How to hit Sand/Bunker Shots

[JetFan1983]

Just wanted to add that I think the face on view is a better two dimensional view of seeing bunker technique, but there weren't any DTLs so those can be fun and helpful to watch too.

I had a 30 footer yesterday from wet sand that I hit to a couple inches for a nice up and down!

Of course earlier I had a bad one, but that one was well above my feet.

Still, the technique works well.

Agreed. You'll get 'em next time on that bad one.

Thanks @mvmac !

Yep! I also wanted to echo James's comments on page one too.

[iacas]

Just one thing to keep pointing out… hit incredibly close to the ball. An inch, maybe two. No more.

Way too many ams take too much sand.

[Jakester23]

Just one thing to keep pointing out… hit incredibly close to the ball. An inch, maybe two. No more.

Way too many ams take too much sand.

Thanks I think that is what I was doing is hitting to far behind the ball.

[Vinsk]

It would be helpful to get a POV shot of the club face on the setup. I struggle with bunkers. I seldom move the ball a few feet. What I do is skid right off the sand and hit the ball 40 yds over the green. It feels like I'm hitting right under the ball and spinning it like crazy..and off it goes sailing away. Even when I focus on hitting well behind the ball, good amount of sand yet I feel my club face clearly striking the ball. Hope that's a good description. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

[mvmac]

It would be helpful to get a POV shot of the club face on the setup. I struggle with bunkers. I seldom move the ball a few feet. What I do is skid right off the sand and hit the ball 40 yds over the green. It feels like I'm hitting right under the ball and spinning it like crazy..and off it goes sailing away. Even when I focus on hitting well behind the ball, good amount of sand yet I feel my club face clearly striking the ball. Hope that's a good description. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

Make sure the weight is forward, that you're pivoting back and through and that you're using the bounce, the shaft will be close to vertical at impact. So it might feel like you're tossing a ball underhanded, with the knuckles of your right hand facing the ground as you pivot.

[JetFan1983]

It would be helpful to get a POV shot of the club face on the setup. I struggle with bunkers. I seldom move the ball a few feet. What I do is skid right off the sand and hit the ball 40 yds over the green. It feels like I'm hitting right under the ball and spinning it like crazy..and off it goes sailing away. Even when I focus on hitting well behind the ball, good amount of sand yet I feel my club face clearly striking the ball. Hope that's a good description. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

Are you playing in firm sand? Because that will change a few things in the way you approach the shot.

Also, just to repeat what Erik said in post #56, don't try to hit "well behind the ball." Try to hit only an inch or two behind it. It's possible you're playing in firm sand, and hitting too far behind it can kick the clubhead into the ball, resulting in the worst kind of skull (I'm just guessing though because I've never seen your swing).

Like Mike said above, weight location and handle location largely dictate the swing's low point, so make sure you don't have them both too far back at impact. At the same time, it's so important that the lead wrist goes from flat to cupped very quickly after impact (and slightly through it). Mike said it might feel like "tossing a ball underhanded." It could feel like "scooping ice creme" with your right hand. I personally like thinking of it as a well-timed mega flip with lots of speed, but that's just me (and there would be more speed used in normal, fluffy type sand. Less in firm sand, relatively).

Anyway, I'm rambling.

Ideally, if people have problems with their bunker game (or any part of their game), they should post videos of their swing . Then the community has a real opportunity to help.

[JetFan1983]

It could feel like "scooping ice creme" with your right hand.

Actually come to think of it... this may be a tad too extreme of a feel since you can cup your lead wrist just fine and not really force the right hand to bow/palmar flex as much as the "scooping ice creme" feel would suggest.

[Vinsk]

Thank you for your responses! I play in both firm and soft sand. Usually the same problem. I'm gonna focus on the points you made. It's a problem for me as I seem to only get bunker practice while actually playing....thus a disaster hole. My practice area has a bunker that's next to a green. Unfortunately there are always people there either chipping or putting on the green. It's a small area and the practice bunker is just behind the driving range.....so of course I'm fearful of practicing because if (when ) I skull it, I'll be hitting into people. I need a bunker that's isolated from people so I can practice without hurting anyone! Lol. I'll try and post a video. Again, thanks guys!

[mvmac]

My practice area has a bunker that's next to a green. Unfortunately there are always people there either chipping or putting on the green. It's a small area and the practice bunker is just behind the driving range.....so of course I'm fearful of practicing because if (when ) I skull it, I'll be hitting into people.

