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Sandshot Question

wrx_junki

By wrx_junki,
in Instruction and Playing Tips

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wrx_junki Great Member

wrx_junki

I drew a picture of my situation.


Do you guys square your clubface toward the hole or does it face right of the hole? Also do you swing the club on path 1 or 2?

Was working on some 10-20 yard sandshots and was having a lot of trouble hitting it too long or short. What club do you use and what techniques?

« Keith »

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rubbery Well Established Member

rubbery

If I don't have a lot of green to work with, I aim left of the pin and put a good amount of cut spin on the ball so it will release directly to the right, but the more green I have to work with, the less I'm going to spin the ball and the more I play it dead at the pin.

I really only think about 3 things before I hit bunker shots: Keep the clubface open, drive through the sand with my right hand, and most importantly, FOLLOW THROUGH.

Driver: Nike VRS Covert 

3 Wood: Taylormade Rocketballz

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wrx_junki Great Member

wrx_junki

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If I don't have a lot of green to work with, I aim left of the pin and put a good amount of cut spin on the ball so it will release directly to the right, but the more green I have to work with, the less I'm going to spin the ball and the more I play it dead at the pin.

Hmm noob question, when you say clubface open do you mean facing right of the target?

« Keith »

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tonyy Dedicated Member

tonyy

Hmm noob question, when you say clubface open do you mean facing right of the target?

In a sense yes. Keep the face open (right of target) and swing through the ball.

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iacas Hall of Fame Member

iacas

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I switched this year to the Stan Utley approach to playing bunker shots. My success has improved dramatically.

He advocates a square clubface and a square stance. Low hands.

Erik J. Barzeski — ⛳ I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • Author, Lowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

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wrx_junki Great Member

wrx_junki

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I switched this year to the Stan Utley approach to playing bunker shots. My success has improved dramatically.

Any specific article you read online? Or is what you said the main jist of it? Well regardless I will give it a go next time I'm out practicing.

« Keith »

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Stacey_E Great Member

Stacey_E

I switched this year to the Stan Utley approach to playing bunker shots. My success has improved dramatically.

Would this be more of a blast than a splash shot?

I know I used to play an open face splash quite well. I would aim my body left and clubface right then pound the sand with the bounce of the club an inch or two behind the ball. Somehow that left me over night when I started playing with a stronger grip in general. Now I carry that strong grip into the bunker and just set up square/square and slam my club down into the sand trying to hit the ball first. It works for now. Is that anywhere near the Utley square face square stance approach? We could google it, but it helps to get advice from someone who has sifted through the information first. Thanks!
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iacas Hall of Fame Member

iacas

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Any specific article you read online?

http://thesandtrap.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14234 It's a book.
Would this be more of a blast than a splash shot?

They're one and the same to me - or I don't know what you see as the difference. I can play the ball with a lot of spin this way and just as much loft. Lowering your hands increases the loft, and spin is mostly determined by how close you hit to the ball.

Now I carry that strong grip into the bunker and just set up square/square and slam my club down into the sand trying to hit the ball first. It works for now. Is that anywhere near the Utley square face square stance approach?

Hitting the ball first? No. I recommend you pick up his book. It's inexpensive and a quick and easy read. His methods are incredibly simple.

Erik J. Barzeski — ⛳ I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • Author, Lowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

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Stacey_E Great Member

Stacey_E

With what I called a "splash" shot I would throw a little sand with a cutting action, high follow through and a lot of backspin. With what I called a "blast" I'm burrying the club in the sand and powering a ton of sand onto the green with less backspin and more runout.
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Stacey_E Great Member

Stacey_E

Will do! Im going to the bookstore tomorrow anyway to pick up a book the GF has been wanting. Time to pickup something for me too. My bunkers at the home course are complete

but I need to have the shots for when I'm visiting a course with nice fluffy sand. THANKS FOR THE INFO!
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bruce Dedicated Member

bruce

I always play bunker shots with an open stance and a open club face bar if the sand is hard,i always use my 56,if the pin is close to the bunker i take a nice smooth back swing with a smooth follow through,if pin is well back i'm more aggresive on the follow through with a little less sand,bunker shots are the same as pitch shots,your backswing take away distance helps judge your distance.I see a lot of people just hitting fast and hoping.

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miura cb 202 and wedge
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JonnyGolf Well Established Member

JonnyGolf

For me, it totally depends on the sand. Soft fluffy sand means an open face. Firm sand means closed clubface. On firm sand, an open club face can bounce creating an opportunity to skull.

BTW, just for clarification, for an open face, the clubface should point at the target, but the swing is left of the target.
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wrx_junki Great Member

wrx_junki

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For me, it totally depends on the sand. Soft fluffy sand means an open face. Firm sand means closed clubface. On firm sand, an open club face can bounce creating an opportunity to skull.

http://img225.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sandqz7.jpg Like this with the #1 swing path. So when do you open club face to the right of target?

« Keith »

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Baraethon Well Established Member

Baraethon

What exactly do you mean by "lowering your hands"?

Haven't heard that before.

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iacas Hall of Fame Member

iacas

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For me, it totally depends on the sand. Soft fluffy sand means an open face. Firm sand means closed clubface. On firm sand, an open club face can bounce creating an opportunity to skull.

I've never found that. The only times I've ever skulled the ball it's because I hit too close to the ball - never because I took a divot behind the ball and the club bounced out and hit the ball on the way out... but of course I haven't played your sand...

My sand divots are a good eight inches long or so - with the ball about an inch or two up from the back edge.
What exactly do you mean by "lowering your hands"?

Read the book. Means just what it says - hands lower - closer to the ground.

Erik J. Barzeski — ⛳ I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • Author, Lowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

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Note: This thread is 5667 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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