Best Bunker Tips | How to Play Bunkers - Hard or Soft Sand

[@Dinguskon]

I think clay has the best instruction I’ve seen on yourube

[@jerm7159]

Clay really is my favorite KZbin instructor. Any time I struggle with part of my game, I come back to a video by Clay and boom fixed. thanks Clay

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Happy to help! 👍

[@bryans.7220]

Clay, Many of your viewers like myself will periodically play a course with HARD PAN sand traps that are hard as concrete. In my experience, wet sand vs hard pan requires a different approach just like soft fluffy sand vs wet sand. For the benefit of of your viewers or those struggling in hard packed bunkers, I think it's fair to suggest making the distinction and approach them accordingly. Your technique for wet sand and fluffy sand is very good imo BUT in "hard pan" (extremely hard packed concrete like dirt) I suggest using a low bounce wedge like the Vokey L- Grind and hitting slightly behind the ball. That seems to works for me. I'd love to hear other tips and tricks from others as I'm always looking to learn.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Hi Bryan, thanks for sharing. The technique is the same for hard bunkers. You need to get the club to dig a little so use less of the bounce by not opening the face as much and hit down into it. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor

[@jamesdavis5517]

I’d be knocking on the admin door and demanding that they till the bunkers. I’m outraged.

[@mikeE997]

I also find myself hitting more like a chip shot than a bunker shot in these situations. I find that in bunkers that are as hard as concrete, there's no way the wedge is going through the sand enough, and the ball will come out hot. I find myself using less power on those shots to keep it on the green.

[@nbt3663]

My two favorite golf teachers Top Speed and Club Pro Guy! Of course they approach things from the opposite direction! 😁

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Haha...we love club pro guy too!

[@TerdFerguson]

Watching good bunker players is very satisfying.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Glad you liked it. Play well!

[@TerdFerguson]

@@TopSpeedGolf I was in a greenside bunker over the weekend and made a conscious effort to swing fast even though I only needed to propel the ball 30 feet or so and voila, it came out nice and soft. Follow his advice folks, it works.

[@EFreeman1970]

Great tips! Will put the wet sand tip into play this weekend! Thank you again

[@TopSpeedGolf]

You bet!

[@richl4761]

I’ve never played in soft sand! Always hard moist sand. Either chunk or blade it.

[@jayzimmerman4790]

Best explanation for soft/hard sand play, thanks Clay!

[@bobmcglone6676]

Clay your a very good teacher. Thanks for being so thorough and helping with golf shots, especially in the sand! Good job.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

My pleasure! Thanks for the kind words.

[@counselor5286]

been waiting for a soft fluffy sand and hard pack wet firm sand tips in one video --you landed within 3 feet of the flag stick on both tips---thanks for clear concise video and side graphics labeling.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

My pleasure!

[@devia1988]

I wish I saw this one before my 18 holes hitting 6 bunkers today haha, thanks as always though Clay, great vid which will help me in the future!

[@geraldpetersen9188]

This is exactly how I took four shots out of the hard bunker.Will practice this,thanks Clay.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Have fun

[@crazygolf1695]

I was surprised that the video came out on the day I asked for it! Thank you very much. It's my saved video!

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Haha...you're very welcome!

[@silminawaz3825]

First video I have seen someone explain how to play and also how to not play! 👌 very good teaching technique.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jackb2905]

Quality video Watched many bunker videos Took a lot more from this than any other video

[@moheetoes]

This video will help me greatly. One weakness in my game is hitting out of sand bunkers, I'm usually all over the place. So this video will really help me, Thanks Clay

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Glad to help!

[@albertbeasley6005]

Great instruction. Well done. 👍🏌⛳🇺🇸😀

[@TopSpeedGolf]

My pleasure!

[@cliffhregis]

This video is so time appropriate... because of the coronavirus many courses don't have rakes and the sand becomes hard

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Hope it helps. Play well!

[@Chris_Traynor]

Very helpful and rarely talked about

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Thanks!