Pitching technique is basically the same so practice your bunker game by practicing your pitching.

[billchao]

I don't usually have a problem getting the ball out of the bunker, but I tend to pop the ball up in the air and then it drops down and dies about 5-10 yards in front of me. It's not very effective if the pin is say, 15 yards away. Is this a club selection problem or do I need to adjust my ball position?

Hit into a few bunkers on Saturday and may have figured out my problem. Apparently I use one setup for all shots (typically, clubface way open). I found out that I can affect the distance of my shot simply by adjusting the clubface at address.

[boogielicious]

Pitching technique is basically the same so practice your bunker game by practicing your pitching.

+1 on this @Vinsk .  Practice pitching from deeper grass.  For the sand shot, just think of the same pitching technique and ignore that fact that there is sand there.

[inthehole]

Just one thing to keep pointing out… hit incredibly close to the ball. An inch, maybe two. No more.

Way too many ams take too much sand.

I find myself doing that - taking too much sand.    It's a very precise ball strike - hitting close enough behind the ball, but not too far behind it so it doesn't make it out of the bunker.      I've had my best success limiting my backswing to make more  precise contact, and of course coming through hard with a good follow through.     Just wish I had a place to practice the shot - it's tough to find a range with a decent practice bunker...

[mvmac]

I find myself doing that - taking too much sand.    It's a very precise ball strike - hitting close enough behind the ball, but not too far behind it so it doesn't make it out of the bunker.      I've had my best success limiting my backswing to make more  precise contact, and of course coming through hard with a good follow through.     Just wish I had a place to practice the shot - it's tough to find a range with a decent practice bunker...

Yeah like I said earlier, work on your pitching, very similar to hitting a bunker shot. Hit pitches off a fairway type lie making sure you hit it solid, good height but don't take a divot.

[Vinsk]

Having trouble seeing how it compares. I seldom skull pitches. I don't look an inch or two behind the ball when pitching. I make contact with the ball first when I pitch, kind of a nice pop off the club face..I certainly shouldn't be hitting the ball first on a bunker shot right?

[mvmac]

Having trouble seeing how it compares. I seldom skull pitches. I don't look an inch or two behind the ball when pitching. I make contact with the ball first when I pitch, kind of a nice pop off the club face..I certainly shouldn't be hitting the ball first on a bunker shot right?

Technique is very similar, shaft is vertical at impact, knuckles of the right hand facing the ground, gotta use the bounce on both shots.

When I'm hitting a bunker shot I don't look behind the ball, I just set the club a little behind the ball and flip the hell out of it. I feel the club head working more "under" the ball than behind it.

This is me hitting a pith shot. Differences for a bunker would be a wider stance and a longer backswing. Everything else is basically the same.

[saevel25]

Technique is very similar, shaft is vertical at impact, knuckles of the right hand facing the ground, gotta use the bounce on both shots.

When I'm hitting a bunker shot I don't look behind the ball, I just set the club a little behind the ball and flip the hell out of it. I feel the club head working more "under" the ball than behind it.

When I do this I CAN NOT stop my body rotation through the shot. I find when I stop rotating, then the hands want to stop and I can really end up hitting chunks and thin shots all day long. I really do better when I get my body to face the target at the finish. I've had some ugly shots were my body would literally be facing the ball and the ball is screaming across the green because I just thinned it.

[Vinsk]

Thanks for the video! For green side bunkers, soft but not deep sand, would you feel the better club would be: 56* 12bounce 60* 14bounce 60* 10*bounce I appreciate your help!

[mvmac]

When I do this I CAN NOT stop my body rotation through the shot. I find when I stop rotating, then the hands want to stop and I can really end up hitting chunks and thin shots all day long. I really do better when I get my body to face the target at the finish. I've had some ugly shots were my body would literally be facing the ball and the ball is screaming across the green because I just thinned it.

Yeah definitely want to have the hips facing towards the target and not at the ball. Compared to a standard pitch, think overall there will be less pivot through because the stance is wider and your feet are in sand.

Thanks for the video! For green side bunkers, soft but not deep sand, would you feel the better club would be:

56* 12bounce

60* 14bounce

60* 10*bounce

I appreciate your help!

Any of those could work. Without seeing you hit some shots I would say the 56. I typically use a 58 for most bunker shots but will use my 52 for longer ones.