Soft Bunkers

[McMw]

any tips or techniques to play out of soft bunkers?

my home course has firm bunkers which I like...
but a few of the "resort" courses around here have these shitty sand, where the footprint left by @$$holes leave a crater hole...

i tend to dig in too much, and ball flies halfway (if even)...

[markTHEblake]

I play all bunkers the same way, am not good enough to adjust for marginal differences, except that the deeper the sand is, you got to hit it harder.

[sms316]

Soft, fluffy bunkers are rubbish. That is all.

[Daves]

What wedge are you using? I find that my LW (60/08) digs in too much if the sand is fluffy and deep. A 56/12 or 14 would be the go, lay it well open to add even more bounce and swing it hard.

[virge666]

Yep.

You need bounce on your wedges. The softer the sand - the more bounce you want on your wedge - otherwise you just dig a crater and the wedge never gets out of the sand.

For firm or wet bunkers, you need less digging as the sand is compacted - so less bounce is good for these.

[razaar]

Should be able to play it out with a 9-iron / PW. The trick is to open the face, grip down & bend the knees more which will have the hands lower. This creates the wrist angle for the swing. Try not to disturb this angle, retain it through the shot and keep the back of the leading hand facing the sky in the follow through. Hit 2" behind the ball and spash the sand onto the green with the trunk turning to face the target. It is important to keep that trunk turning with the right shoulder staying high.

[TourFit]

Oh look....Virge & Razaar team up again.

Great combined advice guys !!

(As long as people don't think of you as "Hamish & Andy" of OzGolf)

[McMw]

my current rotation of the wedges are TM RAC TP 58.08 and the Cleveland RTG 900 58º...
I had the Cleveland in the bag yesterday...

they both work well for me on my home course, and I like to think I'm a pretty decent bunker player (a better bunker player than a chipper for sure!!!)

maybe I shouldn't worry too much about it, as I don't usually play these courses with soft bunkers - but it does get annoying!!!

[hyrola]

soft is cool, i have no issues. Stand further forward, open up the face of the club, use a lob wedge and hit hard and swing through, striking an inch behind the ball into the sand.

Ball usually comes out well for me.

Its hard bunkers that have me a little stressed lately. Need to hit close to the ball, and ive done a couple that have come out and over the green, way past :/ I hate bunkers in general.

Played this morning and i swear i am the bunker hunter.

3 out of 4 holes, i hit the bunkers.

[virge666]

(As long as people don't think of you as "Hamish & Andy" of OzGolf)

:) :)

lastly - if you only have low bounce wedges.... Open that bitch up - the more you open it - the more bounce you artifically get.

[petethepilot]

Agree with virge and Razaar but I would like to add that you need to visualise a 'U' shaped swing with a shallow angle of attack into the ball. A considerably wider stance with your knees well bent (feel like you are about to sit on a chair behind you!) will allow that to happen. The U shaped swing gives a shallower, more controllable cut through the sand using the SW's bounce . The softer the sand, the shallower the angle of attack you need!

Here endth the lesson!

Pete

[PeteyD]

More Hale and Pace than Hamish and Andy I'd think. :D

[razaar]

What are you on about?

[petethepilot]

Don't know who Hamish and Andy are...but this is a good example of working for QANTAS as done by Hale and Pace!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4c0qNdfF-M

Regards,

Pete

[sms316]

Andy is one of the great magicians of our time. There is no other explanation for him banging Megan Gale.

[petethepilot]

If the "what are you on about ' was directed at me, I could show you at the champs Raz.

Alex Mercer taught it to me as well as to a few others over the years (ie Elk)

PTP

[razaar]

If the "what are you on about ' was directed at me, I could show you at the champs Raz.

Alex Mercer taught it to me as well as to a few others over the years (ie Elk)

PTP
No mate not at you...PeteyD was being objectionable to my mate Virge. You must have posted as I was typing.

[petethepilot]

No worries Razaar.

[PeteyD]

No mate not at you...PeteyD was being objectionable to my mate Virge. You must have posted as I was typing.

How much you paying Virge to be your mate? :D

[razaar]

How much you paying Virge to be your mate? :D

Anybody who is as passionate about golf as Virge is, is my mate.:)

[razaar]

How much you paying Virge to be your mate? :D

Anybody who is as passionate about golf as Virge is my mate.;)