Can't get out of bunkers

[clubchamp98]

I hadn't considered that... every single shot I hit is a draw or hook. I can't hit a fade to save my life, with both woods and irons... and I can't get out of bunkers either.

Are the best bunker players generally faders of the ball?

Not really but they do keep the face open looking at the sky.
My mate tends to shut the face at impact and the leading edge just digs in the sand.

I have tried to explain it but he just can’t hold it open.
Its quite funny to watch given he’s a class player.

 

[rulefan]

I hadn't considered that... every single shot I hit is a draw or hook.

But you have a great technical skill - you can play a reverse fade. Arguably as difficult as a reverse draw.

 

[srixon 1]

Soft fluffy sand requires speed with the club sliding under the ball keeping the face pointing at the sky.
Hard compacted sand and the best way I have found is to hit a good couple of inches behind the ball with a square face as if you were fatting it.

 

[garyinderry]

Seve's tip.

 

[garyinderry]

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

 

[Orikoru]

I was very successful in my Friday round - managed to avoid going in a single bunker. Plan to keep this technique going forward.

 

[chrisd]

I was very successful in my Friday round - managed to avoid going in a single bunker. Plan to keep this technique going forward.

I went in a few bunkers this morning and got out so so easy

They were all GUR

 

[golferannasmith]

Here is what you need to know how to get out of bunkers.

1. Choose the right tool when you hit the greenside bunker shot.

2. Always move the ball position forward. Put yourself in the better spot to hit the sand.

3. Make a full swing as most of the golfers are afraid of doing that.

4. Control your speed as once you are proficient at taking sand you are more likely to swing with enough speed.

5. Practice-Practice and More Practice.

 

[Orikoru]

Played on Sunday. Went in a greenside bunker on the 7th, sand like cement as usual. I opened the face, regripped, weight forward, ball forward in stance, big swing and hit down hard - everything people have said you're meant to do. The club bounced off the sand and knifed the ball into the top lip. Did it all again, hit it even harder, same result. Then I just angrily smashed it clean out and 60 yards over the green.

I honestly just give up. I do everything you're supposed to do and it doesn't bloody work. Unless the sand in our bunkers is harder than anywhere else in the country - which I doubt - then I've got no idea why I can't do it.

I'm going back to the SureOut I reckon. At least it pretty much always works on the second attempt.

 

[bobmac]

Played on Sunday. Went in a greenside bunker on the 7th, sand like cement as usual. I opened the face, regripped, weight forward, ball forward in stance, big swing and hit down hard - everything people have said you're meant to do. The club bounced off the sand and knifed the ball into the top lip. Did it all again, hit it even harder, same result.

If the sand is like concrete, the last thing you want to do is open the face and have the ball too far forward. The club is doing what it's designed to do...bounce.
If the sand is hard, have the ball just forward of centre, use your most lofted club and keep the face square, that will enable the front edge to dig into the sand and get under the ball.

 

[Orikoru]

If the sand is like concrete, the last thing you want to do is open the face and have the ball too far forward. The club is doing what it's designed to do...bounce.
If the sand is hard, have the ball just forward of centre, use your most lofted club and keep the face square, that will enable the front edge to dig into the sand and get under the ball.

Have you read the rest of this thread? This is what everyone / every video was saying. I know there's loads of ways to skin a cat and all that when it comes to golf, but it's confusing when people are saying opposite techniques.

What you're saying there is what I've been doing for the last three years, because when I used to try opening the face it never worked for me back then either. But with that technique specifically - face square - would you recommend I use the SureOut (all the bounce in the world on the club) or my other 60° which has only 8 bounce? I guess the one thing I haven't tried yet is using the low bounce 60 with the face square.

 

[bobmac]

Have you read the rest of this thread? This is what everyone / every video was saying. I know there's loads of ways to skin a cat and all that when it comes to golf, but it's confusing when people are saying opposite techniques.

What you're saying there is what I've been doing for the last three years, because when I used to try opening the face it never worked for me back then either. But with that technique specifically - face square - would you recommend I use the SureOut (all the bounce in the world on the club) or my other 60° which has only 8 bounce? I guess the one thing I haven't tried yet is using the low bounce 60 with the face square.

