Bunker Play Made Easy

Do not hit the ball!!! There is only one situation when you are on the golf course that you want to have this as your swing thought, and this is when you are in a greenside bunker. The bunker shot is one of the easiest shots in golf to master once you learn the proper technique. Most golfers can get a leg up on the competition by acquiring this specialized shot. The bunker shot is different from any other shot in golf, because you don’t actually hit the ball with the club head. A fundamentally correct bunker shot requires a golfer to extricate the sand around and underneath the golf ball, splashing the sand and the ball onto the green in an explosive manner. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? Well, if you can adhere to the following fundamentals and promise to practice them until they become habit, you will no longer be discouraged if your aggressive approach shot falls into a greenside bunker.

First, get to know your sand wedge. Look at how it is designed and you will notice that the trailing edge of the club is lower than the leading edge. This is called bounce. It is also more rounded and wider across the bottom. The bounce of the wedge and the wider sole allow the club to slide, or bounce, through the sand by creating less resistance for the club head. So, basically the club does the work for you.

When you set up to the shot you will want to set your feet, hips, and shoulders a little left (or open) to the target line. You also want to point the club face a little bit right (or open) to the target line. Doing these two things allows your arms to swing more freely through the sand and allows the ball to jump out a little higher. Wiggle your feet to set your stance in the sand. This will reduce slippage and give you a solid base to swing from.

The swing is where this shot becomes different from any other. You will want to swing the club a little outside the target line on the way back cocking the wrists as soon as you can. Once you have set your wrists on the backswing you will swing the club forward along the line of your feet maintaining the angle of your wrists. Make contact with the sand about an inch behind the ball, depending on sand conditions, and accelerate through the sand trying to keep your wrists from turning over, or releasing. The sand should explode, or splash, out of the bunker and the ball will go along for the ride. A good drill is to practice this splashing without a ball in the bunker. Then once you feel comfortable with this, place a ball down, but remember to ignore the ball and just splash the sand out. You will be pleased with your results.The sand wedge is called a sand wedge because it is designed specifically for sand shots. So brush the dust off of yours, set up open to the target line, open the face, and blast the sand right out of that bunker, amazing your friends with your new found skill. If you are a golfer who has a bunker phobia, these fundamentals will help you gain an advantage over competition. Always keep in mind though, that the only way to become consistent is to practice these techniques regularly.