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Bunker Shots

• JasonNumber100 2,909 Posts

  Sat, Nov 2 2013 10:58 AM

  How do you play bunker shots, apart from not going in them in the first place?

  I can never get it right. If  it's 30 yards to hole, I use my wedge which goes 60 yds and half the swing. However, there might be 30% lie and the bunker wall might be several feet high, so i have to allow for that.

  I just can't work it out. I either hit it too long or it it doesn't come out.

  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

  Thanks,

  Jason.

• jsweetcr 1,209 Posts

  Sat, Nov 2 2013 11:30 AM

  From 30 yards i would punch out of a bunker and i usually ,multiply by 1.2 for 30/40 as a general guide, that can change based on other factors as typically shots out of bunkers don't carry much spin and always seem to roll out more, so i might hit less if hitting on to champ greens versus VF or Tourney. You still have to take how much up hill into consideration and wind as well. Start with that and play around with it.

• ApexPC 3,164 Posts

  Sat, Nov 2 2013 12:37 PM

  Play some practice holes.

  Purposely hit into a sand trap, and then use the Mulligan option to play from the same lie over and over again so you can experiment with different shot types, ball spin dot positions, and stroke strength.

  I recommend only changing 1 variable at a time, and Punch and Full are the only real shot type options that will work.

  If a bunker has a tall wall, Punch may not get the ball out.

  http://www.wgt.com/forums/t/203488.aspx

   

• courteneyfish 15,796 Posts

  Sat, Nov 2 2013 1:00 PM

  Don't go thinking that going half way down the meter on a 50 yard wedge will get you 25 yards, these things aren't linear. Half way down will get you a lot less than that.

• JasonNumber100 2,909 Posts

  Sat, Nov 2 2013 1:47 PM

  Thanks, guys.

• ScottHope 10,444 Posts

  Sat, Nov 2 2013 4:30 PM

  Some very good advice from Puttluck here Jason.

• Fraenkel 2,252 Posts

  Sun, Nov 3 2013 12:44 AM

  Easy shots for me and nice thread too, even Scott link deserve.

  I usully play from bunker with 3 different shots depending on distance. For sure you'll got to be confidence and comfortble with your wedges and finally get visually check on hole.

  Play a flop for shot over 12yds, from 13yds to 24yds play for pitch and over 25yds play with punch shot. Your sand save percentage is quite good on the 990 strokes get so keep the work on it.

  Cheers,
  David. 

• IRISHPUNK 4,019 Posts

  Sun, Nov 3 2013 5:55 AM

  Use the same spin (for me it's full b/s) every time.  For 15-20%, add about 15% of extra power, 25% for 30-40%... work from there.  Add or subtract power as you see fit.  Wind and level also plays a part.  Work with it from there.

   

• DDRoss1 1,809 Posts

  Sun, Nov 3 2013 10:06 AM

  I have also learned on how to flop from a bunker from 15-30 and 30-40 depending on length and slope. Using my Cally 64, i get from 12-13 from 30-40 depending on slope and break and 15-60 from 15-20 again depending on those items i mentioned. It has helped my bunker stats immensely.

• JasonNumber100 2,909 Posts

  Wed, Nov 6 2013 12:36 AM

  Thanks, guys.

  I'm usually very good at the flop shot, but when I use it out of the bunker it never seems to work. I've recently started using the punch shot, which works better. I also alternate between backspin and no backspin.

  I guess I just need to practice to get the confidence I need to be able to play bunker shots.