Sand Shots

[Patch]

I've been playing for 9 years and have never spent the time to get good at sand shots, therefore I'm very inconsistant in the sand, both greenside and fairway bunkers. This is something I plan on working on this summer. Does anyone have a swing thought or rule of thumb that you always use in the sand?

[Thunderhog Jr]

 :razorback:

Green side,  get a good stance, open your club face, aim a little left,  hit about 1.5 to 2 inches behind the ball and follow through.

Fairway, Pick it clean.

:razorback:

[Jim Harris]

in a greenside bunker, try to maintain the weight on the left foot, and if it's a short bunker shot bring the club up steeply and make sure to follow through; a little longer shot, make a slow longer swing and follow through. For a real long bunker shot, don't open the face as much. But always follow through. My problem with bunker shots was hitting the sand and not following through, just some kind of mental block, but now it's automatic. And, as the previous poster says, the fundamentals of opening the face, opening the stance, and hitting an 1 or 2 CONSISTENTLY behind the ball apply. Where you hit the sand consistently will help with your consistency on where the ball ends up, your confidence will grow with the shot and you'll land in a bunker and not even worry about it, other than whether you can make the short putt you're going to have to save the par. Practice.

[oldbear]

The most common thing I see when my friends don't get out of the sand is that they don't follow through.  Even if you go over to the other side of the green, you are out. 

[Feralhog]

On fairway bunkers, take a VERY WIDE stance and with your normal swing, try and hit the ball a bit skinny or thin.

For a greenside explosion shot, open your stance and take a stance with the toes of your shoes pushed into the sand, then move your feet from side to side to dig you toes in as deep as possible. 

Sandwedges with a loft of 58 deg. or more, there's no need to open the clubface.  Position the ball between your left heel (if your arer a rightie) and the center of your stance.  Make a swing like you are hitting a full sandwedge from the fairway only  strike the sand an inch or so behind the ball.  You'll learn very quickly that the ball will not go as far as you fear, and then you'll start to get an idea of how hard to swing to carry the ball different distances. 

As for the technique.  You want to have the thought of "spanking" the sand an inch or so behind the ball.  Because it takes a big swing to move sand, the  club will have a tendancy to close or release, like naturally occurs durning the full swing.  Don't let this happen!  Have a sense of hanging onto the club while trying to keep the same loft at address,  throughout the swing.

For longer explosion shots (50 to 85 feet) use a pitching wedge, nine, or even an eight iron, and utilize the exact same technique as described in the greenside explosion, the only difference being, you will want to open the club face a bit.  Again, don't be afraid to take a big swing and spank the sand an inch or so behind the ball, maintaining the clubhead loft throughout the swing.

For a buried or fried egg lie, dig in your toes, close the clubface, and swing as hard as you can striking the sand an inch behind the ball, but DO NOT FOLLOW THROUGH.  Try and leave the clubhead buried in the sand! 

[PulledPork]

and make damn sure that any of your playing partners are on the other side of the stick.  Because if you skull it, they won't be happy with that popknot on their head....


Pulled out...

[Patch]

Lots of good advice. Thanks for the tips guys

and make damn sure that any of your playing partners are on the other side of the stick.  Because if you skull it, they won't be happy with that popknot on their head....


Pulled out...

Yes, but I'll be closer to the hole 

[PulledPork]

Lots of good advice. Thanks for the tips guys

and make damn sure that any of your playing partners are on the other side of the stick.  Because if you skull it, they won't be happy with that popknot on their head....


Pulled out...

Yes, but I'll be closer to the hole 

or you may be running for your life after pissing the guy off....


Pulled out...