Bunker technique

[HighFade]

I've always had issues with the techniques always taught about greenside bunker play. All the pros tell us to open the face wide open. But experience tells me that I open the face based on the hardness of the sand. For a typical bunker that I play (these arent dog tracks), the sand is not very "fluffy". If i open the face, the bounce brings the club up too quickly and i skull it. So I keep the face almost square to the target. But as the sand gets softer, I open the face more. Works for me, but what are your thoughts?

[JBones]

So I keep the face almost square to the target. But as the sand gets softer, I open the face more. Works for me, but what are your thoughts?

I play it the same way; the softer the sand, the more open the face. I used to be a very good sand player; I grew up on a river and we lived next to a part of the river that was only about 6' deep and had a HUGE sand bar that spanned about 200yds and was almost as wide as the river (just about enough room for boats to pass). I would practice there for hours on end. I'm not as good these days, but I also don't hit it in bunkers very often, because I'd rather have a 40' birdie putt, than take a chance for a 5' putt by bringing a bunker into play............thats also one reason why I'm a 4 handicap instead of better (or maybe worse), because I play very conservatively into the greens.

[Tony Covey MGS]

I'm not a stellar bunker player so take my thoughts for what they're worth, but...

 

I think most of the videos on the "right way" to play from the sand assume WAY too much.

 

Is the green up hill or down hill?

 

Is the ball sitting up, poached, sitting in a footprint, up against the front lip or up against the back lip?

 

Is the sand wet or dry, is it fluffy, hard pan, or somewhere in between?

 

In ideal condition (relatively flat lie, middle of the bunker, *average* sand, I'm going to play a sand wedge, and play it slightly to wide open depending on what I'm looking for as far as trajectory and carry are concerned.

 

If it's buried, all bets are off. Close it down, and hope for the best.

 

One course I used to play quite a bit had sand so firm that I discovered the best way to get out effectively was to play a low chipshot. I'd put the ball back in my stance, and make a firm putting stroke. The ball would come out hot, bounce once and stop dead every time.

 

Point is, every bunker shot is different, and if you're trying to find one "right way" to hit out of the sand you'll go crazy hitting bad bunker shots.

[Tyk]

For me it all depends on the lie, if its a reasonable lie in any kind of sand, I open the club face alot. I don't try to get alot of sand and I'm not really using the bounce of the club, I am looking for good ball contact, pretty much like a normal flop shot. The ball comes out high with lots of spin and I'm pretty accurate with it.

 

If its a bad lie where taking alot of sand is necessary then I close the club down to almost standard, pick it straight up and drop it right behind the ball and follow through. Not near as confident with this shot because I don't use it alot but I can usually get it on the green.

[Kanoito]

I'm trying to keep it somewhere between square and open. I used to open it completely and realized the club would go right under the ball and the ball wouldn't go out. The more I square it, the easier it gets.

 

Of course, assuming conditions allow it.