What about taking a pitching wedge instead of a sand? Opening the face and hitting couple of inches back should work , don’t you think?. I am starting to feel better with your technique and improving a lot. I might be digging to much with the consequence of leaving too many balls in the bunker but on average results are a lot better.
If instead of 40 yards one would face one even longer, would you consider hitting the ball first as with fairway bunkers?
You just have to be careful not to take too much club for too little shot. In doing so you will slow down so you don’t hit it over the green. This will cause you to decelerate and leave it in the bunker.
Hitting the ball first is going to zing it over the green to. If you did it this way you would apply your medium pitch shot technique to hit it 30-40 yards. This will be tricky so I don’t recommend it. Why not do your normal golf swing as I suggested. Just turn faster and don’t open the face as much. I like people to do their normal golf swing as much as possible.
BEING A SENIOR GOLFER I CANT TURN AS FAST AS YOU SO I TAKE MY NORMAL BUNKER SWING , WHICH I KNOW YOU RECOMMEND, HOWEVER I USE A PW OR 9 IRON TO GET EXTRA DISTANCE AND THIS WORKS WELL FOR ME. ALL PROS WHO TEACH HITTING 2 INCHES BEHIND THE BALL SHOULD BE SHOT. THEY JUST DONT UNDERSTAND THE MECHANICS OF DIGGING DOWN TWO INCHES INSTEAD! YOUR TECHNIQUE HAS WORKED PERFECTLY FOR ME SINCE THE FIRST TIME I TRIED IT. THANKS!
To get the ball to fly farther you don’t open the face as much. Yes, you have to turn the speed you would hitting a 60+ yard shot knowing full well it will only go about 40 but this does take a little effort. If you need to switch clubs to make it easier then do so. My technique still works.
Hey Paul just a question about head position. Is it ok to see your feet when in the bunker or medium pitch shots or should we only be seeing the club head and ball like in a full swing. Thanks
In the bunker I want you taller. The whole point of this set up is to coil and uncoil plus the swing you are going to do in the bunker is the same as your real swing so in your real swing I don’t want you to see your toes. You are taking sand because you dig your feet in. Setting up lower is going to get you hitting.
Short pitches are an abbreviation of your golf swing. So you do want to feel like you are standing tall. Due to gripping down on the club you do see a little more of your toes. Don’t just bent over. Still get that tall feeling even on the shorter ones.
Paul, I just re-reviewed this video on long bunker shots. You mentioned there are basically 3 ways to hit longer bunker shots. Why isn’t there a 4th way–club selection? Sometimes I get confused on which club to choose in the bunkers. Generally I use my 60 degree for short shots. In the video you showed of a roughly 40-45 yard shot, which I would likely select a 56. Perhaps a gap wedge or pitching wedge would be useful depending on the distance or does this depend on how big the face of the bunker is in front of you? Thanks again.
Paul, I just re-reviewed this video on long bunker shots. You mentioned there are basically 3 ways to hit longer bunker shots. Why isn’t there a 4th way–club selection? Sometimes I get confused on which club to choose in the bunkers. Generally I use my 60 degree for short shots. In the video you showed of a roughly 40-45 yard shot, which I would likely select a 56. Perhaps a gap wedge or pitching wedge would be useful depending on the distance or does this depend on how big the face of the bunker is in front of you? Thanks again.
Yes, but I was talking about from a greenside bunker with the pin in short, middle or back placements. You can certainly change to 56 degree for long ones if you want. I prefer people using the same wedge in bunkers for these greenside shots but if you want to change feel free. I just like consistency with the same club. If you change you have to practice some with both clubs. Up to you.
The gap and pw would be used for fairway bunker shots away from the green. I would never hit these from a grenside bunker. Too strong. You miss it and you are way over the green.
Thanks Paul. I try to pay attention to most of your tips but often miss some. I think a great video or tip would be on club selection. I find myself struggling at times with club selection, get ambivalent during the shot, then end up screwing up. I know committing to the shot is half the battle. But being confident in the right club would certainly help.
Paul, I seem to recall you teaching to NOT move your head back off the ball but there is no mention in this video of that. Is that, in fact, what you teach? Also, where are you looking as you swing…at the ball?
Thanks,
For fairway bunker shots you would try to keep your head still. You don’t want to move off it too much as you may hit behind the ball. Long bunker shots you would be moving your head.
I am looking at the ball. I am not fixated on the ball though. I see it as part of the landscape. You get fixated on the ball and you may use your arms to try to hit it.
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17 Responses to “How To Hit Long Greenside Bunker Shots”
May 15, 2013
JoseCarcellerWhat about taking a pitching wedge instead of a sand? Opening the face and hitting couple of inches back should work , don’t you think?. I am starting to feel better with your technique and improving a lot. I might be digging to much with the consequence of leaving too many balls in the bunker but on average results are a lot better.
If instead of 40 yards one would face one even longer, would you consider hitting the ball first as with fairway bunkers?
May 15, 2013
Paul WilsonJose,
You just have to be careful not to take too much club for too little shot. In doing so you will slow down so you don’t hit it over the green. This will cause you to decelerate and leave it in the bunker.