[@edsloyer1012]

If you are ever in the NY area please let me know. Would love to do a lesson. As usual you are the best!

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Maybe one day!

[@owl331]

Been following your channel and have subscribed to your topspeed channel. You are a great teacher have help my game .But would have it been more practical to film before a rain and then after a rain.

[@deanpatterson8192]

Clay, another great video. Your tips have been very helpful as I get back into playing.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Thanks!

[@stevemarch939]

Clay, Do you have a hitting out of fairway bunkers video? If not, this would be a great follow up to today's. Thanks!

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Yessir! kzbin.info/www/bejne/g6esZGh-fsyjrMk

[@stevemarch939]

@@TopSpeedGolf thank you Clay!

[@tonyburke4154]

Great explanation 👍

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Glad it was helpful!

[@GermanBullitt]

Great lesson.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Glad you liked it!

[@rickcudmore8156]

This video is one day late. I was in a bunker yesterday with hard compact sand. I tried to play as if it was a plugged lie and flew the ball over the green. I will practice this technique.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Better late than never :-)

[@ranmangolf]

Many courses, especially municipal courses do not have lots of sand in the bunker and the club hits the sand, skips and thins the ball over the green. I would love to see a video on this because I've talked to lots of golfers and I'm not seeing this addressed by many online instructors.

[@sirjaketh6082]

Knowledge is power thank u sir

[@steveking3051]

Great bunker lesson! Do the same basic rules apply for a shorter sand shot, just a softer swing? Thanks!

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Yes

[@edwardhalse6342]

Great video. What about a typical 10 yards bunker shot?

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Thanks! It's all the same. You like won't have to swing as hard as Clay does in this video. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor

[@bugatlargeh.6975]

Great tips!

[@vt718]

Clay, great video as usual! You indicate you have to open your stance and open your clubface. Could you please diagram these in relation to the target line and swing path? thank you!

[@nbt3663]

As cruddy a golfer as I am, I'm a pretty good bunker player. I tell people once you've looked at the ball, youve probably already missed. I look at a grain or two of sand about 2 inches behind the ball. Swing speed for me, depends on length of shot vs sand consistancy.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Thanks for sharing!

[@anthonyandrea3968]

Clay - what loft wedge are u using in the bunker? I think saw 60. Do u always use the same club?

[@hugojj101]

great vid, thanks

[@TheDarienJim]

Great video.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Thanks!

[@ggaspord]

Thanks Clay.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Very welcome

[@tonytobin5516]

Topman great vid

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Thanks!

[@stevesinger6626]

What degree of bounce is best? I'm having a tough time in the sand with my Ping L wedge 58 degrees with 12 degrees of bounce? Love your videos!

[@TopSpeedGolf]

It really just depends on the conditions you usually play in and personal preference. Here is a video on bounce Clay did a long time ago: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nmW4e4CViM6Ng9k. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor

[@scooterjohnson9440]

don't think theres a swing or topic this guy doesn't cover. Good stuff!

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Thanks!

[@bradders5974]

Great video Clay - as they all are.....I was always under the impression that, especially on a soft sand lie, to open the stance as well as the club....almost like a "V" shape. Shoulders open at 10 o'clock, say, and the club face pointing at 2pm, say...with the flag/target at noon....not quite so exaggerated as that but you get the idea? Your video didn't seem to say anything about the body being open? My soft bunker shots are pretty decent for the most part so have I just got used to the shot with a poor technique? :) Keep up the great work - can't wait to get out and master my driver...after your help.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Hi David, the direction of the shot is going to be mostly in the direction of the face. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor

[@LOHO8682]

Great sand instruction, what's your advice (for both hard and soft sand) if the distance is much less (i.e. short side bunker)? I tend to still hit it too far, if I slow down the swing speed it's 50/50 success.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

More loft and shorter swing. Clay was swinging about as hard as he could with his LW on these and it wasn't quite getting there. It just takes practice.

[@steveb3822]

Hi There Clay. What club for 40-50 yard out the wet bunker bud ?

