Bunkers - what am I doing wrong

[HawkeyeMS]

I need some help. My game is a pretty good place at the moment, I'm happy with everything except my bunker play - which is hopeless. I've been in the practice bunker a couple of times and thought I'd found a way of hitting high soft shots but I get on the course and I always hit the ball first, it doesn't seem to matter how far forward in my stance I position the ball, I just airmail the green, they would be great pitch shots, but useless out of bunkers. I would have a lesson but doing so is difficult this time of year so I thought I'd ask my fellow forumers for some tips...please help

 

[Lump]

What type of bunker shot are you struggling with, are these green side or 50yrd type shots. Makes a big difference to how you play them.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

What type of bunker shot are you struggling with, are these green side or 50yrd type shots. Makes a big difference to how you play them.

Sorry, greenside ones. Cheers

 

[Lump]

Sorry, greenside ones. Cheers

Greenside makes it easier then.
I use my 60* wedge, ball position in the same place I'd play a long iron. Square to my target. I'm aiming to hit the sand about 2 inches behind the ball, you want the club head to release right through impact and complete a full swing. My greatest bit of advice would be to play these types of shots off the bounce of the club, you want that slap noise from the impact.

 

[fundy]

What are you looking at when you hit the shot Hawkeye? maybe worth visualising a circle of sand 2 inches behind the ball to 2 inches in front as what you are trying to "hit" and then use the front line of it as your target (sort of assuming your currently focussing on the ball)

 

[HawkeyeMS]

That's a good question fundy. I always thought I was looking at a point a couple of inches behind the ball but thinking back to this morning, I think maybe I wasn't. All I can remember thinking is "This could go anywhere"! And on my 4 bunker shots, they all ended in the clag the other side of the green and resulted in blobs.

I think maybe I'm scared of them and aren't thinking straight. Maybe I just need to go back to basics but I'm not really sure how

 

[fundy]

That's a good question fundy. I always thought I was looking at a point a couple of inches behind the ball but thinking back to this morning, I think maybe I wasn't. All I can remember thinking is "This could go anywhere"! And on my 4 bunker shots, they all ended in the clag the other side of the green and resulted in blobs.

I think maybe I'm scared of them and aren't thinking straight. Maybe I just need to go back to basics but I'm not really sure how

Went through something similar last summer, we dont have that many bunkers on our course so easy to go several weeks without being in one, got in one and mind went blank lol.

Going back to basics definitely a good idea, pretty sure Bob has been over this on here before, if not Im sure he would if you asked (better coming from a pro imo) otherwise must be in one of the mags. Also depends whether you short game with a square stance or an open one (obv you are going to want the bunker technique to be consistent).

 

[sawtooth]

This is the routine I go through if it helps, I'm out reasonably well most of the time.

Before I get into the bunker I open the clubface on a 58 deg SW, ground and grip the club and take a few practice swings with a wide open stance. Then address the ball more or less central and I pick a target an inch behind the ball. I swing hard at that spot and imagine I'm hitting a much bigger distance say 30 yds when perhaps all I want to do is move the ball 30ft for example.

I probably take more sand than I should but the results arent too bad normally.

 

[SocketRocket]

Think about the bottom of the clubface striking the sand rather than the leading edge. It's the bounce on the bottom that creates a wave of sand that pushes the ball out. Also, slide the club through the sand, dont try and turn your wrists.

 

[bobmac]

How hard do you swing.....on a scale of 1 being soft and 10 being full driver

 

[Crow]

Think about the bottom of the clubface striking the sand rather than the leading edge. It's the bounce on the bottom that creates a wave of sand that pushes the ball out. Also, slide the club through the sand, dont try and turn your wrists.

I'd go further than this and say that I've started thinking about smacking the sand with the back face of the club. I used to be the world's worst bunker player but since adopting this thought I'd say I've improved to being in the bottom 10%.

 

[Region3]

Think about the bottom of the clubface striking the sand rather than the leading edge. It's the bounce on the bottom that creates a wave of sand that pushes the ball out. Also, slide the club through the sand, dont try and turn your wrists.

I'd go further than this and say that I've started thinking about smacking the sand with the back face of the club. I used to be the world's worst bunker player but since adopting this thought I'd say I've improved to being in the bottom 10%.

