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BY GRANT SAYER - Blue Mountain
GC |
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Admit it: You hate
bunkers. You dread the very thought of them. Even
if you've learned the basics--open the clubface,
hit behind the ball, finish the swing--that hardly
helps when your ball is plugged under a lip or sitting
in a trap so close to the edge you have to stand
with one foot out and one foot in.
From what I see in pro-ams, most amateurs just don't
understand the basic principle of the greenside
bunker shot. Too often, they try to hit the ball,
not the sand.
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The best way to illustrate how to play this shot
is to imagine there's a plastic golf ball floating
in a pool, and you need to slap it out of the water
with your hand. You can't make direct contact with
the ball or it will stay in the water. You can't
hit too far behind the ball or the wave will only
push it along the surface. You have to cup your
hand, like the face of a sand wedge, hit right behind
the ball and skim the water under it. The ball will
pop out. |
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Skim your club under the ball
New players have a hard time believing this, but
the club never touches the ball in a greenside bunker
shot. It passes under the ball, which flies out
of the bunker on a cushion of sand.
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Checklist
- Open the blade of the sand wedge and then
take your grip, not vice versa.
- Stand so your shoulders and feet are lined
up slightly left of your target, but align your
clubface square to the target.
- Dig in with your feet to balance yourself.
- Stand so the ball is in line with the heel
of your front foot.
- Make a full backswing, hinging your wrists
so your arms are at a 90-degree angle to the
clubshaft.
- Accelerate on the downswing, making contact
with the sand about an inch behind the ball.
- Let the bottom of the clubhead spank the ground
and skim through the sand under the ball.
- The outside-to-inside club path will cause
your swing to finish lower than normal.
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The shots you want to know.
Now that we have the basics out of the way, here
are my secrets to getting out of some real trouble: |
| PLUGGED LIE: With
this, all you're trying to do is get it out. Close
the face (so it points left) and swing straight
down, almost on top of the ball. The impact will
open the clubface, and the ball will hop out and
start rolling, so allow for that. |
| AWKWARD STANCE: Whenever
I have to play a bunker shot with one foot in the
sand and one foot out, what I want to do is get
as comfy as possible and concentrate on maintaining
my balance while making a normal bunker swing. |
| DOWNHILL LIE: If
there's no lip, you may want to putt it out. If
there is a lip, play the ball forward in your stance,
in line with the front foot. Tilt your shoulders
so they are parallel with the slope and make a normal
bunker swing. Try to maintain your balance by planting
your front foot firmly. |
| THIN LIE: Use a pitching
wedge, which has less bounce, and make contact with
the sand directly behind the ball. |
| FAIRWAY BUNKER: Before
you try for the green, make sure the club you are
using has enough loft to get out. Keep your lower
body still during the swing, and concentrate on
hitting the ball first, which is the opposite of
your goal for a greenside bunker shot. Make a full
swing with one club longer than the shot typically
calls for |
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I do hope these tips help you, the next time you
visit a bunker. Otherwise why not book a lesson
to ensure you get out every time!
HAPPY GOLFING - Grant
Sayer.
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TIPS ARTICLE - READING GREENS BY: WILL ALSOP |
