Let’s be honest: if you’re reading this, you’ve probably already found yourself in a bunker and briefly considered just leaving your ball there forever. Or maybe you chunked it out of thick rough and watched it move a solid two feet. We’ve all been there. Welcome to the part of golf where your dignity goes to die: recovery shots.
This is your friendly, judgment-free guide to getting out of bunkers, hacking through rough, and not completely falling apart when things go sideways (which, let’s face it, is often).
When You Land in a Bunker (a.k.a. Nature’s Way of Laughing at You)
Bunkers are those cute little sand traps you see on TV that pros escape from like it’s no big deal. For us? It’s like digging ourselves out of a beach pit with a spoon.
- Use a sand wedge. That’s what it’s for. If you’re not sure which one that is, it’s the one that still looks brand new because you’ve avoided using it.
- Open the clubface a bit. Like… not full-on windshield wiper, but enough to help the club glide through the sand instead of digging a crater.
- Don’t try to hit the ball. Aim to splash the sand behind it. Trust that the ball will ride the wave of shame out of the bunker.
- Commit to the swing. Nothing worse than a hesitant flop that goes… nowhere.
Bonus tip: If you don’t make it out the first time, you now know how to rake a bunker. That’s growth.
When Your Ball is in the Rough (and You Can Barely See It)
Welcome to the jungle. The rough may sound innocent, but it’s where your tempo dies and your confidence goes to cry in the cart.
- Club up. You’re not reaching the green from here, pal. Take a more lofted club and just try to get back to safety.
- Choke down and swing steeper. Think “karate chop,” not “lazy sweeping hug.” You want to minimize how much grass grabs your clubface.
- Forget hero shots. If there’s a tree in front of you, just punch it out sideways like a sensible adult. Nobody remembers a bogey save, but they WILL remember your quadruple snowman.
It’s okay to lay up. It’s okay to feel mildly defeated. Just don’t swing like you’re in a rage blackout and expect good results.
Managing Expectations (and Your Emotions)
You’re going to hit bad shots. You’re going to find the rough. You’re going to hate sand. But you’re also going to make miraculous escapes once in a while, and those feel amazing. Try to laugh when you blade a bunker shot over the green and into a parking lot. That’s golf. That’s life.
And hey, if it goes really bad, there’s always the old “Wow, great lie… for someone else” joke. You’ll be out of the hole and back in the cart soon enough.
Quick Recovery Shot Checklist
- Sand? Open clubface, hit behind the ball, follow through like you mean it.
- Rough? Club up, swing down, punch it back to safety.
- Emotionally wrecked? Take a breath. Or a snack. Or both.
Getting out of trouble is part of the game—and part of the fun, weirdly. So go ahead: chunk, hack, splash, and scramble. It won’t always be pretty, but you’ll get there.
