hard packed greenside bunkers

Our bunkers are more dirt than sand. Most of them have at least a two foot lip and a coulple have a lip and are set beside an elevated green. When they get wet they are very hard and the club will only cut 1/4 to 3/8 inches. On the flatter lies I can usually chip out but have no idea how to negotiate the 3-4 foot elevations to a narrow green. Can you give me some ideas? Thanks.

I usually try to hit these without taking too much sand first, i.e like a regular pitch or lob shot.

Use a low bounce wedge with as much loft as you need to get over the lip, place ball in middle of stance, do not open club face. Make a smooth swing, sweep the ball with as little sand as possible (½ inch max) and finish in a full follow-through.

The ball will fly and roll more but the high lip should not be a problem. Always practice these shots before using them on the course.

Good luck!

i run into this at courses i play to, i personally because most courses the bunkers are kinda hard( there not gonna till them every day) .i took a 64 degree wedge and ground off some of the bounce, lets me get cleanly under the ballalso works great off thin lies where you need the ball to get up and stop fast.the shorter the distance to the hole the more you have to open the clubface and stance.i can open my club about 35 degrees open taking club back to 9 o,clock give it a good hard swing and follow thru and the ball will come sraight up and only travel about 10 yards with very little roll.word of caution make sure there nobody in you swing path if you skull it its gonna be 50 yards or more away.practise it alot its a real shot saver.

The key to hard pack is a low bounce club. This will help it dig more than bounce. If it's really, really hard pack, then play it like a pitch, and again, use a low bounce club.

When playing out of hard packed bunkers be sure to lean your shoulders toward the target. By this I mean playing most of your weight on your front foot, and a slightly open stance. Open up your face and play the ball about 12 inches behind your foward foot. If you lean toward your target it forces your club into the sand first, preventing the bounce of the club from skidding into the ball which results in a "skulled" shot across the green. You may also find it easier to use a higher lofted club than the sand wedge, i personally prefer my lob wedge from tight bunker lies. When you get used to playing out of firmer bunkers, you will find that it is actually easier to spin in out of these type bunkers.

I also play courses with these 'hard pan" bunkers which after being watered down, are sun baked. I use my lob wedge, and choke down on the club as needed for distance. I use a normal chipping stroke with no wrist action, while keeping my hands even with the club head. This type of stroke (for me) lets me use all of the club's loft. I was taught this shot by a guy who learned it by hitting balls off a piece of wood. GJS

Firstly try asking your club too get better bunkers, but if that doesnt work when I play after its been raing and the sand is hard, i use the same set up as a normal bunker shot and same swing. I use a 60* lob wedge, however I turn my feet inwardsthis allows the club to get through the sand easier. try to hit closer too the ball though.