Bunkers
Five Steps For Improving Bunker Technique
Although hitting from bunkers is straightforward once you learn the basics of stance and posture, the thought of hitting into a green side sand trap unsettles many golfers. Improving your technique reduces the fear of bunker play and builds self-confidence in your shot-making capabilities.
Assuming the texture of the sand is similar, and the ball is not plugged, the technique for hitting out of a green side bunker remains the same for shots up to 30 yards (27m).
The key to making this shot, as I’ve explained in my golf tips, is hitting the sand about 1 to 2 inches behind the ball, throwing the sand forward with the ball. For longer shots the only thing that changes is the swing’s length. Rhythm and tempo remain the same.
Below are 5 points I cover in my golf lessons on bunker technique. They’re the focus of my golf instruction once I’ve reviewed how a wedge works and the fundamentals of stance and posture.
1. Move Arms Away in Unison
Having taken a slightly open stance, resist the temptation to get too steep early in the takeaway. Keep the wrists passive as you sweep the club away. Try to synchronize the arm swing and body turn. In other words, make the first part of the takeaway a one-piece movement. Also, make sure the club head follows the path away from the ball parallel to the line of your toes.
2. Rotate and Open
Rotate your left arm and wrists as the swing continues, as if you were looking at a wristwatch. It’s a visual I often use in my golf instruction to help players remember to make the move.
It opens the club face and helps maximize the bounce effect on the sand wedge at impact. Also, start hinging your wrists as the club head passes your right thigh. Keep your head still, turn the left shoulder in under the chin, and turn your back to the target.
3. Turn to the Top
As your body turns, you should feel as if your club head is pointing toward the sky and your wrists are cocked. Keep your head and body centered over the over the ball. Swing the club down on a slightly flatter plane, with good rhythm and tempo, as always. This is a key move any time you swing a club.
4. Make the Right Contact
Hitting the right impact point is critical when playing from the sand. In golf lessons I tell students to visualize the ball sitting on top of a tee instead of the sand, then focus on clipping the tee beneath the ball, which just happens to get in the swing’s way. Executed properly, this move will throw the ball out of the bunker with just the right amount of sand.
5. Create a Controlled Explosion
As the club comes down in the downswing, you should feel your hands drag left, pulling them across the ball through impact.
Make sure that your right hand doesn’t cross over the left and that you clear your left hip as the club comes through. If the stance and club head are open sufficiently, the ball will fly straight, with a high trajectory.
Of course, the technique for longer bunker shots differs slightly. The key with longer shots is in the follow-through. Use a full finish for long bunker shots, and a short finish for shorter bunker shots.
Below are two exercises that I use in golf lessons to help students improve their bunker technique:
• This exercise establishes how the sand wedge should really work. Stand in a practice bunker without a ball. Adopt your normal bunker stance and take several swings down into the sand.
The object is to get the feel of the club head dragging through the sand, not digging into it. After a dozen shots, try hitting a ball. Pick out a spot where you want the ball to land and then go for it.
Repeat the exercise until you’re comfortable with the feel of the wedge splashing through the sand.
• Focusing on a spot where the club head hits can divert attention from where it emerges, resulting in a fluffed shot. The “Two Lines” exercise helps eliminate the tendency to lose focus.
Stand in a bunker and take your normal bunker stance. Draw two lines in the sand about 6 to 7 inches apart. The lines represent the length of the sand you should carve from under the ball.
Line up several balls between the two lines then hit them. The club head should enter the sand where the first line is and emerge where the second line is.
Practicing these two exercises while keeping the 5 points in mind will help build better bunker technique.
As you become more and more comfortable with hitting out of a bunker, you will increase your self-confidence. And that, as I often tell my students, leads to better play and lower golf handicaps.
Five Steps For Improving Bunker Technique
Pretty element of content. I simply stumbled upon your weblog and in accession capital to assert that I get actually enjoyed account your blog posts. Anyway I will be subscribing in your augment or even I fulfillment you get admission to constantly fast.
You’re so cool! I do not suppose I’ve truly read through anything like that before. So wonderful to discover someone with some genuine thoughts on this subject. Really.. many thanks for starting this up. This web site is one thing that’s needed on the web, someone with a little originality!
Great amazing issues here. I am very glad to look your article. Thanks so much and i am looking forward to touch you. Will you please drop me a e-mail?
Lovely blog! I am loving it!! Will be back later to read some more. I am bookmarking your feeds also
Valuable information. Lucky me I discovered your web site accidentally, and I’m stunned why this coincidence did not happened in advance! I bookmarked it.
It’s really a urgensort cool and helpful piece of info. I am glad that you shared this useful info with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.
I have to convey my respect for your generosity supporting men and women who actually need help with your concept. Your special commitment to getting the message across has been exceptionally useful and has in every case empowered workers much like me to attain their pursuits. Your own important guidelines indicates so much to me and far more to my mates. Many thanks; from everyone of us.
I really appreciate this post. I have been looking all over for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You’ve made my day! Thx again!
I’m not sure where you’re getting your information, but great topic. I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more. Thanks for fantastic info I was looking for this information for my mission.
I’m extremely inspired twelwert along with your writing skills as neatly as with the structure for your blog. Is this a paid subject matter or did you modify it your self? Anyway keep up the excellent quality writing, it is rare to see a great weblog like this one today..
magnificent issues altogether, you simply gained a new reader. What could you recommend about your publish that you just made a few days ago? Any positive?
I am usually to twelwert blogging and i actually recognize your content. The article has really peaks my interest. I am going to bookmark your website and hold checking for brand new information.
Aw, this was an extremely nice post. Taking the time and actual effort to make a superb article… but what can I say… I put things off a whole lot and don’t manage to get anything done.
My brother suggested I might like this blog. He was entirely right. This post truly made my day. You cann’t imagine just how much time I had spent for this information! Thanks!
Your describing is very good.
Super-Duper site! I am loving it!! Will come back again. I am taking your feeds also
Wonderful goods from you, man. I have understand your stuff previous to and you’re just too great. I actually like what you have acquired here, really like what you are stating and the way in which you say it. You make it entertaining and you still take care of to keep it sensible. I cant wait to read much more from you. This is really a terrific site.
I have been browsing on-line greater than three hours these days, but I never found any interesting article like yours. It is beautiful price sufficient for me. In my opinion, if all web owners and bloggers made just right content material as you did, the net can be a lot more useful than ever before.
There is certainly a lot to find out about this topic. I like all of the points you have made.
Marvelous, what a website it is! This webpage provides valuable facts to us,
keep it up.