Bunker Shots

Bunker shots also referred to as sand shots in golf are a very important part of the short game.  For the low handicap golfer it is the difference between a score that is under par or over par.  For the mid handicap player its the difference between shooting your handicap number and winning your golf flight or having another so-so round.  For the higher handicap player it is the difference between shooting your personal best low score or shooting another high number.

The low handicap player will miss the green in regulation about six times per round.  About half of these missed greens will require a chip shot while the other half will be a pitch or sand shot.  The low handicap golfer will have 2 – 3 opportunities to save par from the bunkers and preserve a good round.

The mid handicap player will miss about 12 greens in a round of golf.  Because his shot dispersion is greater than a lower handicap player, about 30% of the misses will end up in a bunker.  He will have 4 chances to get up and down to save par out of the bunkers..

The high handicap player will only hit a couple of greens in regulation.  He will have a significant amount of dispersion in his ball flight which will provide many opportunities for bunker shots.  Failed pitch attempts that don’t reach the green and land in bunkers will cause the number of bunker and sand attempts for bogie or higher to be greatrer than mid handicap players.  Higher handicap players are afraid of the sand.  Poor technique results in the players inability to get the ball out of the sand.  In some cases a very deep bunker becomes impossible for the player to get out of without picking the ball up.

Bunker shots are more similar to a pitch shot than any other short game shot.  In fact you can use the same pitch shot swing with three lengths of back swing and three different degrees to which the club face is open to create a variety of shots.  The club face can be closed for buried lies, square for semi buried and long carries, and open for normal bunker shots.  The texture of the sand can also impact your decision regarding whether the face will be open or not.

A variety of club can be used from the sand depending upon the length of carry, the height of the lip, and texture of the sand.

As you can see, playing from the sand is an art form and the shot is actually easier to play than the pitch shot.

Bunkers shots are one of the least understood shots in golf for higher handicap players.  Most golf shots require that you hit the ball first before striking the ground.  When the player begins playing the game it is easy to hit the ground first and he becomes very ball conscious as a result.  Efforts to move beyond this ball consciousness are critical to your success out of bunkers.

When hitting a bunker shot you want to hit the sand first between 2 and 3 inches behind the ball.  The bounce of the sand wedge is designed to help it glide thru the sand without digging.  This is critical to your understanding.  We want to hit intentional fat shots that are shallow and level under the ball.  When done properly the sand pops the ball out with ease.  Your margin for error is much greater than with pitch shots.

Your growth and improvement will lie in two primary areas of focus:

1. Learning how to hit the explosion shot…the intentional fat shot.
2. Learning how to control your trajectory and distance out of the bunker

One of the biggest problems facing higher handicap players is trying to help the ball out of the bunker.  When you start trying to lift the ball out of the bunker you have a tendency to flip the club which results in fat and thin shots.  The other tendency is to take very long back swings and then slow the momentum of the club as it nears the ball out of fear.  This is call decelerating.  You want to take as small a back swing as needed and then accelerate to a similar length follow thru.

The problem is that most golfers unless trained to do otherwise focus most of their attention on the hole location,the flag, or the lip of the bunker as they prepare to hit the bunker shot. 100% focus on the short range target, the landing spot on the green surface, has a tremendous impact on your success of these shots.

Bunker Shot Set Up

• Feet  are just inside shoulder width
• Most of the weight is on the left foot
• Hands equal with of the club
• Choke down on the grip
• Face open (about 30 degrees) for most bunker shots

Bunker Shot Swing Mechanics

• Bunker shot swing is similar to a pitch
• The club head path travels more in a "V" shape, steeper back swing and down swing.
• Strike the sand about 2-3 inches behind the ball.  There is no effort to help the ball into the air.  The sand will pop the ball out
• Use the club that carries the ball onto the green and let it roll the rest of the way

Watch Bunker Shot Movie Here