Bunker Mania - Need help from the Sand? Don't Worry

The reality is, tour players get up and down only about 50 percent of the time from greenside bunkers, and they have great technique, practice all the time and play courses in perfect condition.

I point that out not to discourage you, but to get you to look at the big picture when you're faced with a tough sand shot. If you're aiming at the flag and aren't sure if you can carry the lip, or you have a weird stance, you're already fighting the odds. You need to think about the easiest way to get up and down in three, so do a little math. For most players, it means getting out of the bunker successfully -- in any direction -- then taking two putts. Don't be afraid to turn away from the hole and give yourself a lower lip, flatter stance or more green to hit to. You'll have a much better average outcome -- and better chance to hole your next shot -- if you're safely on the green instead of hitting again from the bunker after you crashed one off the lip.

Lean left, set club: Keep your weight forward and hinge your wrists fully.

 

A greenside bunker is the one place where you want to make a very vertical backswing. If you don't, bad things can happen, like hitting too far behind the ball or skulling it over the green.

I often see high-handicappers using the same around-the-body swing in bunkers that they use from the fairway or tee. Rarely are they able to control trajectory or distance, because they don't have a consistent entry point in the sand. This can turn a relatively simple sand shot into a disaster.

Getting the club up quickly on the backswing requires an early wrist hinge and a full shoulder turn. A steep backswing sets up a steep angle coming down and lets you make use of the bounce on the bottom of your sand wedge. Keep more weight on your front foot throughout the swing, and don't forget to accelerate through the sand to a nice, full finish.

Avoid The Fat Bunker Shot!

My impact drill: Set up to a rake and swing, bouncing the club's back edge off the handle. This bouncing action is the key to sand play.

  

1. To stop chunking your bunker shots, you must make the back edge of the clubhead enter the sand before the leading edge. Feel this with my drill. Get in a bunker and set up to a rake (above, left). Open the clubface, which puts the back edge lower than the leading edge, and swing, skimming the club off the rake.
2. You'll quickly sense what it feels like to hit with the back edge of the club. Now transfer that feeling to an actual shot. First, lower your body a few inches so the clubface can slide under the ball. I do this by widening my stance (others twist their feet in). Then, play the ball off your front heel, and remember to open the face.
3. Make a three-quarter swing, accelerating the club past your hands through impact. The back edge should enter the sand two to three inches behind the ball, which will help the clubhead slide and push the ball out. To prevent the club from digging too deep, keep your body turning to a full finish.