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St Andrew's Bunkers

Sat, May 15 2010 6:03 AM (7 replies)
  • SteveP29
    34 Posts
    Mon, May 3 2010 9:45 AM

    Finally got sick enough of this to complain about it.

    Those of you who have watched The Open, know that at links courses, there are deep and very deep bunkers, made up with all degrees of steepness in the face, which, as the designers intended, make it a difficult shot to get out of the hazard.

    Today, playing at St Andrew's, my ball rolls into the pot bunker on the left side of the fairway. 6 shots later, hitting forwards and sideways, and also with top spin placed on the ball, as recommended by one of the players I was playing with, I'm STILL in the face of the bunker. I got called away from the computer at the same time, so rather than irritate my playing partners and to cool my anger, I disconnected.

    Again, those of us who have watched golf at St Andrew's and have actually played gholf in real life, know, that when faced with a shot like that, a, when the ball initially entered the bunker, it would have rolled down the face or sides of the bunker and into the sand and b, after each subsequent shot, the ball would also roll down the face and into the sand, it would NOT lodge itself into the face of the bunker, therefore, getting out of the bunker would take a few shots, but would NOT result in the ball being positioned in the face of the bunker at each shot.

    The rules of golf state that you are allowed to declare your ball unplayable and may take a drop within 2 club lengths of the position of the ball (though still inside the bunker) for a one shot penalty. I'm sure the majority of the players in this game would rather take that option than ruin their round.

    Either that, or fix the ball dynamics to reflect it more realistically!!

  • YankeeJim
    25,827 Posts
    Mon, May 3 2010 10:47 AM

    SteveP29:
    Today, playing at St Andrew's, my ball rolls into the pot bunker on the left side of the fairway. 6 shots later, hitting forwards and sideways, and also with top spin placed on the ball, as recommended by one of the players I was playing with, I'm STILL in the face of the bunker.

    You didn't say backwards. To get out of those bunkers you need to reaim into the fairway either parallel to the wall or backwards into the fairway.

  • SteveP29
    34 Posts
    Mon, May 3 2010 11:04 AM

    But that's not realistic, being in the face of a bunker will not allow you to get a shot at the ball if it is in the face of the bunker, as the face of the bunker would block your swing altogether.

    Also, aiming parallel to the face is the sideways shots I was referring to

  • YankeeJim
    25,827 Posts
    Mon, May 3 2010 11:32 AM

    SteveP29:
    But that's not realistic, being in the face of a bunker will not allow you to get a shot at the ball if it is in the face of the bunker, as the face of the bunker would block your swing altogethe

    You would think so but it works. Also, aiming sideways also requires care if you're staring at a side wall, even several yards away. The shot has to get up over that too so when aiming that way be sure the aimer is on a line more than parallel and use a lofted club.

  • Tresclub
    934 Posts
    Mon, May 3 2010 7:53 PM

    Applying topspin to get out of a bunker is a lose-lose proposition... imho.  Generally speaking, using topspin, you will not get enough lift to get out of most bunkers, especially those at SA.  I would recommend a wedge with full backspin.  That should generate enough lift to get high enough to clear the face of most bunkers, even the SA pot bunkers.

    Hope this help,.

  • jcs89
    172 Posts
    Tue, May 4 2010 9:32 AM

    He was not actually in the sand.......i believe he is saying that the ball appeared to be embedded in the face of the bunker.  In real golf, this would be declared an unplayable lie and he would get to drop with penalty.  I have seen this happen once while playing with someone else. 

  • lvietri
    3,326 Posts
    Tue, May 4 2010 11:10 AM

    Steve is absolutely correct on the rules.    And on a real course that's exactly what he would do --- take the unplayable penalty (although i bet he would take one swing at it).   Regardless, as great a simulation of real golf as this is .. it's still a game and the unplayable like option is not available.   For now if your embedded in the bunker face .. just hit it backwards and get up and down for par or bogey.   I've had to do it a dozen times and while i know it's not realistic .. for this game it works.

  • SteveP29
    34 Posts
    Sat, May 15 2010 6:03 AM

    That's exactly what I was saying JCS, it seems to have been a little lost in my explanation of the situation.

    And yes, Ivietri, I'd probably have a go at it first before declaring it unplayable, but I'd rather have it realistic than have to make daft shots for the sake of scoring.

    I am currently playing my third full 18 of SA and was heading for my best score ever, 2 under and on the 13th, drove into the bunker in the middle of the fairway. EVERY shot I tried, sideways, forwards and backwards kept me in the face of the bunker, round ruined. FFS! :(

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