GOLF LESSON Getting out of a bunker

Pro golf tips to help you get out of bunkers rather than die in one like Hitler

If there is any one shot in golf that causes fear and loathing it is the humble bunker shot. Yet so many articles and sections in books describe it as the easiest shot in golf. It is for someone who knows how to play it but to any golfer who has only limited understanding of the finer points of technique it can be a nightmare.

Here are some common errors golfers make when playing any shot out of a bunker.

Error 1 –

The golfer looks at the ball when they play the stroke.
bunker shot keys

Do this and you will probably hit the ball since it is what you are looking at. No, you don't want me to describe the results. So what should you be looking at when you're in a bunker?

Concentrate on that point behind the ball where you want the club head to go into the sand. You are not trying to hit the ball. What you are going to do is to take a divot of sand out under the ball. So you are looking at that point where the divot will start.

For a standard bunker shot that is about 2 to 3 inches behind the ball. Think of the ball as just a big grain of sand. The ball, along with the sand, will fly out of the bunker once you make that divot.

Error 2 –

The golfer addresses the ball with the club head.
This is allied to the 'looking at the ball' problem. If you are going to take a divot out under the ball, position the club head where you want the divot to start.
This may take some doing because every other shot in golf is played with the club head almost touching the ball. You're used to looking down and seeing this ball - club head relationship. It does not apply when you are playing a standard bunker shot.

Error 3 –

The golfer doesn't create enough "ooomph" in their swing to get the ball out of the bunker.
trap shot tips

Imagine your ball is 6 paces from the lip of the bunker. The aim is to have enough zip in your swing to get that divot of sand over the lip of the bunker. Because the ball is part of that divot it will exit the bunker along with the sand.The swing you use to play a full pitch shot will get the job done.

You will need to experiment with the length of your swing once you gain confidence in taking the divot of sand. The texture of the sand can vary from course to course and even hole to hole. As a general rule bunkers with fine sand will require more oomph to move the ball. Bunkers with coarse sand requires less oomph. If the sand is wet it will compact faster and that means you need less oomph to play the shot.

Error 4 –

The golfer does not accelerate the club through the sand.
This is allied to the above problem. To make the sand divot fly out of the bunker you have to swing the club through the sand, not into it. The club head should exit the sand faster than when it entered it. Slow your swing down through the ball and your sand divot won't go anywhere. Neither will the ball.
This takes some nerve because for those golfers who have a fear of sand shots taking a full swing in a bunker means the ball could end up 90 yards from the green. It will if they look at and address the ball. It won't if they look at and address the sand.

One final suggestion –

To gain confidence in bunkers you need to get used to taking a divot of sand rather than hitting the ball. Get into a bunker somewhere and scratch a line a yard or so long. Start at one end of it taking divots of sand using the line as the entry point for the club head. Once you can do that while applying the pointers above, bunker shots shouldn't fill you with dread.

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