Bunkers, also called sand traps are located in strategic positions to make reaching certain parts of the golf course like the green harder. As a player, you will eventually run into one of these sand traps and it is important that you can play out of it. The sand save is a term that is often used when players are in the sand.
What is a sand bunker in golf?
While bunkers come in all shapes and sizes, there is just one type of bunker according to the rules of golf: a sand bunker. As we explore in this article, sand bunkers on different courses have received different names and are described in various ways, but they’re all considered the same type of hazard.
What is a 'sand trap' in golf?
In golf, bunkers (colloquially called sand traps) are part of the game. Learning to play from a bunker is an important skill, and making sand saves is a good indication of that skill. What is a 'sand save' in golf?
What is the nickname for a golfer who hits into Bunker?
And "Bunky" is a nickname for a golfer who hits into a lot of bunkers. Take a seat in the dugout: Said to a golfer who hit into the sand, the "dugout" being the bunker. Sand emporium: Golfer Chuck to golfer Gary after Gary hits into a bunker: "Welcome to Gary's Sand Emporium, bogeys on sale today!"
What is a sand save in golf?
Typically, an up-and-down from a bunker is considered a sand save -- also known as a "sandie" or "sandy" -- when those two strokes mean a player scores a par as a result. However, golfers often say they have made a sandy or sandie when they have scored better than par.
What are the sand dunes in golf called?
The word "links" comes via the Scots language from the Old English word hlinc: "rising ground, ridge" and refers to an area of coastal sand dunes and sometimes to open parkland; it is cognate with lynchet.
What are sand bunkers for in golf?
Bunkers are usually positioned on the sides of the fairway and around the green. They are specifically made to punish poor shots. Bunkers are designed to test a golf player's ability to use different clubs and skills to hit the golf ball out of the sand.
What are waste bunkers in golf?
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Why are they called bunkers in golf?
Early golf developed on links land, where sand blew across the course and 'burns' (small rivers) ran across it to the sea. In time these were shaped into the hazards that they are today, especially the sand, putting it in pits called bunkers.
What is another name for a bunker in golf?
Bunker is the proper term for what is commonly called a sand trap.
What is a fairway bunker called?
Waste Bunker In some cases, waste bunkers even replace rough altogether and borders fairways directly, or after a margin of first cut.
What are the different types of bunkers?
Types of Bunkers They are at least five types of the bunkers: munitions storage, personal, industrial, artillery, and trench.
What is the difference between a sand trap and a bunker?
The most significant difference between a sand trap and a bunker is in its design. A sand trap is a man-made pit on the course that is then filled with sand. A bunker is also a depression on the course (either natural or man made), but it doesn't always have to be filled with sand.
Why do golf courses have sand traps?
Sand bunkers provide a psychological landmark. They accentuate the hole and provide targets for directing the golfer to a defined landing area whether it is the fairway or green. Sand bunkers provide safety buffers for adjacent fairways, tees or greens, both physically and visually.
Why do you put sand on golf greens?
Sand helps cushion leaf tips and crowns and reduces algae. Increased Firmness – Turf produces organic matter in the upper rootzone that creates soft, spongy playing conditions. Regular sand topdressing, along with core aeration, improves surface firmness and resiliency.
What's the difference between a sand trap and a bunker in golf?
Design. The most significant difference between a sand trap and a bunker is in its design. A sand trap is a man-made pit on the course that is then filled with sand. A bunker is also a depression on the course (either natural or man made), but it doesn't always have to be filled with sand.
How much sand should be in a golf bunker?
At minimum, sand depth should be 4 inches on bunker floors to prevent golfers from striking a liner or underlying soil while playing a shot.
Can you ground your club in a bunker?
Not allowed to ground your club in the bunker The main rule to follow in bunkers is you are not allowed to touch the sand with your club whether that be grounding it behind the ball, shifting sand on your backswing or having a practice shot in the sand.
What is a sand save?
More often than not, a sand save or sandy is only when a player hits into a greenside bunker, though. Sometimes, players will use a slightly different term for a sand save or a sandy for birdie or eagle, saying it's a "sandy birdie" or a "sandy eagle," tacking on the score made to the word sandy.
What is a bunker in golf?
In golf, bunkers (colloquially called sand traps) are part of the game. Learning to play from a bunker is an important skill, and making sand saves is a good indication of that skill.
Is it easy to make sand saves in golf?
Making sand saves in golf is not especially easy. Even professional golfers struggle to make sand saves, or sandies. There are many professional golfers who struggle to make sand saves more than 50 percent of the time.
What does it mean to sandbag a golfer?