[@TopSpeedGolf]

56 degree

[@larryharris7485]

in a wet hard sand would you put the ball in the middle of your stance instead of close to your front heel of your front foot as you would in soft sand?

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Use the technique Clay goes over in the video. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor

[@billenright2788]

Great stuff. I live in Oklahoma and sometimes bunkers are like concrete in summer. How to hit that one? Chip it out? Thanks

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Same way as you do in a wet packed bunker like the video.

[@glennwatson3313]

A pro told me once to put some of the sand on the green with the ball. That seems to help.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Thanks for sharing!

[@butlerfranz]

What degree of bounce and grind type do you recommend for sand?

[@razzlesdazzles3719]

this mayb a stoopid question but where r u looking when ur hitting the ball as in front of the ball ? back?or past the ball??

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Typically the back of the ball but this isn't what I would consider a universal truth. Some players hit the ball better looking at other arbitray places. If you look at David Duval's swing, it looks as if he is looking 3 feet ahead of impact at impact. Look wherever allows you to hit the ball the best. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor

[@sonnykrag9025]

thanks for the video! However - how do you control the lenght of the two types of bunkershots? Opening your body more - or the wedge. Hitting less hard? What if it is longer? Gap wedge - or closing the face/body more?

[@TopSpeedGolf]

You control distance mostly the same way you control distance for any other shot: loft and speed. The ball will go further if you take less sand and hit closer to the golf ball like Clay does in the video. It just takes some practice to get a feel for the speed. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor

[@sonnykrag9025]

@@TopSpeedGolf Yes it does! (c: Thanks for the answer!

[@stevemarch939]

Good question Sonny! I had the same question. While I knew the answer, I thought maybe there was something I was missing in my technique. Thanks for asking.

[@ricknewton6619]

was in a bunker three times yesterday! could have used this lesion before taking two strokes to get out of one of them and just barley getting out of another :-(

[@vickim8355]

Driver ball striking

[@patten1962]

Good stuff

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Glad you enjoyed

[@patten1962]

@TopSpeedGolf I have really been struggling out of the bunkers as of late. Believe I have been to flat. Excited to try this.

[@patten1962]

@TopSpeedGolf Moved to South Florida from the north. Everything is different, sand, grass etc. Learning the game all over again.

[@noroy2]

Clay, in far west Texas (desert), bunkers some times are like just compacted dirt, super hard and very difficult to slam and dig the club, it always bounces. What should I do?

[@gototcm]

I assume the technique for hitting out of a trap with a thin layer of sand is similar to wet sand. Close the face a bit and dig deeper but tell me if I am wrong.

[@christophercheatwood7778]

Any tips on when your ball is half buried in the sand? Fried egg style.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Yeah, you'll use a similar technique to a wet bunker. Your need that club to dig some to get under the ball. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor

[@28russ]

But what club were you using? The obvious answer would be a sand wedge but it looked like it could have been a lob wedge from the amount bounce/ flange on it and if you wanted more distance could you club up to say a pitching wedge or 9 iron and use the same technique or club down to go shorter?

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Clay probably used a 60 degree wedge. It may have actually been better to use a 56 degree here because he was having a little trouble getting the ball all the way back to that pin. It was about 35 yards. If you have a longer bunker shot then you can blast lower lofted wedges. If you get into irons then it can be tough because there isn't as much bounce.

[@28russ]

@@TopSpeedGolf Cool, that makes sense . Thanks for the reply. :-)

[@Mj-CWO4]

How does grind and bounce affect a hard bunker shot?

[@shuilong52]

THE FOLLOW THRU IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE BACK SWING IN ALL GOLF SHOT-THIS IS ESPECIALLY SO FOR BUNKER SHOT

[@76film]

thank you for the video, once again easy to understand & best explanation! i have one question, if I want to create back spin with bunker shot, do I hit it closer to the ball?

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Thanks! Yes, you'll need to hit closer to the ball with an open face.

