How to get out of a green side bunker!
 

What must happen to give you any chance of getting out of a green side bunker in one shot?

No its not a hand mashie.............

First - do not hit it in a footprint.

I watch so many people decelerate their swing, or try to clip the ball with a chipping stroke, and can’t get out of the bunker. A nice smooth full swing that splashes under the ball, never touching the ball itself, that leaves a shallow dollar bill sized divot, almost always throws the ball gently onto the green with some backspin.

As Homer Simpson said when taking a bunker lesson, when the instructor told him to open up the club face and use a sand wedge. Ummmmmm, open faced club sandwich.

Sand wedges are designed with bounce to get the the sand out of the bunker. The ball will be on top of the sand. In order to use the bounce that is built into the sand wedge, you have to open the club to expose the bounce, as much as 45°. But, make sure you RE GRIP the sand wedge after you open the face, or the leading edge will return to a square position and negate the bounce. Thump that ball out by using a full follow through. Aim 1 or 2 inches behind the ball. Remember the sand lifts the ball out.

To see the bounce, hold up the sand wedge in front of your eyes and twist it open. You will see the bounce between the leading edge and the bottom of the bounce.

Don’t bail out of swing, if right handed aim to left.

No need to open the face, according to this guy. Unless you are at St Andrews and must get out of a 20-foot-deep bunker, then yes. Or if you are a pro and want to land the shot exactly within a 2 square inch area, then yes.

But most of our sand shots in TV are not hard ; we just want to get the ball out. That's easier to do with a square club face.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKmIA5vGchQ

He's not the only one on YouTube giving the same advice. Opening the face is definitely overrated for the typical hacker. Hitting down and through the ball (not quitting on the shot) is the ticket.

Are you talking Villages sand or normal golf course sand traps...?

Or executive vs. Championship sand?
😶

I still contend, expose the bounce and use the bounce. The sand wedge was designed that way.

Coming across the ball by aiming your feet left accomplishes the same thing by exposing the bounce, except it harder to get the ball close. But you should be able to get the ball on the green.

There is hardly a single player on the PGA (or low handicapper, anywhere), who "opens the face" on a sand shot. Modern Sand Wedges and the sand that's typically used at golf courses these days, do not require the face to be open.

For the last 20 Rounds, I've average 39% "up & down" from Bunkers (which would put me DFL on the PGA Tour), but pretty good for single-digit. I would never open the face on a Sand Wedge, unless I was making some sort of specialty shot. Opening the face is why most amateurs blade bunker shots across the green.

Most modern Sand Wedges (depending on the grind) do not add bounce when you open the face. Rarely will you find a good player, who doesn't have heal relief grind on his Sand Wedge ... it's the modern way. If you need to add loft, you lower your body & hands (Stan Utley method).

If you have a problem with Bunker Shots: align square, keep your club face square ... picture the golf ball as a "sunny side up egg" and swing so you get the whole egg.

New technology
 

I've always had problems with bunkers until I spent $65 and tried a used C3I sand wedge. You have to simply line up in a regular stance and hit the sand an inch or two behind the ball. My golf partners kid me about the best $65 I ever spent. I was keeping track until about my 30th sand shot several months ago when I was 27 for 30 successful shots.

For the average player, specially sand wedges like that, are a god send. Cleveland Smart Sole is a particularly good one.

I have 3 or 4 such wedges, that I give to friends, who really struggle with bunkers. Getting out of a bunker is almost automatic with that sort of wedge. What they lack in flexibility, they made up for, in consistency.

Good stuff
 

A lot of good stuff here but not what guarantees the best success in a green side bunker. Here is a clue, it aint the arrow it's the Indian.

Tools are tools it's how you use them that counts. To answer the riddle focus more on the swing itself...

Clue: it's not a chipping swing unless you have totally given up on the bunker swing. You might as well just putt it out.

The swing is ALWAYS the thing. Please keep thinking, you will see this on every bunker shot on TV and it's a must to get out.

A lot depends on the conditions. If the sand is wet and there is no lip, I just use a Texas Wedge or putter as its commonly known...

Totally agree. Love my CI3. Like you, my success percentage has skyrocketed.

PS
 

Pretty sure they open the face in some fashion depending on the shot, otherwise no spin, best watch closer on the next event..........

