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Advice on bunker/sand shots

• ScottHope 10,659 Posts

  Tue, Aug 13 2013 11:48 AM

  You're very welcome Jay. I'm not sure that puttluck is still playing and posting but he gets a pat on the back from me for sure. I do use a cut down version of the formula myself and it works pretty well most of the time, but of course different balls and clubs are going to effect the outcome, but it's a start.

• Kurtsbuford 7,592 Posts

  Tue, Aug 13 2013 12:40 PM

  ball forward in stance, follow through so you rotate into the shot towards the cup, and use the sand for lifting..........but not like an excavator.  

• MBaggese 15,378 Posts

  Tue, Aug 13 2013 2:00 PM

  Kurtsbuford:

  ball forward in stance, follow through so you rotate into the shot towards the cup, and use the sand for lifting..........but not like an excavator.  

  You forgot to mention open stance and lay club head open for green side bunkers;)

• 100plus 801 Posts

  Tue, Aug 13 2013 2:54 PM

  This works for me on most green side bunkers after getting used to,It is a small formula easy to learn and works in most situations.

  Green side bunkers

  double the distance to the pin for eg. 22 yrds becomes 44 

  for 15/20 add 4

  30/40 add 8

  40/50 add 12 

  60/70 add 16

  now take into account elevation  for eg 7ft up add7 ,for 7ft down subtract seven.

  now we will use 22 yrds 7 ft up and 30 /40 lie, so we have 22x2=44 +8 for lie+7 for elevation totalling 59.

  Using me 64 wedge(60 yrds) I play full bs and hit full shot for 59% of meter and am usually within 3 ft of pin.

  I check where to aim by using pitch view from reverse to see where green is breaking and where i shud try to land the ball and let it run.

  Although I am far from the best I have brought my sand save % from the high 30,s to 68.29 in the approx 7/8 months since I made this formula.

  I passed this on to all my CC members and many are using it and improving their %,s.

  With practice you will learn to adjust slightly for wind and the way the green runs to + or - your total % to hit.For eg. on #4 beth ,back pin green runs frt to back so I do the math ""but do not add the elevation change 5/7 ft up as you will get the xtra runout,same applies to beth #5.I have eagled #4 and birdied #5 many time from the frt bunkers hope this helps.

  I know it looks complicated but when used to it I hit from sand in approx 30 seconds total.

  Good luck to all who try it and I wish you well

  Trev Laff N Play CC

• Furkh 10 Posts

  Tue, Aug 13 2013 4:16 PM

  don't have anything exact to tell but you can see my replay m hitting great from the bunkers ...10-15% lie from bunker....   30-40% rough lie

• elliotsdad 600 Posts

  Thu, Aug 15 2013 2:08 PM

  100plus....i followed your formula right up to the bit where you say hit full b/s and full shot for....59% of meter...if i`m reading this right...you work out total and then use that total to find amount of swing to use...

  33ft ...30/40% ..5 u/hill...

  66+8(lie)+5(u/hill)=79

  so i use 64degree(60yard) wedge...full backspin and swing to 79% of meter

  just wanted to be sure i got it right....

  Geoff

• jayw4862 3,364 Posts

  Thu, Aug 15 2013 3:04 PM

  Thank you very much. 

• jayw4862 3,364 Posts

  Thu, Aug 15 2013 3:05 PM

  Thanks to everyone who has helped me out. I've been playing some practice rounds, aiming at bunkers/traps (and missing quite a few..lol-maybe I should just start aiming for them, instead of the flag), I've tried all of the different tips, and I can say that, even though they differ, they do work pretty well, when executed correctly. Again, thanks for all of the great tips and advice. Jay

• 100plus 801 Posts

  Sat, Aug 17 2013 5:25 AM

  elliotsdad:

  100plus....i followed your formula right up to the bit where you say hit full b/s and full shot for....59% of meter...if i`m reading this right...you work out total and then use that total to find amount of swing to use...

  33ft ...30/40% ..5 u/hill...

  66+8(lie)+5(u/hill)=79

  so i use 64degree(60yard) wedge...full backspin and swing to 79% of meter

  just wanted to be sure i got it right....

  Geoff

  Yup you got it correct,good luck keep me posted

  Trev

• Chinajohn 1,190 Posts

  Sat, Aug 17 2013 6:47 AM

  This was adapted from an original I think my putluck (my apologies if that isn't correct), I always use full shots for this.

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  Bunkers

  From 20% sand

  I found that combined yardage (of distance and elevation) of over 35yds where elevation exceeds 6ft needs 3 yards added.  (ball will roll further)

   

  Over 35yds (combined) with elevation lower than 6ft, add 4yds

   

  Less than 35yds (combined) and elevation is above 5ft, add 4yds

  Less than 35yds and elevation is below 5ft add 4/5yds.

   

  So, to clarify. If the pin is 25yds away and 4ft above your lie, 25+4+5 = 34yd swing.

   

  Of course, uphill, downhill and greens that break hard left or right will need to be adjusted to. I've also not mentioned wind either. Unless your playing in high winds, these figures are good in my experience.

   

  From 40% sand 

   

  combined yardage of 20-30, add 12

  combined yardage of 30-40, add 11.

  combined yardage of 40-45, add 10

  combined yardage over 45, add 9.

  Again, compensate for your surroundings.

   

  60% sand lie 

   

  Combined yardage of below 30, add 16yds.

  30-40, add 17.

  40-50, add 18

  over 50 combined yds, add 19.

   

  I tend to use full back spin on longer shots, where greens slope away from me and on deep lies. All others, I place the dot where the sand meets the ball.