A golfer who has won by sandbagging is said to have "sandbagged" his opponents. The term did not originate with golfers, rather, it came to golf after originating in the world of street gangs and toughs. It first passed through to poker before finally being adopted by golfers.
What is a sandbagger in golf?
Updated May 24, 2019. In golf, "sandbagger" is a derogatory term applied to golfers who cheat by pretending to be worse than they really are. Think of how a golf bet often begins: With one golfer asking another, "How many strokes are you going to give me?".
What is a golfer who deliberately misleads others about his ability in order to gain in some way
But a golfer who deliberately misleads others about his ability in order to gain in some way—to win a bet, for example—is a sandbagger. In the golf lexicon, a usage example of this version of sandbagger is: "Don't bet with Bob - he's a sandba gger.".
How can a sandbagger inflate his handicap?
One of the ways a sandbagger can inflate his handicap index is by selectively leaving out his best rounds of golf when he posts scores for handicap purposes. Another is to, more simply, lie about the scores he is posting (claiming higher scores than actually shot).
Is a golfer a sandbagger?
Generally, any golfer who misle ads others about his ability level, claiming to be worse than he actually is at golf, might be a sandbagger. If the person is not trying to gain from that deception, no problem (he might not even be aware he is misleading others about his ability—maybe he just has low self-esteem or a sincere but incorrect view ...
What is a greenside bunker?
A "greenside bunker" is any bunker that is adjacent to the putting green. Such a bunker is often said to "guard the green.". A " pot bunker ," sometimes called a pothole or pothole bunker, is a small, round, but very deep type of bunker common on links golf courses . A " church pews bunker " is a long bunker whose length is interspersed ...
What is a shot out of a bunker called?
A stroke played out of a bunker is called a "bunker shot.". Bunkers themselves can also be called traps, sand traps or sand bunkers. Most golfers use "trap" and "bunker" interchangeably. But golf's governing authorities, the R&A and USGA, only use the term "bunker," never "sand trap.".
What is a bunker?
"A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil has been removed. These are not part of a bunker: 1 "A lip, wall or face at the edge of a prepared area and consisting of soil, grass, stacked turf or artificial materials, 2 "Soil or any growing or attached natural object inside the edge of a prepared area (such as grass, bushes or trees), 3 "Sand that has spilled over or is outside the edge of a prepared area, and 4 "All other areas of sand on the course that are not inside the edge of a prepared area (such as deserts and other natural sand areas or areas sometimes referred to as waste areas)."
What is the difference between a pitching wedge and a sand wedge?
Pitching wedge: The lowest-lofted of the wedges (the one that hits the ball the farthest), pitching wedges (abbreviated PW) are usually included in a set of irons. The PW is considered one of the basic clubs every golfer carries. Sand wedge: Designed specifically to make hitting shots out of bunkers easier. Abbreviated SW.
How many degrees are sand wedges?
Typically, sand wedges have lots from 52 to 56 degrees. As lofts on irons have decreased over time (e.g., a 5-iron today might be lofted at 26 degrees, whereas 30 years ago a 5-iron would have been lofted at 32 degrees), it has become more popular to carry additional wedges.
What is the loft of a lob wedge?
A typical lob wedge might have a loft of 60 degrees to 64 degrees. As its name implies, a lob wedge allows a player to "lob" the ball high into the air, from where it will drop steeply down onto the green, with little or no roll. With pitching wedges typically lofted from 42 to 46 degrees, the gap wedge is so-called because it closes ...
Why are gap wedges called wedges?
Today, the other two wedges that are common are: Gap wedge: So-named because it falls in-between the pitching wedge and sand wedge in loft. The gap wedge has more loft than a PW, less loft than a SW.
Why do golfers use wedges?
Because wedge shots have such a high trajectory, they tend to roll very little once they hit the green. More accomplished players can produce a great deal of backspin with a wedge, causing the ball to back up (or "bite") once it hits the green. Any wedge can also be used for chipping around the green.
What is a wedge in golf?
Wedges are the highest-lofted clubs in a set of golf clubs, designed for short approach shots (for most golfers, 120 yards and in), strokes played out of sand, chip shots and pitch shots, and generally any shot for which the golfer wants the ball to ascend and descend sharply.
What is the bounce angle on a golf wedge?
Bounce is a physical property of the sole of a golf wedge. And bounce is a concept that even golfers who have been playing for decades may not understand, or may misunderstand.
What is a baseball grip?
Baseball Grip – A type of grip that resembles a baseball bat grip. Others might call it a 10-finger grip. Below the Hole – A term that refers to a putt where the hole is at a higher elevation than the ball. Big Dog – A Driver. Bite – A term used by golfers for a golf ball to stop rolling.
What is a big dog in golf?
