Are you a good bunker player, how do you maintain the skill

[Rusty1885]

After watching Phil's video, I was determined to be a better bunker player. I practice every bunkers at our clubs even the fairway bunkers. I became very good at it. Almost as good as greenside pitch shots or chip shots.

 

However my default course management is to avoid bunkers and hazard, very few times I intentionally want to be in the bunker. I sometimes go 4-5 rounds without getting into a bunkers. It's a highly perishable skills. I found myself hitting the last few fat and barely made it on to the green.

 

I'd spend may be half an hour per week now practicing bunker shots I thought it was enough. I practice more bunkers shots than my driver and fairway woods combined yet I don't see any drop in performance on those like bunker shots.

 

Any thoughts?

[Shankster]

Today's round went south real quick. So rather than keeping score I set up at distances I normally don't end up at.

 

My back yard is mostly sand, so I practice at least once a week with 40-50 yard bunker shots. And once or twice a week on "greenside" bunker blasts. Paid off, had a 40 yard bunker shot today. Ball hit the pin on the second hop and bounced back.

 

I was on that hole for 20 minutes or so, no one around. Picked a spot away from the pin and practiced 10-15 40 yarders, then a few greenside shots.

 

I used to hate being on the beach. Now I see why the bunker isn't necessarily a bad spot to be, unless plugged.

 

 

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[tony@CIC]

I actually prefer playing out of bunkers rather than rough - especially green side.

 

 

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[BigtazzGolf]

Just keep practicing them. Maybe turn it into a game and go at different pins with each shot or I like to just play leap frog, by hitting one short, then the next just over it and so on.

Good luck with it.

 

Tazz

Grip n Rip it

[Rusty1885]

My problem is more like first hit is not as good. If I'd dropped another ball i'll knock it stiffs more than half the time because I've practiced enough shots to be pretty at it. If I'm in bunker a lot my bunker play is pretty good, but I'd rather be on the green on approach shots.

 

One of the hick up I see is that the bunker shot requires different routine than any other shots. I worked so hard to get the rhythm on my routine I may have to find the way to do that on the sand shots.

[Miboy62]

I would rather be in a green side bunker then thick ruff.

I have always been fortunate with bunker play.

[revkev]

My problem is more like first hit is not as good. If I'd dropped another ball i'll knock it stiffs more than half the time because I've practiced enough shots to be pretty at it. If I'm in bunker a lot my bunker play is pretty good, but I'd rather be on the green on approach shots.

 

One of the hick up I see is that the bunker shot requires different routine than any other shots. I worked so hard to get the rhythm on my routine I may have to find the way to do that on the sand shots.

I struggle in bunkers as well. I wonder if you have a shallow attack? That's my issue.

 

I've gotten much better at them the last five years or so by practicing and because I got different wedges. My SCOR 60 works great out of the trap with out going through the gyrations that lots of people teach. I actually try to use the same routine that I would for any short shot. I rehearse the swing and visualize out side the bunker and then go in, take my stance, picture the shot and let it rip.

 

I have a lot of trouble going from course to course though. I struggle a bit with remember the differences between sand types. Now that we've hit the rainy season it doesn't matter as much. Wet sand is wet sand. .

 

I actually don't fear the sand as much as I used to and sometimes even try to take it on because I'm better off missing there than some place else.

 

I hope the routine comment helps and good luck.

 

 

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[Philly Golf Guy]

I'm good in bunkers, meaning I'm proficient enough that I don't get concerned if I go in them. The best thing I learned was from Unconscious Scoring by Stockton, where he relates that Boris used to only focus on where he wanted the back of his club to end up in the sand. That's all I do now and it's worked well for me.

 

 

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[Ty Pettit]

Strengthening your grip (not tightness on the club but an actually "strong grip") will help you control the club-face more and splash it out

 

Players on tour that are your better bunker players always have a strong grip

 

And

Think about hitting through the sand like lighting a match. Head of the club is the match and the sand is the box

Just a quick thud like you're lighting a match

 

 

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[Rusty1885]

I struggle in bunkers as well. I wonder if you have a shallow attack? That's my issue.

 

I rehearse the swing and visualize out side the bunker and then go in, take my stance, picture the shot and let it rip.

 

I actually don't fear the sand as much as I used to and sometimes even try to take it on because I'm better off missing there than some place else.

 

I hope the routine comment helps and good luck.

 

 

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Thanks rev, I have no fear of sand either, I consider sand shots to be easier because you don't have to hit the ball. You may be right about shallow angle of attack. Sometimes I couldn't help it I like to lay the club face all the way open and double cross by taking it inside flattening the arc.

 

I'll look out for it next time.

 

I'm good in bunkers, meaning I'm proficient enough that I don't get concerned if I go in them. The best thing I learned was from Unconscious Scoring by Stockton, where he relates that Boris used to only focus on where he wanted the back of his club to end up in the sand. That's all I do now and it's worked well for me.

