Bunker play has been a thorn in the side for amateur golfers (and even some seasoned players) for quite some time. For pros on the other hand, these shots look relatively easy. When you watch pro golf, announcers will even talk about how “easy” bunker shots are, and how players would rather be in the bunker than in the rough if they miss the green.
What makes bunker shots so easy for the pros and so maddening for the rest of us? A lot of times, it boils down to simply misinterpreting the way to execute the shot with proper technique. In my experience, amateur golfers are very good at executing simple directives, but if those directives aren’t quite the truth, they have no chance.
For years, the standard advice for bunker shots has been to look at a spot 1 to 2 inches behind the ball and hit the sand there. Unfortunately, this visual often creates an arc that is too shallow, resulting in a low point of the clubhead that is too far behind the ball. This overly shallow motion leads to the two shots that show up at the worst possible times: thin shots (blades) and fat shots (chunks).
If you break down the bunker play of the best sand players, you’ll see they hit sharply down and close to the ball at impact — but the low point of the swing is actually a few inches ahead of the ball.
Most recreational players think the opposite when they blade or chunk a bunker shot. They assume they’re hitting down on the ball too much. In reality, when you hit either of these disaster shots, you’re striking the ball on the upswing (not the downswing) and the low point comes too far behind the ball.
The key for executing this shot properly is to make a swing that is narrow rather than wide. A helpful visual is to imagine forming the letter V with the club during the swing. Allow both elbows to fold in the backswing with a slight turn. This creates a narrower motion more effectively than simply using the wrists to drive the swing.
A narrow swing gives you the ability to hit down on the ball with the club entering the sand close behind it, making it easier to get out of the bunker in one try while also generating impressive spin. You’re essentially pinching the ball to create backspin and gain better control around the green.
The energy of the motion should feel like it’s going down and beneath the ball rather than forward. Additionally, focus directly on the ball at address, rather than a spot behind it. On your best shots, it will feel like you catch a small portion of the ball and a larger amount of sand.
A simple drill to reinforce this is to draw a line directly behind the ball in the bunker. Your goal is to strike the sand ahead of that line. Most bunker instruction over the years has emphasized hitting the sand behind the line, but this often encourages an overly shallow downswing and a low point that stays behind the ball. As a result, you get blades and chunks.
Stop trying to create a low point behind the ball and start creating one ahead of it. Looking at the ball instead of a spot behind it, combined with a narrower swing, will help you achieve exactly that — and help you stop wasting strokes in the sand.
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