This is how I try to see the shot. You can practice on grass with no ball. Just think about slapping the back of the club into the ground.
if it works you will only dent the ground. If it doesn't work don't practice on your back lawn!

i always do this a couple of times before I step into the bunker to play the shot.

 

[JustOne]

Sorry, greenside ones. Cheers

Bend your knees! It's the one time we want to hit the ball fat, so help that to happen by lowering yourself.

hope that helps :thup:


Here's a video, I only watched/checked a bit of this video but it seems to explain it for you..... didn't watch it to the end though

[video=youtube;j1jWA5ZeHsA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1jWA5ZeHsA[/video]

(I wouldn't necessrily say you need to 'scoot' or 'flip' the club as he describes it but you're definitely going to want to come down quite steep, hard and into the sand, the bounce stops the club digging in) :thup:


oh yeah.... the opposite is true for long bunker shots... stand tall so you swing the club flatter and pick the ball :thup:

 

[CMAC]

I need some help. My game is a pretty good place at the moment, I'm happy with everything except my bunker play - which is hopeless. I've been in the practice bunker a couple of times and thought I'd found a way of hitting high soft shots but I get on the course and I always hit the ball first, it doesn't seem to matter how far forward in my stance I position the ball, I just airmail the green, they would be great pitch shots, but useless out of bunkers. I would have a lesson but doing so is difficult this time of year so I thought I'd ask my fellow forumers for some tips...please help

here you go, Pete Cowan's method..........it's pretty good:thup:

[video=youtube_share;eOWgy1AobWc]http://youtu.be/eOWgy1AobWc[/video]
http://youtu.be/eOWgy1AobWc

 

[HawkeyeMS]

How hard do you swing.....on a scale of 1 being soft and 10 being full driver

Somewhere towards the bottom end of the scale I would think Bob, but I think that comes from lack of confidence

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Think about the bottom of the clubface striking the sand rather than the leading edge. It's the bounce on the bottom that creates a wave of sand that pushes the ball out. Also, slide the club through the sand, dont try and turn your wrists.

I'd go further than this and say that I've started thinking about smacking the sand with the back face of the club. I used to be the world's worst bunker player but since adopting this thought I'd say I've improved to being in the bottom 10%.

This is how I try to see the shot. You can practice on grass with no ball. Just think about slapping the back of the club into the ground.
if it works you will only dent the ground. If it doesn't work don't practice on your back lawn!

i always do this a couple of times before I step into the bunker to play the shot.

That's actually a good way of thinking of it, I definitely don't think like that. Will give it a go.

 

[bobmac]

That's actually a good way of thinking of it, I definitely don't think like that. Will give it a go.

That may not help too much if you're already thining them as it is.

In my opinion, 2 in is too close to the ball.
I'd rather see your club enter the sand about 3-5 in behind the ball, go about 3 in deep into the sand with a good '7-8' of power. And if you dont have a lob wedge, aim left and open up the face on your SW
And..............make sure the ball is well forward in your stance, left toe (get someone to check it for you (real and feel))


[video=youtube;c11XYrHSEII]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c11XYrHSEII&list=PL7Uf2W3sfvqYBJ3OUldKvQT7ZWYEmPOyW[/video]

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Was in the Royal Ascot practice bunker today. Hit it well. I swing pretty firmly and long - about 7/10 on the Bob scale. I was working on feeling as though my left elbow was pulling behind me at impact. Really chuffed by the height and control I was getting

 

[brendy]

A lot of the pros use the butterfly grip, I first found out about it via out assistant pro who picked up a few things through Michael Bannon coaching Rory at our place (our practice bunker and green is on a fair slope so god practice getting the ball up, out and stopped on the green).
Pete Cowan touched on it if that is the same clip I am thinking of (post above), grip the club with both hands turned in nice and snug as it lets you hinge as early as possible and to me seems to keep the clubface pointing in the right direction. Since changing to it, I have rediscovered my love of bunkershots again.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

That may not help too much if you're already thining them as it is.

In my opinion, 2 in is too close to the ball.
I'd rather see your club enter the sand about 3-5 in behind the ball, go about 3 in deep into the sand with a good '7-8' of power. And if you dont have a lob wedge, aim left and open up the face on your SW
And..............make sure the ball is well forward in your stance, left toe (get someone to check it for you (real and feel))

Our bunkers don't usually have 3" of sand Bob so if I aim for that, I'll hit the bottom. Presumably if I'm aiming shallower, I need to aim to hit closer behind the ball?