hmmm.....sounds like a slash down hard on the ball, i'm a little confused with the bounce though....i thought we are taught to use it, he seems to say not too. can i get a clearer pic from someone please? thanks
I am not the most qualified to answer, but I'll give it a try. I try to expose more bounce (open the face) in bunkers with deep, soft sand to prevent digging too deep . Conversely, in thin or very firm sand I setup with the face more square and minimize the exposed bounce. This lets you cut into the sand a little more. I also play all standard bunker shots with vertical hinging. IMO, you must read the sand (just like reading a green) properly to make the most effective use of bounce in a bunker.
The thing I found most intriguing was playing the ball back a little in the stance which seems to go counter to all the standard advice. I am definitely going to try that my next foray on the golf course.
__________________ _________________________________
Steph
Distance is Magic; Precision is Practice.
This seems to be a good approach. I played 9 yesterday and tried this approach in the first bunker I wandered into (really crappy 9-iron I hit from a side hill lie on the 8th). I played the ball just back of the middle of my stance, opened the club a bit, hit down behind the ball, and employed vertical hinging as I always do. The ball popped out nice and high about 20 yards to about 6' (yes I missed the putt - cost me an under par 9).
It felt as though I had greater distance control and did not have to swing as hard. I suspect with the ball far forward it was much harder for me to get much oomph into my sand shots. I also tended to hit them a little fat. With the ball back I felt like I had more control over where I entered the sand and subsequently did not have to swing near as hard. I practiced a little in the bunkers after finishing 9 and found I could make much easier controlled swings to vary my distance. Kind of amazing really out of practice bunkers hard as rocks. I think I'll keep this approach for awhile. It will be interesting to see if Natalie improves her bunker play as well.
__________________ _________________________________
Steph
Distance is Magic; Precision is Practice.
Did you also happen to note that you felt more sand and less ball when you moved the ball back? I know sand shots are supposed to take all sand, and the sand carries the ball out, but until I moved the ball back in my stance, I usually felt the ball through impact. No more....... all sand now!!!
Did you also happen to note that you felt more sand and less ball when you moved the ball back? I know sand shots are supposed to take all sand, and the sand carries the ball out, but until I moved the ball back in my stance, I usually felt the ball through impact. No more....... all sand now!!!
Yep. You are correct. I have on occasion had difficulty, especially when laying my sand wedge way open with slicing right through the sand and hearing a little click. This was no ball first contact, but with the ball so far forward I was not able to penetrate deeply enough in the sand to slide all the way under the ball. The wedge seemed to glide up too quickly (low point probably behind the ball rather than ahead). Of course those were not pretty shots as they tended to rocket out of the bunker with far more pace than expected.
Good catch, Uppd. BTW, I played 36 yesterday with continued success out of the bunkers. All (ALL) my bunker shots so far using this method have come out nice and high with good control. One sandy yesterday with a couple of close calls.
__________________ _________________________________
Steph
Distance is Magic; Precision is Practice.
__________________ The student senses his teacher’s steadfast belief and quiet resolve: “This is doable. It is doable by you. The pathway is there. All you need is determination and time.” And together, they make it happen.
It is hard to explain in TGM terms how this works so well...is it a TGM-sanctioned stroke or just an easy way to compensate...but Gary Player, Chi chi and Lee can't all be doing it so wrong.
An "apparent Back in the stance" ball position means up plane normally (assuming a square/square plane line)...so an onplane stroke should be really out and down with this ball position...
But Lee seems to make a fair point about ball too forward..especially in a swing with minimal weight transfer...
I would say you hit the nail on the head there about low point sand management.
For too long I've had the ball way forward and have had to manipulate my low point management because I know I'll thin the ball if I don't! This leads to the opposite happening and I keep hitting it fat.
To be fair, I think this has happened by accident though because Dave Pelz says the 'ball forward' is an illusion due to the open stance.
Must go experiment!
__________________ The student senses his teacher’s steadfast belief and quiet resolve: “This is doable. It is doable by you. The pathway is there. All you need is determination and time.” And together, they make it happen.
- cost me an under par 9). 
all sand now!!! 
Hybrid Mode