Big Dog – A Driver. Bite – A term used by golfers for a golf ball to stop rolling. Bladed Shot – A chip shot from just off the green purposely hit with the bottom of the club. Played often from when the ball rests against the collar of the green. Runs like a putt.
Why is backspin important in golf?
It is important for distance and accuracy. Backspin – Spin is very important in most aspects golf and you will often come across the term when comparing clubs or in golfing instructions. Simply put, more backspin will give you a high ball with a fair amount of control.
What is an ace in golf?
Ace – Otherwise known as a hole in one an ace is when the ball finds the hole from the tee in a single stoke. It is the dream of many golfers.
What is a local rule in golf?
Local Rule – Specific rule or rules that are not mainstream and only for that particular golf course. Long – A term for a golfer who hits the ball far (Dustin Johnson). Long Game – Refers to hitting long irons, woods, hybrids, and driver. Lob Wedge – A type of wedge that is usually in the 60 to 64-degree range.
What is the back nine of a golf course?
Back Nine – This refers to the last 9 holes of a typical 18 hole course, also known as heading in. Backswing – As the term suggests, this is simply the action taking when swinging back before striking the golf ball. It is important for distance and accuracy.
What is a fat shot in golf?
The specifics and colors can vary from course to course. Fat – A fat shot is when the club strikes the ground before the ball.
What is a foursome golf?
First, a “foursome” is commonly understood by most human beings as a group of four people, and more specifically a group of four golfers, long before we know that it refers to the alternate shot format in match play. Plus, it’s vague. Unlike “all square” or “halved,” there is nothing in that word that tells you what’s happening. Third, the other pairs format in events like the Ryder Cup is called “fourballs” which sounds very similar. Confront a casual fan with those two terms and ask him to discern which one involves alternating shots, and that fan will have some studying to do. This would be a no-brainer if the foursomes/fourballs terms were more distinct, but instead they’re highly confusing for a new fan.
What is a bunker called?
And another: “It’s a rules thing. Bunker is the proper term for what is commonly called a sand trap. Bunker is official terminology, sand trap is just what people say.”. Here again, as with the verb debate, a lot of people seem to be at war with common usage.
Is it wrong to say you're golfing?
Golf, the language police say, is a game, and “playing golf” is the activity. Therefore, to say that you’re “golfing,” or that you “want to golf,” or that you “golfed yesterday,” is fundamentally incorrect.
Is golf a verb?
There’s definitely some arcane etymological explanation (probably involving Germans), but on the surface it makes no sense. So if golf is a verb, it’s one of our least bizarre anomalies. And, in fact, here’s some bad news: It is a verb, no matter how much serious golfers object.
What is a sunblock golfer?
Sunblock: A golfer who spends a lot of time in bunkers (a k a, at the beach). Sunday Ball: Same as a "lunch ball" - another term for a mulligan (do-over). Tiger Tees: The teeing grounds used in professional tournaments, or the rearmost tees at any golf course. U.S.G.A .:
What is golf slang?
Golf slang is a colorful part of the game, and golf slang terms can be universally used or be specific to a very small region. Small groups of golfers might even develop their own terms, unique to their rounds.
What is a back door putt?
Back-door putt: A putt that catches the edge of the hole, spins around to the back of the hole, and falls into the cup off that back edge of the hole. Barkie: A bet won by a golf who makes par on a hole after his golf ball hit a tree. Also called a "woody" or "woodie" (and sometimes spelled "barky").
What is a golf cart jockey?
Cart Jockey: A golf course employee who greets golfers before the round, offers them help getting their bags onto the golf cart, and/or gives them a lift from the parking lot to the pro shop . After the round, the cart jockey usually greets the golfers again as they leave the 18th green, offers to give their clubs a wipe-down, ...
What is a golf shot with a lot of spin?
Pole Dancer: When your shot into the green hits the flagstick, it's a pole dancer. Popeye: A shot with lots of "spinnage" (lots of spin). Rainmaker: A golf shot with a very high trajectory. Usually applied to pop-ups, skyballs or other mis-hits, but can be applied to a shot played intentionally.
What does "off the deck" mean in golf?
Off the Deck: A stroke played this way means the golf ball is sitting on the ground, as opposed to a tee. This phrase is typically used when talking about hitting one's driver off the fairway — "hitting driver off the deck.".
What is the golf club called when you cheat?
Hand Wedge: The "club" a golfer uses when he cheats by picking up the golf ball and tossing it into a better spot. Sometimes called a "hand mashie.". Hangman: A score of 9 on a hole. Because the numeral "9" looks like a person hanging from a noose in the children's fill-in-the-blanks game called Hangman. Sort of.
