Bunkers

[white_feather]

I understand the principles of bunker play, open stance, weigth on your front foot, open the club face, a shallow angle of attack and aim 2 inches behind the ball, but i just can't get it to work for me.

What works for you?

What do you think about when you jump down in the sand?

I've tried the "draw a circle around the ball and aim to strike the circle out of the bunker" so any advice?

 

[bobmac]

I understand the principles of bunker play, open stance, weigth on your front foot, open the club face, a shallow angle of attack and aim 2 inches behind the ball, but i just can't get it to work for me.

What works for you?

What do you think about when you jump down in the sand?

I've tried the "draw a circle around the ball and aim to strike the circle out of the bunker" so any advice?

Steep angle of attack unless you have powdery sand in your bunkers

 

[One Planer]

Don't quit on the shot through impact.

I took Bobs advice when I was struggling and I can now get out of bunkers with no issues.

 

[jdchelsea]

bob when you say steep angle of attack could you elaborate. i.e. mechanically/mentally what does this entail.

It's a term i hear all the time but not really sure what i'm actually trying to do or what i do try to do, when trying to have a steep angle, is the correct thing.

thanks

 

[Curls]

I should preface this by saying our course drains superbly and its rare our bunkers are hardened grit, we usually have some fluffy sand to play with.

What works for me is almost forgetting I am in a bunker, for my handicap I'd say I'm a pretty decent sand player, and though like you I'm aware of the technique when I stand in a bunker my mindset doesn't really change hugely from if I had a fluffy lie off the green. I see the pin, where I want it to land, take a nice 3/4 swing, steady back then accelerate through with the face open and concentrate on getting under the ball and splashing it out at the right pace, and continuing the follow through, much like a would a flop shot. Have a look at this youtube clip of Luke Donald and with one hand he first shows how most amateurs dig into the sand and then how to use the bounce, he just bounced the wedge off the sand, it took a perfect amount of sand and was no exceptional effort, the clubhead is designed to travel through the sand and bounce, when you feel that you start to think/worry less about technique and become more target-oriented. You HAVE to hit a practice bunker and hit dozens of different shots, folk don't do it enough and wonder why they're no good in the sand, different open-ness of face/stance, different distances, once you get the feel of splashing the ball out you'll never fear bunkers again. In contrast my buddy will often groan "I just hope I get it out". That mindset, regardless of what he understands about technique, is not getting him good results. Hope that helps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwhTwIMu2LU

 

[bobmac]

I like to see the club entering the sand 2-4 in behind the ball and about 2-3 inces deep. That way, you can be quite aggresive with the shot without it flying across the green

[video=youtube;c11XYrHSEII]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c11XYrHSEII&list=UUFeb2vdftHQESr49G8ZorhQ& index=7&feature=plcp[/video]

 

[One Planer]

Bob.

If you want a little more spin control out of a bunker, would you play the shot the same way and just take less/more sand?

** Sorry for the hijack OP **

 

[bobmac]

If you want more spin, you need to take less sand and less power and use the sole as Luke showed in his video.
The technique in my video is more for the guy who cant get it out at all and works for the bukers you and I play out of most of the time.
So hard swing, lots of sand/dirt giving lots of height.

 

[One Planer]

If you want more spin, you need to take less sand and less power and use the sole as Luke showed in his video.
The technique in my video is more for the guy who cant get it out at all and works for the bukers you and I play out of most of the time.
So hard swing, lots of sand/dirt giving lots of height.

Cheers Bob :thup:

 

[Curls]

Thanks Bob, if I may hijack the hijacker (really sorry OP!) how do you approach it when its just rained loads and the sand it compacted and wet and trying to get under it or blast it out isnt an option?

 

[daymond]

Curts. How would you deal with that if you were not in a bunker?

 

[daymond]

The prime thing with bunker play is confidence.

 

[bobmac]

Thanks Bob, if I may hijack the hijacker (really sorry OP!) how do you approach it when its just rained loads and the sand it compacted and wet and trying to get under it or blast it out isnt an option?

It's always an option.
I just hit down deeper and harder to get through the compacted sand/dirt

 

[Curls]

It's always an option.
I just hit down deeper and harder to get through the compacted sand/dirt

I've tried that with a sand wedge, bounced and thinned it straight in the face! I guess I wasnt trying to dig in though, more like trying to cut a sliver out of it and not with much success, I'm not comfortable with the idea of digging in like that on the basis I feel like I might ground the club in mud and the ball would pop to nowhere, so I'll have to wait til the rain hits hard again and get myself in a practice bunker and give this a go. Cheers Bob


Edit - cheers Daymond, like I say I'm quite confident in a bunker, don't really feel any different to around the green. I guess if I had a bare-mud lie around the green I'd chip-and-run it, ball back with a 7 iron I'd concentrate on hitting ball first then a small amount of mud and run it there. But that's not an option with a lip in front of you, hence my question to Bob, who's answer surprised me but if I've learned one thing from being on here its that he knows his stuff so I'm looking forward to giving it a go. Sound

 

[One Planer]

Thanks Bob, if I may hijack the hijacker (really sorry OP!) how do you approach it when its just rained loads and the sand it compacted and wet and trying to get under it or blast it out isnt an option?

It's always an option.
I just hit down deeper and harder to get through the compacted sand/dirt

Pretty much this.

If the sand is flat and compacted after it has rained, I tend to take a little less sand but be a little more agressive through the shot.

I also tend not to open the face as much (Unless required) and rely on the loft of the club to lift the ball out.

 

[Curls]

Pretty much this.

If the sand is flat and compacted after it has rained, I tend to take a little less sand but be a little more agressive through the shot.

I also tend not to open the face as much (Unless required) and rely on the loft of the club to lift the ball out.

Cheers Gareth, like I say haven't practised it and have had VERY few occasions on our course where it's happened, normally drains very well, but I'll be sure to try it next time out after a downpour (lets hope against hope this isn't for a while), sound

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Bunkers have been an issue in the past. Had a lesson in March and trying to work more on it. Having some success at the moment and getting it out more often. Distance control i the biggest issue. I tend to hit every shot about 15 yards!! Trying to vary the speed and the amount of sand to control it better but not an exact science yet

 

[leaney]

I was using Vokey wedge with a fair amount of bounce and used to have no success with it.

Then started using a Vokey wedge with little bounce and bunkers are a past issue.

I think my wedge just digs in under the ball a lot easier now.

 

[RGDave]

I understand the principles of bunker play, open stance, weigth on your front foot, open the club face, a shallow angle of attack and aim 2 inches behind the ball, but i just can't get it to work for me.

What works for you?

Almost none of that.

I've taken on this style.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xeADahxxrE

This works for me. I can hit normal bunker shots doing all the "stuff" but this method never lets me down. Don't know how/why....

 

[Curls]

Almost none of that.

I've taken on this style.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xeADahxxrE

This works for me. I can hit normal bunker shots doing all the "stuff" but this method never lets me down. Don't know how/why....

Interesting video, I hadn't come across that before, I think what he's doing that a lot of people forget (when using the traditional set up) is setting up with his hands well behind the ball and the shaft pointing to his right hip, most people I see in the bunkers don't do this, they feel they have to get their hands ahead like they do on a pitch and consequently fail to use the bounce