20-60 Yard Sandshots

**wrx_junki** · May 18, 2009

I've been having trouble with sandshots that are not greenside but mostly around 20-40 yards out. Never was out 40-60 yards out but I wouldn't know what to do when that happens. Any help on how to perform these shots would be helpful. I don't have trouble on greenside bunkers or bunkers 80+ just the ones in between. TIA.

**NorCalGolfer** · May 18, 2009

there was a little snippet of a lesson that Nick Faldo was giving on the golf channel and he said to treat it like a normal greenside bunker shot, but take your 7i and open the face WAY UP and hit your shot. I've done it plenty of times and it's a stroke saver.

**wrx_junki** · May 18, 2009

Yikes a 7 iron? So you mean opening way up, like literally or slightly less than literally?

**michaeljames92** · May 18, 2009

I try to think of getting hardly any sand with the shot. So for instance a 50m bunker shot, I grab a 56* wedge then open my stance and club face a touch and try to just clip it off the sand. This maybe wrong, but it works for me pretty well

**Eeryck** · May 18, 2009

I think there is a rule of thumb on sand shot distances something like 1/3 of your normal shot distance if you are striking the sand 2-4 inches behind the ball. Perhaps someone else can confirm, it was something I read a while back and have not done much practice from the sand yet.

Regards,
-E

**Dub** · May 18, 2009

Yikes a 7 iron? So you mean opening way up, like literally or slightly less than literally?

It does seem weird at first....but it does work. One of the beauties of playing solo rounds behind other groups is that it gives you time to practice shots like this. We've got a great sand bunker on our courses practice range that I walk by way too often withot hitting a few shots from. My home course is one of the few courses I play that has bunkers at these intermediate distances. They are certainly a test. I used to pick 'em clean until trying the Faldo suggestion. The thing about the Faldo method...9iron....8iron.....7iron.....is that you will get a lower flight and more roll....take that into account and have fun. Bunkers......places best avoided if I can!!!!!!!!!!!1

**mdvaldosta** · May 18, 2009

I'm kinda curious as to what most people do as well, I'm not very good from fairway bunkers. I usually end up considerably short, or thin trying to pick it clean.

**DavidFehertysBike** · May 18, 2009

I dont do anything much differently for a fairway bunker shot then i would a normal swing from the fairway. The only adjustments i make are taking one extra club and holding the handle of the club a little bit higher than usual. I make a nomal swing afterwards. If i hit the ball first, its usually no problems. For long bunker shots (50yds+) i take a PW and choke down about an inch. Same thing, ball first and prepare for the mega spin!

**MiniMoe** · May 18, 2009

Not all 60 yrd bunker shots are the same. You have good lies and bad, you have lips to go over or you don't. The pin is tucked over a bunker you have to fly, or you can hit a running shot to a back pin. I use different shots for what is needed. If I have to carry something and need the ball to stop, I will use an 8 or 9 iron, put the ball a little forward in my stance, open the face and hit an explosion. I swing hard to make sure I get through the sand and the ball will spin. If I have more running room, I take a PW or a GW, put the ball back in my stance and hit a punch shot making sure I hit the ball first. It takes time and practice to know what type of shot works best in the different situations.

**DavidFehertysBike** · May 18, 2009

minimoe makes a good point. My process with the ball sitting down or plugged in a FW bunker is much different than when its just sitting up on top of the sand. In those instances, im just trying to get the ball out.

**uttexas** · May 18, 2009

When I'm out 20-40 yards, most of the time I just use my gap wedge and make the same swing that I would with the SW.

**$2 Nassau** · May 18, 2009

I feel the 20-50 yard bunker shot is one of the most difficult shots in the game, for me anyway. Seems like everyone has a different approach. I have the best results when I just take my sandwedge, put the ball a little back in my stance and catch it fairly clean. sometimes I catch it a little too clean though.

**wrx_junki** · May 20, 2009

I feel the 20-50 yard bunker shot is one of the most difficult shots in the game, for me anyway. Seems like everyone has a different approach. I have the best results when I just take my sandwedge, put the ball a little back in my stance and catch it fairly clean. sometimes I catch it a little too clean though.

I'd rather catch it little too clean than fat and stay in the bunker.

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20-60 Yard Sandshots

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