According to this video, Rory recommends opening the face.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vb2UCnI2G8U

The spin on a bunker shot (or any shot), is a function of friction, more than loft.

In the video posted, Rory's is demonstrating what I would call a specialty shot. He's trying to fly it high to the pin, to make it stop. I wouldn't typically use a shot like that, because you need to swing too hard, to generate enough energy to fly it so far. That shot is beyond the capability of most mortals in TV.

Back 2-3 years ago, Rory changed his Wedge setup. He went from low-mid bounce Wedges to very high bounce wedges. I suspect it was because he's so aggressive at the ball. "Bounce is your friend" ... but in moderation.

The key is using the bounce and as Mr. Shibumi said, completing your swing ... take the whole egg, don't stop at the yolk.

FWIW, the theory of the original sand wedge derives from Gene Sarazen, who was the supposed "inventor" and it debut at the 1932 British Open. He supposed got his inspiration, from watching ducks land on a pond. The ducks raise their toes and land "heel first" .... hence the bounce on sand wedges (& almost all clubs).

Well Put
 

But, to be clear, the backswing needs to make the golf shaft go vertical in order to create down angle, the completion of the swing will vary based on the length of shot, shorter shot shorter finish, longer shot longer finish....aka, Gary Player on bunker play............
Any sand wedge will work if this is done, OR, you can buy a heavy bottomed wedge for those that chip out of the bunker..whatever floats your boat:clap2:

I think you're mired in the 60's, Mr. Shibumi. The world of golf has changed, as have the clubs and the sand.

Gary Player was a great bunker player, in a different time. He used a technique that relied on endless practice and huge talent. He had clubs designed before we had high-speed video, that showed exactly what happens when a club enters the sand.

Justine Rose is generally considered one of the 2 or 3 best bunker players in the world.

No "vertical shaft", the opposite. No "open club face". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVGPdufXXIc


I'll concede that Luke Donald, also considered one of the best bunker players of the last 25 years, does use an open club face and more hands. Access Denied

Thanks But
 

Thanks for the Justin Rose Video.........he still went vertical with the shaft...(actually slightly past but thats okay, he just sat deeper....and he had the face slightly open.........there is very little new in hitting a green side bunker shot,
sand is sand whether its from the 60's or the 2,000's, its all about angles

and if taught correctly can only take 10-15 minutes to accomplish and make you a good bunker player:BigApplause:

Take about four steps and be careful not to trip on the lip!

Take about four steps and be careful not to trip on the lip!

Clear up the confusion
 

When I say vertical I am not referring to the arm swing or body rising....... the reference is to the club shaft going vertical due to the correct hinging of the wrists.......hopefully that clears up the vertical part

if the club shaft doesn't go vertical from the wrist hinge you are chipping it out...very similar to a pitch shot:mornincoffee:

I disagree there's nothing new. The sand is different and the clubs (& therefore their interaction with the sand) are different.

That said, a "chipping" motion rom a bunker is a fool's errand, yet I see it all the time.

Justin Rose at the "top" (nearly vertical).

Managing your game to avoid greenside bunkers is the best strategy for most mid and high handicappers, laying up if required.

The average number of strokes to get down from a greenside bunker is between 3.2 and 3.5.

A 14 hdcp will miss the green from the bunker 30% of the time and leave it in the bunker 10% of the time. On average we will put it 20 feet from the hole. Its about the same as a 100 yard pitch shot.

BrianL99's results are exceptional. A 40% up-and-down rate is more typical of a scratch player than a single digit handicap. So he is an excellent bunker player and this advice does not apply to him.

I was taught "hard sand, soft swing; soft sand, hard swing". And 60-70% of your weight and your lead leg (left leg for a right handed golfer). That and a sand wedge with a large sole seems to work well for me. I call my sand wedge James Brown because it's the "King of Sole".

Buy a Different Wedge
 

Opening the face of a regular sand wedge is the classic shot; however, it requires considerable skill and practice. If you are off even the slightest bit, you will either slam the ball into the edge of the bunker or skull it across the green.

