For the record, this would not normally be my shot of choice from a bunker.
However, there are situations where putting out of a bunker can make sense. Sometimes, that is because of the conditions. Sometimes, it is because of the player. If you are not comfortable splashing a bunker shot, the putter can become a legitimate option.
If you are thinking about putting out of a bunker, this is the process I would go through. More than anything, it comes down to deciding when it is the right time and the right conditions to use it.
Is the lie good enough to even consider a putter?
This is the first question because it usually eliminates the shot right away.
If the ball is sitting cleanly on top of firm sand, a putter can stay in play. If it is plugged, half-buried or sitting down at all, I would move on to another club. A putter is not going to help you when the ball needs to be lifted out of the sand. It only works when you can make pretty clean contact and get the ball rolling forward almost immediately.
Is there too much lip?
If there is any real lip to carry, the putter probably stops making sense. The less this shot needs to fly, the better the putter becomes. If the edge of the bunker is shallow, worn down or almost level with the green, now you have something to think about.
What happens after the ball gets out?
You have to think beyond just getting the ball onto the green. What happens next? Is the ball going to come out with too much speed? Is there a downslope waiting for it? Is the green running away from you? Is there water, rough or a tricky back edge if this goes too far?
Even if the ball comes out cleanly, it can come out low and hot with very little stopping power. If the green is sloping away or there is trouble behind it, the putter might not be the right choice.
If the path out of the bunker is shallow and the ball can sort of bump up and then behave more like a putt once it gets onto the green, that is when this idea starts to look smarter.
If the conditions are right, can you execute it without breaking the bunker rules?
If you get through the first three questions and still like the shot, then it becomes about execution.
The setup is pretty simple. Play the ball around the middle of your stance and make more of a normal putting stroke than anything fancy. You will usually need more pace than you think because the ball has to get through sand, possibly a little collar and then onto the green. The goal is not to jab at it. It is to make a controlled putting stroke with enough energy to keep the ball moving.
The big thing is keeping the putter above the sand. Do not set it down behind the ball. Do not brush the sand in a practice stroke. Even if you are using a putter, the Rules of Golf regarding bunkers still apply.
So, yes, you can putt from a bunker. But should you? You should only do it when the situation does not require much bunker skill in the first place.
Most of the time, I would rather use a wedge. But if the lie is clean and the lip is minimal, the rollout shot makes sense. If you can execute the shot cleanly without touching the sand, the putter can be a smart option. It’s even been used a few times on Tour.
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