Forums

Bunker Shots

• RenoRick 108 Posts

  Sat, Jun 4 2016 9:29 AM

  Why does my initial shot out of bunkers always go for about 1/3 the actual distance?  I take into account the percentage, distance, and elevation, but the outcome is always very short and does not make any sense based on those variables.

• alosso 21,088 Posts

  Sat, Jun 4 2016 10:16 PM

  Are you talking of the usual 30/40 bunkers?

  Are you using your Starter LW?

  If so, you have to observe the low performance, overall and especially on choked shots. My rule of thumb was never to use less than 70% power!

  My two Pfennig: Get yourself a decent short wedge, perhaps the 64° Cleve fitting to your 60°.

  Also, your Starter 3H should be redundant, so, if you ditch it, you get room for a third precision wedge of 100(?) yds.

  Have fun!!

• garyk49 2,333 Posts

  Sun, Jun 5 2016 4:35 AM

  Don't know which type of shot you refer to.  Learn to use all of the shot types from the bunker. Full, Punch, and Pitch will all work and give different results.

  And as Alosso said, power is the key.  Anything 50% or lower is a crapshoot as to the result. 

• JimbeauC 5,835 Posts

  Mon, Jun 6 2016 10:58 AM

  RenoRick:

  Why does my initial shot out of bunkers always go for about 1/3 the actual distance?

  Ok. For what it's worth, here's my take on bunker play, and yes, I'm talking about 30/40 mostly.

  Since it's all different depending on what wedge and ball is in use, I recommend finding a hole with a large flattish green and bunkers. Get yourself into the bunker and first take a full shot with your highest lofted wedge, full backspin. Replay the shot so you can see what happened. How much height? (Clearing lip concerns.) How far was the carry? How much roll out? Don't use a mulligan unless you're rich. Just putt the ball back into the bunker. 

  Repeat for 90% 80% 70% 60% and 50%. (Below 50% seldom clears lip.) Take notes. 

  Now find a hole with a sloped green and bunkers on both sides. With the knowledge gained from above, see what effect shooting into an up/down slope has. Play around with spin if you like, though adding more to calculations to a problem is something I generally avoid. 

  Good Luck.

• MsErato 14 Posts

  Mon, Jun 6 2016 12:10 PM

  I've not been around to long on here - November 2015 - but have done the simple math of a matrix of considerations, of which the following is a simple example.

  In a bunker with 30/40% lie and 55 yds from the hole, a benign wind and an upward elevation of 4ft calculate as follows:-

  55 x 30% = 16.5 + 4 =75.5yds ----- i.e. 55 + 16.5 + 4

  so in that case a 75yd Wedge with a tad of spin should see you landing within 6ft assuming a relatively flat putting surface.

  It works for me at any rate - I regularly visit these hazards - and the Sand Save % rate as of today is 88.89%.