Getting off the beach

[Basher]

A quick question as I have had conflicting answers from various internet sites.

Consider your ball is in the bunker, laying at the bottom with a fairly straight forward shot to escape.

What stance and set up do you take for the shot?

 

[Nico]

Feet,shoulders all in line pointing to the left of the flag,club face aiming at the flag,ball forward in stance. I normally pick an aiming point left of the spot where I want it to land and line up as hitting a normal shot on this point,i then point the club face where I want the ball to land. Make a normal swing and hit the sand behind the ball and out she pops!

 

[John_Findlay]

Ball back in the stance for me. You don't want to take any sand. Just take a club or two less to give enough loft. Medium stance, feet not dug in, arms and hands, don't dip the head.

(Sorry, thought you meant fairway bunker)

 

[Basher]

Aha, good point there John.

I take it your set up is different for a greenside bunker shot as opposed to a fairway bunker????

 

[birdieman]

Basher, you have to factor in the height of the bunker lip in front of you. First of all 'take your medicine' - if ball's near the front of the bunker you may need to play out sideways (watched 6 pros come out of the road hole bunker in 2005 Open backwards, not a one tried to hit the green!).
For a greenside bunker Nico has it about right, lay that face flat if needs be and DO NOT DECELERATE, must hit it firm. Fried egg analogy is useful - i.e. if ball is yolk, you want to hit the edge of the egg white.
Fairway bunker with no lip problem - ball back in stance a little and choke down on grip the same distance that your feet have sunk in the sand. You are looking to clip the ball neatly and not hit the sand with this one. If the fairway bunker has a high lip however you may need to play it like a greenside bunker and accept you hit it in there and you're probably going to take bogey - accept it, 5 is better than 6. It is a hazard after all!
Just back from Dornoch and Brora yesterday so have had plenty practice.

 

[TonyN]

keep reading ball back in stance but every single vid i watch of pro's teaching bunker shots, ball is always in line with left heel!

 

[Nico]

I always play it forward,more so in a greenside trap. Remember,because you are aiming left it will put the ball back in your stance so in a greenside trap I feel it is outside my left foot (it isnt but it looks that way).

I never ever play it back in my stance.