Hitting the ball first is going to zing it over the green to. If you did it this way you would apply your medium pitch shot technique to hit it 30-40 yards. This will be tricky so I don’t recommend it. Why not do your normal golf swing as I suggested. Just turn faster and don’t open the face as much. I like people to do their normal golf swing as much as possible.
May 16, 2013
JoseCarcellerThanks Paul! I will definitively give it a try.
Continue with the great job! Greetings from Spain
May 17, 2013
Paul WilsonJose,
Thanks for the support.
May 18, 2014
DOUGTANZERBEING A SENIOR GOLFER I CANT TURN AS FAST AS YOU SO I TAKE MY NORMAL BUNKER SWING , WHICH I KNOW YOU RECOMMEND, HOWEVER I USE A PW OR 9 IRON TO GET EXTRA DISTANCE AND THIS WORKS WELL FOR ME. ALL PROS WHO TEACH HITTING 2 INCHES BEHIND THE BALL SHOULD BE SHOT. THEY JUST DONT UNDERSTAND THE MECHANICS OF DIGGING DOWN TWO INCHES INSTEAD! YOUR TECHNIQUE HAS WORKED PERFECTLY FOR ME SINCE THE FIRST TIME I TRIED IT. THANKS!
May 19, 2014
Paul WilsonDoug,
To get the ball to fly farther you don’t open the face as much. Yes, you have to turn the speed you would hitting a 60+ yard shot knowing full well it will only go about 40 but this does take a little effort. If you need to switch clubs to make it easier then do so. My technique still works.
September 11, 2015
JonathanHuntHey Paul just a question about head position. Is it ok to see your feet when in the bunker or medium pitch shots or should we only be seeing the club head and ball like in a full swing. Thanks
September 11, 2015
Paul WilsonJohnathan,
In the bunker I want you taller. The whole point of this set up is to coil and uncoil plus the swing you are going to do in the bunker is the same as your real swing so in your real swing I don’t want you to see your toes. You are taking sand because you dig your feet in. Setting up lower is going to get you hitting.
Short pitches are an abbreviation of your golf swing. So you do want to feel like you are standing tall. Due to gripping down on the club you do see a little more of your toes. Don’t just bent over. Still get that tall feeling even on the shorter ones.
March 30, 2017
SusanEcclesCan you point me to your video on buried lies in the bunker
Sue
March 30, 2017
Paul WilsonSusan,
Here you go:
Plugged Bunker Shots: https://ignitiongolf.com/plugged-lie-in-bunker
May 14, 2017
Bryan SandersPaul, I just re-reviewed this video on long bunker shots. You mentioned there are basically 3 ways to hit longer bunker shots. Why isn’t there a 4th way–club selection? Sometimes I get confused on which club to choose in the bunkers. Generally I use my 60 degree for short shots. In the video you showed of a roughly 40-45 yard shot, which I would likely select a 56. Perhaps a gap wedge or pitching wedge would be useful depending on the distance or does this depend on how big the face of the bunker is in front of you? Thanks again.
Bryan
New York
June 4, 2017
Bryan SandersPaul, I just re-reviewed this video on long bunker shots. You mentioned there are basically 3 ways to hit longer bunker shots. Why isn’t there a 4th way–club selection? Sometimes I get confused on which club to choose in the bunkers. Generally I use my 60 degree for short shots. In the video you showed of a roughly 40-45 yard shot, which I would likely select a 56. Perhaps a gap wedge or pitching wedge would be useful depending on the distance or does this depend on how big the face of the bunker is in front of you? Thanks again.
Bryan
New York
June 5, 2017
Paul WilsonBryan,
Yes, but I was talking about from a greenside bunker with the pin in short, middle or back placements. You can certainly change to 56 degree for long ones if you want. I prefer people using the same wedge in bunkers for these greenside shots but if you want to change feel free. I just like consistency with the same club. If you change you have to practice some with both clubs. Up to you.
The gap and pw would be used for fairway bunker shots away from the green. I would never hit these from a grenside bunker. Too strong. You miss it and you are way over the green.
June 6, 2017
Bryan SandersThanks Paul. I try to pay attention to most of your tips but often miss some. I think a great video or tip would be on club selection. I find myself struggling at times with club selection, get ambivalent during the shot, then end up screwing up. I know committing to the shot is half the battle. But being confident in the right club would certainly help.
June 6, 2017
Paul WilsonBryan,
I did a playing tip on this here:
Club Choice On A Long Par 3: https://ignitiongolf.com/club-choice-long-par-3/
David did 2 tips on this here:
https://ignitiongolf.com/between-clubs/
And:
https://ignitiongolf.com/mental-game-club-selection/
Hope this helps.
March 7, 2018
BillFreemanPaul, I seem to recall you teaching to NOT move your head back off the ball but there is no mention in this video of that. Is that, in fact, what you teach? Also, where are you looking as you swing…at the ball?
Thanks,
Bill Freeman
March 8, 2018
Paul WilsonBill,
For fairway bunker shots you would try to keep your head still. You don’t want to move off it too much as you may hit behind the ball. Long bunker shots you would be moving your head.
Fairway Bunker How To: https://ignitiongolf.com/fairway-bunker-how-to
Fairway Bunker Setup: https://ignitiongolf.com/fairway-bunker-set-up
I am looking at the ball. I am not fixated on the ball though. I see it as part of the landscape. You get fixated on the ball and you may use your arms to try to hit it.