Bunkers with little or no sand

[highballin]

What's the way to play these.

I am ok getting out of bunkers when there is sand. Stuffed when there isn't and don't know if I should hit ball first or just try and blast it out from behind the ball.

[Daves]

[BenM]

I reckon if it's on a hard base you really need to take a gentle swing and try to catch it clean. If you play it normally (and hit behind the ball) the bounce of your wedge will often cause it to bounce off the hard surface and you end up skulling it.

[talbo]

^this. 60* with 4* bounce has saved my bacon more times than every other club in the bag combined.

[Stuartd147]

We have the same thing at our club, on thin sand use the 60* instead of SW and the ball will fly further than usual.

[highballin]

Yeah I think my lob wedge 60* 8* has too much bounce for these shots.

[Hatchman]

What's the way to play these.

I am ok getting out of bunkers when there is sand. Stuffed when there isn't and don't know if I should hit ball first or just try and blast it out from behind the ball.

If you can dig you feet in when taking your stance you fat it out like trap shot. Jut have to swing sharp and dig in.

[Rodent]

If the bunker lip isn't too high, you can deloft the club to reduce bounce and have a shallow angle of attack but definitely take something off power wise as there is no sand to absorb the energy and the ball will fly further.
I'm talking about bunkers with hard clay base exposed. It's like hitting off cement.

[highballin]

If the bunker lip isn't too high, you can deloft the club to reduce bounce and have a shallow angle of attack but definitely take something off power wise as there is no sand to absorb the energy and the ball will fly further.
I'm talking about bunkers with hard clay base exposed. It's like hitting off cement.

Yes there the ones. Unfortunately had one on the weekend but lip was too high for that shot. Will keep that in mind though next time have a low lip bunker shot of hard clay base.

[Daves]

The harder the pan, the higher the bounce in your hands, the lower the loft, the cleaner you need to catch the ball. If you don't carry a low bounce Lob wedge, a Sand Wedge will still work, just take less sand and don't open the face up too much (and add bounce).

[Rodent]

Yes there the ones. Unfortunately had one on the weekend but lip was too high for that shot. Will keep that in mind though next time have a low lip bunker shot of hard clay base.

If you have a high lip, it's just too difficult without a high loft/low bounce club. If you have to make do, you just have to nip it perfectly, ball first. If you know you're playing somewhere you are likely to encounter these conditions, a 60/04 would come in handy. I carry a 60/08 which is versatile enough for me to use in most situations. I can deloft it to a 56/04 in hard clay bunkers which usually will still give me enough loft to get over the lip.

[aym]

I find playing it like a normal green chip/flop shot works best.

[Icestorm959]

I find playing it like a normal green chip/flop shot works best.

This. Have had surprisingly good results using a flop shot in this situation compare to the usual splash approach (I am still scarred by the cement-hard bunkers at Stonecutters).