Gimme your favorite greenside bunker swing thought

[uscheese]

I could use a new one. UGH

[hayam]

Its the only shot that the clubhead never touches the ball and bounce through the sand.

 

 

Open the stance 20 deg left of the target and open the clubface 45 deg open . Place the ball below the left shoulder and strike the ball one inch behind the ball and comes out one inch ahead of the ball... BASIC easy way to play a bunker shot.

[uscheese]

Its the only shot that the clubhead never touches the ball and bounce through the sand.

 

 

Open the stance 20 deg left of the target and open the clubface 45 deg open . Place the ball below the left shoulder and strike the ball one inch behind the ball and comes out one inch ahead of the ball... BASIC easy way to play a bunker shot.

 

well this is usually my train of thought but this weekend I either skulled or hit fat every bunker shot I hit in an otherwise really great round of golf.

 

Aside from the 7 3 putts...but that's another issue altogether. Need to seriously work on my bunker play.

[david seale]

i try to tell myself to throw my hands down right at impact.

[hayam]

the ball should be below your left shoulder and "outside" your left feet... thats why you have that problems.

[mat562]

Not very groundbreaking.

 

Imagine 'denting' the sand with the back edge of the sand wedge.

[thusgone]

"thump the ground with the back of the wedge". this really helps me get back to normal after a bout of the "thins."

[czydj]

"no problem!"

[Hathstauwk]

these are all interesting swing thoughts presented. Until recently, I was never having problems out of the sand and while I was not pin seeking, I was never concerned about getting on the green and usually was within 15 feet. I usually just focused a few inches behind the ball and pounded down. However, recently, something has gone wrong in my head and I am having same problem as original poster. Last few rounds, when I have been in the sand, once each round, it took me two tries to get out (one time, three tries) and other times I hammered it over the green. VERY frustrating when this SHOULD be a relatively easy shot. My head is just not working.

 

I recently read something that said to play as if a shot from the fairway in the sense of hitting the sand in the middle of your swing and with the ball further forward, the result should be a nice soft bunker shot. I have yet to try this mental process so cannot say whether better/same/worse than those offered here.

 

All I know is I try to keep my eyes focused on a spot a few inches behind and not even look at the ball. Is this a poor approach?

 

One other thing......last weekend, I was ina water logged bunker and hence had near mud type conditions. While not total cement, it was sloppy. I took two tries to get out and my second try still only got me out by 2 inches and rested on the lip from where I chipped. Any thoughts on this type? I only had about 15 feet between edge of bunker and pin.

[uscheese]

Ya know too the thing that stinks is that none of the public courses that I play have practice bunkers. There is a small beach near my house that I may try to set up a little area because I know if I could practice this I could gain some confidence and do just fine from the bunkers.

[xjrs6]

"If the sand dont reach the green the ball wont" my greenside bunker thought

[chop180]

I try not to think. Except for thinking "Soft Hands"

[MBuckler]

i try to keep my backswing as short as possible...almost to the point where it feels uncomfortable...that way in order to have any chance at getting the ball out, let alone close, i really have to be accelerating through impact.

 

the biggest issue that i've seen the majority of players struggle with in the bunker as too long of backswings leading to no acceleration through the shot and lots of digging.

[spearfish]

yep, don't think about it.

 

If you must, picture the ball popping out of the sand and landing within 5 feet of the pin for you to save par... Or that if you don't get it out of the sand, the ravishing woman/man (depending on your choice) who wants to make love to you on the 18th green will reject you.

[czydj]

"Accelerate!"

 

That is my 2nd swing thought.

 

 

I look at it, say "no problem" and remind myself to accelerate through the ball. I find my alignment mark, test the sand by digging in with my feet and "whap". Out she comes. IN THE HOLE!!!!!

[smithg1053]

"Thump the sand"

[ChrisM84]

I like to think of the ball on a tee, and knocking the tee out from underneath the ball.

[rufus mangler]

I hit my best bunker shots when I'm thinking all target.

 

Visualize the shot and keep a good picture of it in your mind.

 

The mechanical stuff, I do in the practice bunker. So, when I climb into a bunker on the course, I'm thinking, "I can do this. I've done it before."

[SHERO]

One other thing......last weekend, I was ina water logged bunker and hence had near mud type conditions. While not total cement, it was sloppy. I took two tries to get out and my second try still only got me out by 2 inches and rested on the lip from where I chipped. Any thoughts on this type? I only had about 15 feet between edge of bunker and pin.

 

Use a pitching wedge instead of sand wedge!

 

I think "shallow angle of attack" and also "detonate the dynamite". This makes me splash under the ball and I think there is a red button underneth the ball that sets off a sand explosion!

Gets the job done!

[MisterMizzy]

Accelerate through the shot, and shake hands with the flag.

[AcesAZ]

I hit my best bunker shots when I'm thinking all target.

 

Visualize the shot and keep a good picture of it in your mind.

 

The mechanical stuff, I do in the practice bunker. So, when I climb into a bunker on the course, I'm thinking, "I can do this. I've done it before."

 

 

This is what everyone should think on every shot on the course. I just pick my target and let my abilities to hit it take over. I pick where I want the ball to land and hit the shot.

[hbear]

No mechanical thoughts....mechanical thoughts is for practice only.

 

My thought in a greenside bunker is simple...and no different than anything else around the green.

 

I read the green, find my line, find where I want the ball to land and tell myself.

"Let's hole this out!"

[ezra76]

Fixate on one grain of sand behind the ball and don't take your eye off it. I got into 4 bunkers today and got up and down from 2 of them, on the green from all 4. I don't fear them at all and this tip combined with a few hrs. practice has me out every time and very close a few times as well. I used to loathe a bunker shot and I never though I'd be shouting "get in the bunker" to my ball, but I have recently. I like them now, like a kid with a new toy, I love spinning the $hit out the ball from the bunkers.

[Albatros]

I hit my best bunker shots when I'm thinking all target.

 

Visualize the shot and keep a good picture of it in your mind.

 

The mechanical stuff, I do in the practice bunker. So, when I climb into a bunker on the course, I'm thinking, "I can do this. I've done it before."

 

 

2nd that! No thinking, just visualize and go. Strangely, the bunker is where I feel most comfortable. You have the widest margin for error in the bunker if you think about it.... If you catch it fairly clean it will fly close and check, if you hit a little too much sand then it will fly short and roll out. Net result will be very similar.

 

Love the sand.

[adkima00]

get in the hole! That's actually worked for me once or twice. Scorecard looks really pretty when there's a 0 in the putts row.

 

Matt

[tbyeaton0627]

Clubhead throwaway to the max....

[BJG718]

depends on the type of sand but its usually, "dont go after it"

[dana dahlquist]

Well my two cents.

I've been working on this

1. set up square and wide unless you have to hit it very high aim left more.

2. open the wedge up

3. set the ball placement center under your chest

4. open your forarms in the backswing with a putting stroke feeling arc.

5 spash the ball and rotate them through, key is shallow..

 

Very simple, fly the ball as close to the hole as you can and high.

 

James Oh works on my bunker shots he works with Angela Park, he is mabey the best ive ever seen in the sand.. Mike McNary is good too he a Stan guy..

[thenewbie]

dead still lower body, turn around the spine, quick wrist ****.

 

seriously, works every single time. I haven't left one in since I started using these 3 thoughts.

[rrd]

everytime im in a bunker i remember an old golf instruction video i saw where the guy put a ball in the center of a ring donut and he said just blast the donut instead of the ball, so now i just picture a donut under my ball and hit it! sounds wacky but it works for me...