[@AB-nv7bz]

Great tips for the wet sand. I'm really good out of soft sand, but struggle out the the wet. Less open face, steeper attack, little less speed. Basically the opposite of what I do in soft sand.

[@dallasreid7755]

He said more speed out of harder sand

[@AB-nv7bz]

@@dallasreid7755 dried out hard sand the club will bounce. This guy plays in Florida so every course is perfect

[@jonathanyoung7050]

You say club face open. When you open club face is the face pointed to the target & feet are pointing left?

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Feet will be pointing left.

[@isleofdeath]

How, with being ultra aggressive at hard lies, do you tackle really short bunker shots, where the flag is just about 7 to 8 yards away with short green behind it an a high bunker edge to surpass? Thanks for help!

[@TopSpeedGolf]

You control distance with loft, speed and where you hit the sand in relationship to the ball. More loft and less speed to hit it shorter.

[@isleofdeath]

@@TopSpeedGolf But less speed sort of contradicts the aggressiveness. More loft for instance by opening the club face wider, sounds reasonable.

[@christinashaw3391]

So funny!

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Thanks!

[@larsmenken2679]

So there is no bunker shot where I don’t open the club up? I am fundamentally have hit every shot wrong then, ever. Sometimes they come out well, but often go over the green or into the face of the bunker. My issue is that I don’t understand the bounce/grind enough. I look for a wedge on the web and then the page shots terms at me like TS SS WS ( I like Ping) or other terms for grind and I just switch off and go on with what I have.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

If it's a fried egg then you won't open the face. You need to the club to dig a lot to get under the ball. You can play every shot like that and there have been some great players that have like Seve but it's not the easiest way. Here is a great video where Clay goes over bounce in detail: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nmW4e4CViM6Ng9k. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor

[@larsmenken2679]

In the one bunker with sand in it this has worked really well. In the bunker as hard as a card path not so much ;-) 2nd super hard punker I played it like a little chip shot and it trickled out.

[@nbt3663]

How do you work on your level of concentration?

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Get a routine and practice it. Play well! Quentin | TSG Instructor

[@eugenedizon48]

What loft wedge are you using in this video?

[@TopSpeedGolf]

60, opened to about 72, I'm guessing. You could use a 56 and open it to 65 or so for longer shots. Never square though. Hope that helps.

[@jamesconnor4479]

What about rock hard concrete bunkers where the club cant enter any sand?

[@jamesconnor4479]

I usually just clip it off this kind of lie and get it on the green to avoid a double

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Same technique as wet sand

[@golfdoctorphd]

What about bunkers with only a half inch of sand on top of hard pan?

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Same technique as with a wet bunker

[@golfdoctorphd]

Thank you

[@JoDoDesigns2011]

Clay, how did you know I play in the sand so much......lol

[@TopSpeedGolf]

It was a good guess 😂. Hope you're playing well!

[@OpaKnows]

A Pro V1 would have flown straight in every time.

[@TopSpeedGolf]

😂

[@Vanzgardian1]

Which African safari guide you steal that hat from?

[@TopSpeedGolf]

😂

[@blackstaticband]

IMO hardpan lies are way more difficult

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Thanks for sharing!

[@jorgen5786]

Who else knows how wet bunkers than Clay

[@TopSpeedGolf]

🤓

[@IIrandhandleII]

Why not just hit a chip shot off hard pan?

[@faizaljay3323]

👍🏻💪🏻

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Thanks!

[@konstantinethegr8]

Whatabout bunkers that have no sand lol

[@TopSpeedGolf]

Same technique as a wet bunker.

[@3cmphotostudio]

That is not a soft bunker. In my home club, the sand in some bunkers will bury your feet in the sand! That is called soft bunker.

[@Sam-nm6el]

L

[@TheMightySandow]

I have to disagree a bit here, you need to be aggressive and accelerate through the sand but a good bunker shot is a delicate shot, not as hard as possible

[@CHUMPTYTRUMPTY]

Swing hard? Really? No thanks.

[@caramandala2326]

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