 

 

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2 seconds before I hit the ball, I look at the target, look at the ball, then let it go. No thinking. It's been working reall well for me. It helps me stay out of my way. The small issue was right before the 2 second, I take the exact practice swing and hold to visualize the shot. Just can't do that in the bunker.

 

I'm doing the Dave Pelz method like revkev, practice outside the bunker then step in and execute the shot.

 

 

Strengthening your grip (not tightness on the club but an actually "strong grip") will help you control the club-face more and splash it outPlayers on tour that are your better bunker players always have a strong gripAndThink about hitting through the sand like lighting a match. Head of the club is the match and the sand is the boxJust a quick thud like you're lighting a matchSent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

Oh yeah I like the Gary Player's light the match move too, works really well in wet sand.

 

Thanks guys this has been an awesome refresher for me. I've come to love sand shots like the flop shots, just have to figure out the way to assimilate the preshot routine that work as well as my other shots.

[EthanSterlingPrice]

My instructor had me tee balls just above the sand and practice hitting the tee under the ball. The higher on the tee you hit the less sand you take and the farther the ball will go. Made learning the technique simple for me.

 

 

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[golfinnut]

practice practice & then more practice!

 

how many people do you actually see practicing this at the range when you go?  Even if they have one (some don't) but I rarely if ever see anyone in the bunker/practice area.  Everyone is always beating balls.  Then they wonder why they suck at sand play?  Go figure 

[Kenny B]

practice practice & then more practice!

 

how many people do you actually see practicing this at the range when you go?  Even if they have one (some don't) but I rarely if ever see anyone in the bunker/practice area.  Everyone is always beating balls.  Then they wonder why they suck at sand play?  Go figure 

There is a middle-aged lady at my course.  Lefty.  She hits a large bucket of balls out of the practice greenside bunker each day.  She's quite good at it.  Then she picks them up and heads to the range  with them.  Her mother sits in a chair and watches her.  I have never seen her play a round of golf in the 2 years I have been at this course; maybe she plays at a different course or maybe she just loves to practice.

 

The old course I used to play had no bunkers so I never practiced sand shots.  Since I traveled a lot and played golf all over the country, I was really horrible out of bunkers.  My current course has quite a few bunkers, and I am in them more than I want to be.  I have practiced greenside bunker shots a lot, so they are not really a problem.  However, since I started practicing these shots, I am horrible out of fairway bunkers; I take too much sand.  Periodically, I will head out onto the course when it is empty and hit balls out of the bunkers on the #6 par 5.  It helps and I should do more of it.

[Rusty1885]

There is a middle-aged lady at my course.  Lefty.  She hits a large bucket of balls out of the practice greenside bunker each day.  She's quite good at it.  Then she picks them up and heads to the range  with them.  Her mother sits in a chair and watches her.  I have never seen her play a round of golf in the 2 years I have been at this course; maybe she plays at a different course or maybe she just loves to practice.

 

The old course I used to play had no bunkers so I never practiced sand shots.  Since I traveled a lot and played golf all over the country, I was really horrible out of bunkers.  My current course has quite a few bunkers, and I am in them more than I want to be.  I have practiced greenside bunker shots a lot, so they are not really a problem.  However, since I started practicing these shots, I am horrible out of fairway bunkers; I take too much sand.  Periodically, I will head out onto the course when it is empty and hit balls out of the bunkers on the #6 par 5.  It helps and I should do more of it.

Oh my home course has beautiful bunkers in all sizes from pot bunkers to large deep bunker to flat low lips greenside bunker. I practice all of them, still do. The middle sections of each 9 get lots off practice because I can see other member coming up an it allows me some time to gather my balls and fix the ball marks.

[Tigerwho]

I consider myself a strong bunker player. My key is keeping my weight on my front foot and I try to maintain a flatter swing and trying to make a thump sound on the sand (if that makes sense). My best streak for an up and down from the sand is 9 in a row.

 

 

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[revkev]

There is a middle-aged lady at my course. Lefty. She hits a large bucket of balls out of the practice greenside bunker each day. She's quite good at it. Then she picks them up and heads to the range with them. Her mother sits in a chair and watches her. I have never seen her play a round of golf in the 2 years I have been at this course; maybe she plays at a different course or maybe she just loves to practice.

 

The old course I used to play had no bunkers so I never practiced sand shots. Since I traveled a lot and played golf all over the country, I was really horrible out of bunkers. My current course has quite a few bunkers, and I am in them more than I want to be. I have practiced greenside bunker shots a lot, so they are not really a problem. However, since I started practicing these shots, I am horrible out of fairway bunkers; I take too much sand. Periodically, I will head out onto the course when it is empty and hit balls out of the bunkers on the #6 par 5. It helps and I should do more of it.

I've had this issue as well so I've started incorporating practice out of the fairway trap to my range sessions. We have a great practice area. You can hit any shot imaginable on it including out of water. I don't do that one.

 

 

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