Help with a bunker shot

[azgreg]

I had the worst lie in a bunker today. I had a high 8 iron just plug into a trap this morning. I'm not talking about just a fried egg lie, I'm talking about a ball half way to China (and the sand was damp, not quit wet). I had no idea how to play this shot, and of course I left it in the bunker. Any hints?

[ettsn]

As long as there was at least some ball showing, you can get those out. You really have to play those with an aggressive angle into the sand. Think of making a deep V cut into the sand, about an inch behind the ball and muscle your way forward. The ball should pop out with a big blast of sand. If you're under a tall bunker face, this shot will rarely get enough jump to clear it (at least for me), so you're probably better off looking for a more sure escape then hope to chip/putt and take your bogey.

If the ball was completely gopher-holed, I have no idea how to get that one out. Hmm, I think I'll try that at the range tonight...

[Dent]

I know one thing, you choose the right club, taking a short iron like a wedge or something isnt going to get it anywhere, you just have to play it like a greenside bunker with a steeper 8 iron swing. Ive never been in that situation so i couldnt tell ya.

[WhiteSoxFan]

This just happens to be golf.com's tip of the day .

[ettsn]

I know one thing, you choose the right club, taking a short iron like a wedge or something isnt going to get it anywhere, you just have to play it like a greenside bunker with a steeper 8 iron swing. Ive never been in that situation so i couldnt tell ya.

I'm going to disagree with you on the 8 iron and not a wedge part. Your 8 iron has no where near enough bounce to help the clubhead pop the ball up. You need to use your sand wedge (or whatever has the most bounce).

[$2 Nassau]

If it's a greenside bunker, I'm just taking my highest lofted club with the most bounce and blasting it out, anywhere. Im not good enough to even think about the flagstick in that situation, just trying to get ball out of the trap.

Fairway bunker, same thing. Basically it's going to cost you a stroke, just gouge it out onto the fairway and start thinking about your next shot.

[azgreg]

The top of the ball was below the surface of the trap about 2 inches and the diameter of the crater it was in was about 6-8 inches. I took my 54 degree sand wedge, squared up the leading edge of the blade, took a deep v swing and swung as hard as I could (I'm 6'3" 235 lbs.) and advanced the ball about 4 feet in the trap. I got sand everywhere lol.

[ettsn]

I think a supremely ugly lie like that might warrant an unplayable declaration and a drop, you know?

[fusioncal]

Lob wedge with 60 degree should do the trick. Open your stance and the club face as well, tighten your grip, swing steeper, faster and harder than normal, and finish with high/long follow through. Normally this kind of ball would only go up a bit and if you're faced with the "below-sea-level" kind of greenside bunker, you're screwed. Sorry I can't help you.

[supercow]

Depends on the condition of the sand... If its soft then maybe get a wedge with as little bounce as possible and cut down into the sand and lift it up as though you were scooping the thing up. If you don't have a low bounce wedge then play it as though it were an explosion shot. Only thing you have to be careful with is how far you put the club in. If you start entering too early the ball ain't going nowhere.

[ericm]

The top of the ball was below the surface of the trap about 2 inches and the diameter of the crater it was in was about 6-8 inches. I took my 54 degree sand wedge, squared up the leading edge of the blade, took a deep v swing and swung as hard as I could (I'm 6'3" 235 lbs.) and advanced the ball about 4 feet in the trap. I got sand everywhere lol.

Greg,

It's been a very long time since I have had such a shot and I'm not sure how readily I'd pull it off, but here is how I was once taught to hit that shot. Take your normal SW and rotate the shaft counter clockwise in your hands so that the toe is in a down and forward position. As I recall, if the normal position of the toe is 0 degrees and the target is at 90 degrees, you want the toe of the club pointing at somewhere between 35 and 45 degrees. Take a sweeping (relatively shallow) swing and make sure you have aimed a bit to the right. The ball should come out relatively easily, but it will be low and hot.

[Ringer]

I actually did a whole video on getting out of the sand including how to get out of this lie.

[tigerwoo]

The top of the ball was below the surface of the trap about 2 inches and the diameter of the crater it was in was about 6-8 inches. I took my 54 degree sand wedge, squared up the leading edge of the blade, took a deep v swing and swung as hard as I could (I'm 6'3" 235 lbs.) and advanced the ball about 4 feet in the trap. I got sand everywhere lol.

Yup, I think that was the best you could do... though I would have used your lob wedge instead to get maximum loft as in these cases bounce has nothing to do with it since you are pounding your club in the sand with the leading edge of the club at a severe angle.

What I do: Back in the stance, closed clubface using the most lofted club in my bag (58 degree lob). Put some anger into the swing and pray.

[KCNick]

I actually did a whole video on getting out of the sand including how to get out of this lie.

Great video Ringer - As a newbie, I've never read or seen anything on bunker play until your video. Thanks for making it! Now I see what I'm supposed to be accomplishing with the sand between the club and ball.