I started to think that method only works in perfect soft sand like you see on the TV. Whenever I tried it I'd either shank it or the club just bounces into the ball and knifes it, due to sand being hard, compacted, and/or full of stones. Eventually I just bought a Callaway SureOut - it's 60° but with a huge bounce, and you just play it completely square and thump it into the sand just behind the ball (a bit like that vid) and it does the rest. I still like it being 60° though because if I do miss the sand and hit the ball clean (which does happen), then at least it's not going to go absolute miles, likely just over the other side of the green.

With the variety of sand that amateurs have to play, I'm just happy to get it out and on the green in one attempt, I'm generally not worried about getting it close to the pin. If it is close enough to think about holing it for an up-and-down, that's just a bonus.
 
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