Bunker Shot Lesson - Lines in the sand

Bunker shots -you've been told they're easy and they are when you know how. To begin with you need to know how to address the ball because for many golfers this is where the 'going wrong' starts. They try to play the shot as if it was a pitch or short iron shot but there are some fundamental differences between the address positions for those two shots and your stock standard bunker shot.

To learn the bunker shot address position you need to get into one at the range or on the practice fairway. With the toe of your club make a straight line across the bunker so that it points to the pin on the green.

Smooth off part of the line near the front of the bunker and put a ball on the smoothed out part. OK, you now have a line extending towards the pin and a ball 'on that line.' That's your direction line. Now make another line 2 or 3 inches behind the ball at right angles to the first line you made. That line is the entry point for the club head.

You can use those two lines to take your address position. Get set to play the shot but plant your feet in the bunker so that they are 'open' or aligned to the left of your direction line. The ball should be 4 or 5 inches back from the heel of your leading foot with your feet about hip width apart. You should feel that a good 60% of your weight is on your leading foot.

Now put the head of your club down so it is hovering just above that second line you've made. Open the face so you can see the line in the sand out towards the toe of the club, then take your grip. You should see that your hands are just in front of the ball. Your posture is the same as for a pitch shot. You're now ready to play the shot.

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