bunkers

[MrC]

Struggling with bunker play at the minute and keep hitting too close to the ball, sometimes even hitting it clean.

Any tips to make me hit behind the ball? generally I aim around 2 inches behind but obviously missing this at the moment.

High handicapper - so just want a technique to get out of a green side bunker onto the dace floor

thanks

 

[fundy]

the obvious short term fix without seeing you in a bunker is to move the ball a little further in your stance so that you can take a bit more sand

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Already another bunker thread going and I pit this link up. It's an unusual method but it uses the bounce and I've found it really useful. I use to have the same problem hitting a ten yard bunker shot 50 yards into the crap because I'd thinned it. This has helped

Post#1

http://forums.golf-monthly.co.uk/showthread.php?92953-Greenside-bunker-shots&p=1720182#post1720182

 

[MrC]

the obvious short term fix without seeing you in a bunker is to move the ball a little further in your stance so that you can take a bit more sand

tried that - the ball was placed on the left foot (similar position to where I have the ball to hit my driver)

is this the right position - or should it outside the left foot?

 

[fundy]

tried that - the ball was placed on the left foot (similar position to where I have the ball to hit my driver)

is this the right position - or should it outside the left foot?

if youve already got it as far forward as the front foot and are still hitting ball before sand then something else is wrong, something is causing you to come up on it and hit ball first, hard to say what without seeing, best to grab a session with your pro

 

[the_coach]

if youve already got it as far forward as the front foot and are still hitting ball before sand then something else is wrong, something is causing you to come up on it and hit ball first, hard to say what without seeing, best to grab a session with your pro

kinda difficult not knowing how you set-up but also as with all parts of the game you gotta do some practice in the bunkers to gain some confidence in being able to get out - if the only bunker shots you make are when you get in during play then that makes it a whole bunch more difficult - if doing practice then just draw a line in the sand at 90º to the target on green & learn to be able to hit that line as the entry point every time so throw a bunch of sand out - given you set-up along the guidelines following

so for a basic get out bunker shot would consider the following

need to check over ball position is it back of center stance position - normal easy greenside bunker shot ball position would an inch & a half forwards of center so forwards of sternum - if wearing a golf shirt with logo then ball approx opposite the logo is a reasonable guide

when you set-up are you addressing set-up with club directly at the ball - with the bunker shot you looking to throw a thin-isa $note size bunch of sand out towards target - so entering sand say an 1&1/2" to 2" behind the ball so that place/spot in the sand is really the address start position for the club

during the swing motion are you losing set-up posture angles so tendency to stand up some in the downswing

couple of 'rules' that make a simple get out shot a ways easy
if target line is at 12o'clock then align feet/hips/shoulder to 11o'clock have that ball position mentioned earlier (opposite shirt logo) have a stance width that's a little wider (than a normal green side pitch shot) & with a tad more knee flex & looking to keep that knee flex through the motion that ways can enter sand behind the ball
with weight distribution at set-up say aprrox 55%/60% of weight on the lead foot & real important that weight stays there during the backswing don't transfer weight to trail foot in the backswing

naturally normal sand conditions use the sand wedge but open up the face a tad "before you make your grip hold now the target line is at 12 o'clock the body alignments are at 11 o'clock aim the open club face in-between so it's just pointing a tad to the left of 12

then the aim is to make the swing along the body lines so along 11 - have to commit to the full swing through keep knees flexed keep rotating the upper body all the ways through the swing

 

[the_coach]

some of the guide lines was speaking to in this vid - but if hitting clean a bunch or sculling real important is extra stance width & knee flex & maintaining set-up height through the swing - with the club address the 'spot' in the sand you want the club to enter (not tight up against the ball)

with set-up if looking face-on imagine the spine angle is more vertical so around 90º & not leaning back some aways from the target the ball thinking that will help get the ball up

[video=youtube;69oZnc9z2gI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69oZnc9z2gI[/video]

 

[Maninblack4612]

Stan Utley's method woks for me. Square stance & club face, feet very wide apart, knees bent so much that your bum nearly touches the sand, hands very low, leaning slightly left. Just splash down, aiming for the ball. The low hands & bent knees will result in a very shallow entry to the sand & the bounce of the club takes it nicely under the ball. I went from poor out of bunkers to better than average using this method.

 

[MrC]

Already another bunker thread going and I pit this link up. It's an unusual method but it uses the bounce and I've found it really useful. I use to have the same problem hitting a ten yard bunker shot 50 yards into the crap because I'd thinned it. This has helped

Post#1

http://forums.golf-monthly.co.uk/showthread.php?92953-Greenside-bunker-shots&p=1720182#post1720182

thanks Homer

Just had a watch and will give it a go. Seems logical and the only thing that wouldn't make it work looks like is going to be the person holding the club... oh wait.......

 

[MrC]

kinda difficult not knowing how you set-up but also as with all parts of the game you gotta do some practice in the bunkers to gain some confidence in being able to get out - if the only bunker shots you make are when you get in during play then that makes it a whole bunch more difficult - if doing practice then just draw a line in the sand at 90º to the target on green & learn to be able to hit that line as the entry point every time so throw a bunch of sand out - given you set-up along the guidelines following

so for a basic get out bunker shot would consider the following

need to check over ball position is it back of center stance position - normal easy greenside bunker shot ball position would an inch & a half forwards of center so forwards of sternum - if wearing a golf shirt with logo then ball approx opposite the logo is a reasonable guide

when you set-up are you addressing set-up with club directly at the ball - with the bunker shot you looking to throw a thin-isa $note size bunch of sand out towards target - so entering sand say an 1&1/2" to 2" behind the ball so that place/spot in the sand is really the address start position for the club

during the swing motion are you losing set-up posture angles so tendency to stand up some in the downswing

couple of 'rules' that make a simple get out shot a ways easy
if target line is at 12o'clock then align feet/hips/shoulder to 11o'clock have that ball position mentioned earlier (opposite shirt logo) have a stance width that's a little wider (than a normal green side pitch shot) & with a tad more knee flex & looking to keep that knee flex through the motion that ways can enter sand behind the ball
with weight distribution at set-up say aprrox 55%/60% of weight on the lead foot & real important that weight stays there during the backswing don't transfer weight to trail foot in the backswing

naturally normal sand conditions use the sand wedge but open up the face a tad "before you make your grip hold now the target line is at 12 o'clock the body alignments are at 11 o'clock aim the open club face in-between so it's just pointing a tad to the left of 12

then the aim is to make the swing along the body lines so along 11 - have to commit to the full swing through keep knees flexed keep rotating the upper body all the ways through the swing

thanks Coach - excellent advice. Watch the video too

I really like the idea of a focus on the objective being throwing the sand on to the green rather than ball. I wonder subconsciously because naturally you want to hit the ball that could have been a problem.

You are also right about practise. I don't get a massive amount of time so tend to focus on playing but I am starting to realise my short game is holding me back. Definitely need to dedicate time to this rather than just playing golf.

thanks again