The better/easier method is to use a sand wedge with a large sole and address the ball as you would on any shot from the fairway-that is straight up and square to the hole. Minimize any movement of your body. Don't tuck in your left knee, don't try to shift your weight. Just get square to the ball, place it in the middle of your stance as you would if on the fairway, and swing the club with your arms only. Use a "relaxed" grip with the "V's" of the thumb and forefinger on each hand pointed to their respective shoulders, in contrast to a "strong" grip where both "V's" point towards your right shoulder.

Go to eBay and search for the sand wedge for this shot that was first designed by Ben Hogan. It is the Shur-Out in 56 deg (60 deg will also work). These are getting hard to find in decent condition; however, both Callaway and Tour Edge make copies which you can find on eBay. If you want one immediately, Golf Central at Brownwood (Paddock Square) has the Tour Edge model.

Finally, the key to a successful sand shot is to swing the club on through the shot just as you would a shot from the tee or the fairway. The failure of most golfers when making a sand shot is to chop down on the ball and, literally, stop the swing when the club hits the sand, or, decelerate the club on the downswing out of fear they will hit the ball too far. Rarely do amateur golfers hit a sand shot too far.

Finally, to learn this shot, do not start in the bunker! Go to a driving range where you can hit off of grass. Hit as many balls as you need with the new wedge to feel comfortable taking a full swing. You'll be surprised to learn that with a full swing you are likely to hit the ball no more than 20-25 yds. Next, when you go into the bunker to practice, take a rake with you and give yourself a nice, flat surface to hit from. For the first several weeks that you have to make a sand shot when playing, do the same thing-give your self a nice, flat, and smooth lie (just don't be playing your partners for money). Making the hard shots can come later. You first need to learn to make the easy shots from the sand.

Happy
 

Happy you got it.......emulate and enjoy:a040:

Excellent advice and I agree 100%. Making a zillion adjustments for a higher handicap player, is just asking for trouble. Use your usual setup and swing and keep your lower body quiet. Same swing, just "lower".

The average player's goal should be to make sure your next shot is a putt.

One of the best pieces of advice I ever got on bunker play, relates primarily to fairway bunkers. You need to keep your lower body still or you're never going to get the sole of the club back to the exact spot you need to get it. I think the tip came from Tom Watson and he said to "pinch your knees" to quiet the lower body. As you point out, it really applies to all bunker shots. You need to limit your lower body movement (Stan Utley is a huge proponent of this, with his recommendation for a very wide stance in a bunker).

To your other point of avoiding bunkers, great advice. Unless I have an PW or less in my hand, I'm not playing over any green side bunkers, unless I have a10-15 yard gap ... I'm going around them. 2 reasons for this. A) I don't want my next shot to be out of a bunker, if I can help it. B) If I do end up in a bunker I wasn't trying to fly over, the odds are, it rolled in there. A ball that rolls into a bunker is almost always easier to get out, than a ball you flew into a bunker.

I am not a good golfer but I am an optimist. I always think I might hit the shot of my life and clear the bunker and end up a couple of feet from the pin and make the birdie putt. Unfortunately, I rarely hit the shot of my life (come to think of it, I think I have only done it once) and I usually end up in the bunker! And I rarely get out on the first shot!

Nobody has suggested keeping 90% of your weight on your left foot, to me it is the most important tip you will ever get. If you fall back on your right side the ball will not come out of the sand. Stay there, swing it like a driver, follow thru and it will come out.

For a bunker shot, I have 60%-65% of my weight on my lead side.

I purposely didn't mention that in any post, because it's not universal advice in my opinion. I can control the bottom (depth) of my swing, most higher handicappers can't and if they have too much weigh on their lead foot, they're going to stab the club into the sand and never get out of the bunker.

Again, I'm not disagreeing with what you're saying, only cautioning golfers that it might work for some folks and absolutely not work, for others.

Now that you brought it up
 

Fairway Bunkers:

ball back of center
upper body arm swing
swings goes flatter-more horizontal
wrist hinge goes horizontal not vertical
pace is slower-will keep footing in sand, use more club enough to get over any lip

just that easy:BigApplause:

Colin Montgomery taught me to open the face of a sand wedge for bunker shots, and I am going to continue. Any Villagers who are having trouble getting out of a bunker in one shot should give it a try. What do they have to lose. And yes, make a full swing, don't leave the face of the club in the sand.