Getting out of bunkers

[Huwey12]

Green side bunker play is the most unpracticed part of my game, I don't often go in one but when I do I get it out but the same short distance
I spread my feet wide with hands low and an open face, maybe a little bit more closed when the sand is wet and firm
Any tips on varying my distance relative to the flag will be gratefully taken on board

 

[the_coach]

if I'm reading the Q right, you're asking about how you get some distance - so not say just out some 10' everytime.

if you've not got a 6' or more lip to get over & want to land some 25' feet first bounce, then face angle doesn't want to be ways open, neither does the stance want to be ways open.

aim face a fraction left of where you want to land & don't stand too open or stroke will be too much of an angle a glancing path under the ball. so just a little ways open.

but to get out that distance you need a swing more the length of a 40/50' pitch.

so more turn & hands to shoulder height then through smoothly with a positive motion to a full finish.
reason most folks don't get the distance required is a combination of a clubface too open, stance too open not a full enough turn back & swing through to a full enough finish.

need to create consistent motion through the sand - to do that you need to keep both the handle & the clubhead working through at the same speed you do that with the rotation of the body. finish full, hands high throughswing & you'll start to get the distance you want. then it's a matter of practice to learn your distances.

 

[Huwey12]

if I'm reading the Q right, you're asking about how you get some distance - so not say just out some 10' everytime.

if you've not got a 6' or more lip to get over & want to land some 25' feet first bounce, then face angle doesn't want to be ways open, neither does the stance want to be ways open.

aim face a fraction left of where you want to land & don't stand too open or stroke will be too much of an angle a glancing path under the ball. so just a little ways open.

but to get out that distance you need a swing more the length of a 40/50' pitch.

so more turn & hands to shoulder height then through smoothly with a positive motion to a full finish.
reason most folks don't get the distance required is a combination of a clubface too open, stance too open not a full enough turn back & swing through to a full enough finish.

need to create consistent motion through the sand - to do that you need to keep both the handle & the clubhead working through at the same speed you do that with the rotation of the body. finish full, hands high throughswing & you'll start to get the distance you want. then it's a matter of practice to learn your distances.

Thanks Coach, seem my body rotation is non existent should be pretty much like a normal swing then?
I'll spend sometime in the bunkers on my next day off
i think I'm also going too deep in the sand also. Would you recommend a more upright stance?
Thanks for being helpful

 

[the_coach]

have a good balanced set-up, feet little ways into the sand, hands level with the ball no forwards leaning shaft or you'll get too steep so dig in a ways too deep. you need knee flex that you need to keep don't straighten/stand up until after the ball has gone - real important you keep the vertical height you had at set-up through the swing motion. weight on lead leg but not leaning whole body towards target.
you're looking to enter the sand around couple inches behind the ball.

& think for most normal type bunker shots (so not buried or an egg lie of real high 8'+ lip to get over) of any distance that the shape of the swing is more U shape than V - so a shallower approach as if you're taking $ bill size thin bacon strip of sand that the ball sits on rather than a real thick steak.

but you need a fuller swing than most folks think, so chest rotation, not just an arm swing there's too much resistance in the sand plus you need the body/arms connected to get both the energy & the right shape & width to the swing.

 

[bobmac]

Alter the length of swing
Use different wedges
Vary how far behind the ball the club enters the sand and how deep it goes
Dont open the face so much

 

[lex!]

I had lesson with pro in bunkers recently and asked him exactly same question. Advice was as per one of bobmac's points, to use my gap wedge. So same set up, swing, etc. as to get out the sand, but the gap wedge takes it further.

 

[Huwey12]

Thanks for the input guys, lots of suggestions to work on

 

[Huwey12]

have a good balanced set-up, feet little ways into the sand, hands level with the ball no forwards leaning shaft or you'll get too steep so dig in a ways too deep. you need knee flex that you need to keep don't straighten/stand up until after the ball has gone - real important you keep the vertical height you had at set-up through the swing motion. weight on lead leg but not leaning whole body towards target.
you're looking to enter the sand around couple inches behind the ball.

& think for most normal type bunker shots (so not buried or an egg lie of real high 8'+ lip to get over) of any distance that the shape of the swing is more U shape than V - so a shallower approach as if you're taking $ bill size thin bacon strip of sand that the ball sits on rather than a real thick steak.

but you need a fuller swing than most folks think, so chest rotation, not just an arm swing there's too much resistance in the sand plus you need the body/arms connected to get both the energy & the right shape & width to the swing.

Great tip on shallower approach, that answers my question of digging in too much. Cheers

 

[the_coach]

slightly wider stance & keep the legs pretty quiet, need a firm solid base, slightly wider stance with level vertical height through to taking the sand helps with taking the shallow cushion of sand out that the ball just 'sits' on. narrower stance will encourage a steeper V shape to the swing.

good practice if you can find a bunker (if doing it quietly out on the course if not much traffic allows that, make sure you practice swinging aways from the green so your not dumping sand onto the green - practice bunker ideal if you have access to one)

just make a line in the sand 90º to what would be your target line then around 4 to 5" aways make another parallel line.
then just practice being able to take an even but not deep bill($) sized area of sand out. no ball needed.
just hit the first line (not before it) take the 'bill' of sand out an exit sand on the second line.
sand wedge slightly open face. sand wedge you'll notice the flange part is lower than the lead edge, it's this 'bounce' that you want to more feel you enter the sand with. to start off just make some swing where you just hit the top of the sand, do that right with the bounce & you'll notice a good 'thump' type sound, present the leading edge so it digs down club doesn't really come out it will be a totally different sound.
it's that 'thump' sound you want to hear as you do the above drill, line to line.

this vid might help some with distance control.

[video=youtube_share;GDmm9GGE_to]http://youtu.be/GDmm9GGE_to[/video]

 

[Foxholer]

Check this vid out - though ignore his 'butterfly grip' until very low capper!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkMt66M-71c

 

[Huwey12]

Check this vid out - though ignore his 'butterfly grip' until very low capper!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkMt66M-71c

First I've heard of this guy, looks a good coach to follow. Cheers