How to succesfully hit out of certain greenside bunkers?

[stillgolfing]

Initially, when testing/learning /playing PGA 2000 I never felt there was anything too unusual about getting out of a greenside bunker, but at that early stage I had not been in too many, and I was usually playing the original courses. I wasn't great, but I was doing OK. Typically I would choose the blast feature from the dropdown menu and I would make some judgement about distance vs height and usually end up somewhere on the green. Worst case scenario a bogie or a double (if I was playing the hole normally).
However, as I have now downloaded more designer courses and recently tried to play a Mini Season on Tour, I'm running into certain bunkers from which I can't extricate myself.
In those circumstances where I wasn't playing a season, I have saved the shot and tried it over and over again in an effort to come up with some shot selection (turn backwards and go back down the fairway if necessary) that will get me out, but in most cases, numerous practice shots and club changes later, I'm still stuck in the sand. Typically I initially just end up in the sand, closer to the lip, and then next I would hit the lip and end up father away than I originally was.
This is particularly frustrating when playing a Season Tourney. I can't get out of a bunker so I can't continue and have to drop out of the Tourney (no fun!). That happened 3 times today at Muirfield ( just kept recreating the season so I could maybe get past this 1st round). Twice I was stuck in the bunker in front of the 7th green - how dumb is that? (as my docter said when I told him I'd broken my leg in two places ... "My advice? Ya gotta learn to stay out of those places!"
I suspect I may have to create a custom shot for the sand, but that module seems really confusing to me. A typical shot I have been unable to resolve is at Muirfield. I'm in the middle of the bunker in front of the 7th green. the pin is 47 inches up and I'm 35 ft from the pin. From earlier practice (based on advice from one of the members here) I have determined even though the game tells me the max distance for a lob wedge sand blast is 58 ft It's really 90. To be safe I decide to go with a 3/4 70 ft shot - I can chip back on if I have to. The ball hits the lip and bounces a few ft behind me. This continues for sometime, with different distances etc. Eventually, I decide to reverse my stance and then I go through the same nonsense, even though the back lip isn't as high. Any help would be appreciated.

[SteveHorn]

Dave! I just now downloaded Muirfied Village and put myself in the front bunkers at #7. I had no problems with several shots on both greenside bunkers in getting out and on the green close to the pin. That being said I had a partially (Med) buried lie and with alot of slope. You may not be used to how to make the proper adjustments. My default club is the LOB WEDGE not the sand wedge but there are times I use the sand wedge but not that often.If you click the shot setup shoes I had to move my horeshoe slightly back and towards the middle reaching around .875 or even more at 1.178. Those numbers are about what I adjusted to not exact. Also I moved the horsehoe Icon slightly backwards as I moved it in towards the middle so I would hit behind the ball (SAND FIRST) because of the slope and lie.
This adjustment isn't always nessasary but is a frequent adjustment for sloped lies in a bunker. Also the more the slope adjustment the harder you generally need to hit the ball. Also the worst the lie ( Buried or partly buried ) the harder you need to hit the ball. So with the slope adjustment and bad lie the furthest I could hit that blast with a lob wedge is about 22 yards where an avg. normal full swing blast with a lob wedge is about 35 yards. You need to practice and use the lob wedge most of the time. I don't have any custom shots set because I make so many adjustments that range all over the place that having one set just is'nt for me.
There are times where a flop may be nessasary but it's not that often and a flop will go further then a blast. PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE.

[Indy Anna Jones]

The key to getting out of almost any greenside bunker (some ARE just impossible!) is learning how to use loft. In some it's better to select a "drop" option, take the stroke penalty, and then try to get no worse than a bogey (or even save par if you're lucky.)

I have my Custom 1 loft set for +2.199 and custom 2 set at 2.872. You do this by clicking on your players hands and dragging the arrow forward, then click "save" if you want to keep the settings and/or "done" (mine are saved.) Through practice I know that on a flat surface and no wind I'm going to get these yardages:
LW: C1 38 yards; C2 25 yards
SW: C1 53 yards; C2 43 yards
PW: C1 78 yards; C2 65 yards.

Important note: Be sure and select your club BEFORE setting loft; if you change clubs go back and reset the loft because changing clubs will eliminate your settings.

Now I'm going to determine the power I need to use by the distance, position of the ball in/on the sand, wind, and slope to the pin. Generally I'm stuck only in deep pot bunkers (like Liverpool) and I'll take a drop there; but I've been able to put it on the green and close to the hole on shots with 25' of elevation and maybe 25-30' to the pin. Loft also makes the ball land nice and soft with little roll (usually; sometimes backspin eats it up.)

[tincup]

Dave,
In the Utilities area under Tutorials, there is an item titled "PGA2000 Game Play" (The documents within the zip are in MS Word format).

One of the segments (09) has a fairly comprehensive discussion on how to play sand shots. You might want to take a look at that.

Dar

[stillgolfing]

maybe yes,this adjustment isn't always nessasary but is a frequent adjustment for sloped lies in a bunker.It is hard to find the key to getting out of almost any greenside bunker is learning how to use loft.

WERE WE JUST SPAM'D?
Dave

[Indy Anna Jones]

Yep. I figured Dar would have removed it by now.

[tincup]

maybe yes,this adjustment isn't always nessasary but is a frequent adjustment for sloped lies in a bunker.It is hard to find the key to getting out of almost any greenside bunker is learning how to use loft.

Granted, the statements aren't very well worded, but the second sentence is really true (re, loft). I am having trouble seeing how this is spam.
Dar

[SteveHorn]

Dar! I think they are refuring to the 3 golf club web sites included with the comment.

[tincup]

Dar! I think they are refuring to the 3 golf club web sites included with the comment.

Odd. I could not see the links you mention above when I am logged in. I couldn't figure out what the heck you were talking about. A while ago, I came into the forum "not logged in" and I could see them. I have now deleted the "spam" post.

Dar