When to Putt From A Greenside Bunker (Video) - by Pete Styles
When to Putt From A Greenside Bunker (Video) - by Pete Styles

So we have already talked about how we can use a putter when we are not on the putting green when we are on the greenside fringe or in little hollows around the green but how about in a bunker, I don’t know whether you ever tried or using putter in a bunker or whether you have seen anybody try using a bunker, some people actually call putting out a bunker is cheating but you know legally you are allowed to do it, but you really got to pick and choose the right bunker otherwise you can look foolish because you try and be clever and hit your putts around it and hits the lip them roles back in and all your mates are going to laugh at you. So make sure you pick and choose the right bunkers firstly the bunker should be very firm, maybe if it’s been raining a lot the sands little bit washed away and it’s firm and solid the ball might roll better out of that, you also need to pick a bunker that has no lip on the front of it. Maybe if the sand is booted up against right or the left or even the sand is above the lip so you can kind of launch the ball over the sand and out on the other side, that’s the only time you should really using a putter, if there is a lip it will just hit the lip and rolls straight back down. If you are at the back edges of the bunker and there is no real backswing and you can't really pick it up with the wedge or you can do is knock it forward with the putter that might work for you also, try and play the ball a little bit back in your stance if you have to take the shot on, trying to hit a little bit on the equator of the ball, hit it down nice and firmly get quickly across the sand and get it jumping out.

When the ball comes out it will have no real control on the green it wont spin on the green your sand wedge normally would so we are expected to get on that run and roll. So it’s a shot that you should only really play when the conditions are in your favor and maybe if you have got a good bunker shot game you would actually feel more confident playing it with a wedge but if you are struggling in bunker and you have no confidence legally you can use a putter, have a little practice on the practice green workout at which bunker condition work well for you, but it needs to be firm and it needs to have no lip and don’t expect any control when the balls comes out on the putting green either.

 2012-07-13

So we have already talked about how we can use a putter when we are not on the putting green when we are on the greenside fringe or in little hollows around the green but how about in a bunker, I don’t know whether you ever tried or using putter in a bunker or whether you have seen anybody try using a bunker, some people actually call putting out a bunker is cheating but you know legally you are allowed to do it, but you really got to pick and choose the right bunker otherwise you can look foolish because you try and be clever and hit your putts around it and hits the lip them roles back in and all your mates are going to laugh at you. So make sure you pick and choose the right bunkers firstly the bunker should be very firm, maybe if it’s been raining a lot the sands little bit washed away and it’s firm and solid the ball might roll better out of that, you also need to pick a bunker that has no lip on the front of it. Maybe if the sand is booted up against right or the left or even the sand is above the lip so you can kind of launch the ball over the sand and out on the other side, that’s the only time you should really using a putter, if there is a lip it will just hit the lip and rolls straight back down. If you are at the back edges of the bunker and there is no real backswing and you can't really pick it up with the wedge or you can do is knock it forward with the putter that might work for you also, try and play the ball a little bit back in your stance if you have to take the shot on, trying to hit a little bit on the equator of the ball, hit it down nice and firmly get quickly across the sand and get it jumping out.

When the ball comes out it will have no real control on the green it wont spin on the green your sand wedge normally would so we are expected to get on that run and roll. So it’s a shot that you should only really play when the conditions are in your favor and maybe if you have got a good bunker shot game you would actually feel more confident playing it with a wedge but if you are struggling in bunker and you have no confidence legally you can use a putter, have a little practice on the practice green workout at which bunker condition work well for you, but it needs to be firm and it needs to have no lip and don’t expect any control when the balls comes out on the putting green either.