I’ve attached a picture that hopefully illustrates the situation I often find myself in. I’m still quite a beginner at golf.
I’m in the rough outside of the bunker, but I have to chip over the bunker to a nearside pin. Bonus jank if the green runs downhill.
I feel essentially incapable of getting the ball close to the pin. I just have to settle for ending up on the far side of the green, 30-50 feet away or whatever. Then I have at least two putts to get it down, so this shot feels super score-inflating.
In a perfect world I wouldn’t be in this situation, but I’m not good enough to avoid it.
Ideally I would like to get more loft and just barely plop it on the other side of the bunker and roll to the pin. Is that essentially the ideal play? Any general tips on achieving this?
You need to learn a shot that checks up faster. Simple solution, but it takes lots of practice.
The goal is to add a lot of backspin—that way, you can hit a powerful enough shot to clear the bunker, but stop the ball before it rolls off the green.
Start with your sand wedge. Open the club face to add loft. Like, really open it, not just a fraction. Adjust the angle of your stance so that the leading edge of the club is once again aiming at the target. Re-grip the club after you’re in this new position (otherwise your hands are going to go right back to their original position when you swing).
When you swing the club, swing it as hard as you can. BUT, adjust the power via the distance of your backswing. Follow through, so that your backswing is about 25% of your swing, and your follow-through is 75%. This aggressive swing will add a lot of power into spinning the ball without sending it into the parking lot.
It’s hard, but once you learn it, it adds so much versatility to your game.
I’ll have to try this at the range. Seems like a tough shot to execute, but would be nice to know how to do. Thanks for the advice.
Obviously easier said than done, but hit a flop shot: Quick tutorial from the GOAT
A flop shot might be the best approach, but depending on the lie and your familiarity with that shot, there is potential to make a sizeable error.
It can be a score inflating on in multiple ways. If you try and get too tight with it you risk ending up in the bunker, which could be even more inflating.
I am a mid handicap but generally I try and add a little more loft to my club which will reduce the overall distance.
And then just settle for a long putt and hopefully then convert the 2 putt. I find that is fairly safe
Yeah this is my fear. I don’t really know how to hit a flop, so I just chip it extra far to avoid the bunker.
What works for me is placing the ball in the back of my stance. Short back swing but do not break your wrists and do not turn your hips. Hit down and through the ball. You have to go all the way through the ball trusting that you will get height without too much distance. How much of a back swing you have to adjust for the distance. But you always have to go all the way through. Swing path has to be a straight line with the ball. And don’t pick up your head. Watch the club hit the ball and then your head will turn and you will see it in the air above the green.