I think all the advice given so far has been for soft sand where the problem is going too deep into the sand, hence opening the face and using the bounce.
With the hard compact sand, the problem is not getting deep enough.
A 60 degree with 8 bounce should be more than enough to get out of any bunker.
Stand square, clubface square ball a touch forward to encourage weight transfer onto your front foot and just dig it out

 

[Orikoru]

I think all the advice given so far has been for soft sand where the problem is going too deep into the sand, hence opening the face and using the bounce.
With the hard compact sand, the problem is not getting deep enough.
A 60 degree with 8 bounce should be more than enough to get out of any bunker.
Stand square, clubface square ball a touch forward to encourage weight transfer onto your front foot and just dig it out

Cheers. Yeah, I'm going to have to go back to this - opening the face categorically doesn't work.

 

[chrisd]

Cheers. Yeah, I'm going to have to go back to this - opening the face categorically doesn't work.

When the sand has been very compacted I have started to use the chipping method that I learned recently.

So (for me) 56° club not open or closed.

Feet about 12 inches apart, ball nearer the front foot and as much weight that you can get on the lead foot (90% if you can).
Depending on distance required, and how far you want the ball to go, the same distance back swing and at least the same through swing without any sway back. Hit the ball as you would if you were chipping and the ball should just pop up.

Its certainly worked for me off a hard pan surface and is a great method for chipping full stop!

 

[Orikoru]

When the sand has been very compacted I have started to use the chipping method that I learned recently.

So (for me) 56° club not open or closed.

Feet about 12 inches apart, ball nearer the front foot and as much weight that you can get on the lead foot (90% if you can).
Depending on distance required, and how far you want the ball to go, the same distance back swing and at least the same through swing without any sway back. Hit the ball as you would if you were chipping and the ball should just pop up.

Its certainly worked for me off a hard pan surface and is a great method for chipping full stop!

So really you're just striking ball first and hoping to get enough height that it goes over the bunker lip basically? Maybe have to resort to trying that since hitting the sand is a lottery.

 

[chrisd]

So really you're just striking ball first and hoping to get enough height that it goes over the bunker lip basically? Maybe have to resort to trying that since hitting the sand is a lottery.

Absolutely Ori, try it in the garden, do it right and it'll pop up from the grass, does the same from hard pan bunkers.

 

[garyinderry]

Hitting 2 or 3 bunker shots while out playing isn't the way to learn a new technique. You need to take a few minutes in a practice bunker to feel out the new positions and movements.
If you are still blading them you obviously havnt got the technique right yet. A final missing bit.
Without seeing what you are doing I'd guess you have lowered the hands but they are too far back of the ball as you have the ball forward in your stance. You can use a tiny bit of shaft lean to assist getting in under the ball which you have yet to do.

The sand at my home club is thick heavy sand. Like builders sand. I can get into it. You can too.

The thing with all bunker shots is you have to assess the lie. When it's like concrete you need to over exaggerate all the things in ur set up and technique. Really steep, really dig, shaft lean, weight well left etc. Half hearted doesn't work with that lie.
The better the lie the more u can ease off on those things.

Like everything it doesn't happen in two swings. It needs a little work and perseverance. Trial and error till it clicks.

 

[garyinderry]

This was the day in 2019 my bunker game changed. Before this day it was a bit of a lottery until I worked out the magic of hitting wet bunker shots with an open face. Bare in mind this wedge has more bounce than you are using and also has a big fat sole. 60 degree k grind vokey 11bounce.

I didnt get it right on every shot but it took some time to work out how much I needed to lean left, ball position and shaft lean.

You can see on the video I rehearse coming down steep keeping the face open.

Since then, my bunker game has come on leaps and bounds. Its now a strength.

 

[garyinderry]

For balance here is videos of me really struggling the year before. Following the tips of swinging shallow. Bob gave me advice after these videos and I worked at it.

No consistency of strike what so ever. Falling back. You name it I was doing it.

 

[garyinderry]

Ouch