Learning golf – 8 Bunker Shots

The main reason most golfers hate bunkers is that they don’t know the correct technique to get out of them. Once you do, you may actually relish the challenge. In many circumstances, top professional golfers prefer to be in a bunker next to the green than on the grass, as it gives them greater control of the ball.

The sand wedge is designed never to touch the ball. The aim is to hit the sand about an inch behind the ball and create a mini-explosion which carries your ball up and out.

You are looking to create a much steeper angle of attack with this shot, as it needs more height and less power. Before you can hit this shot, you must have the correct set up.

Grip. Open your clubface before taking your grip. The amount you open will be determined by the severity of the lip ahead of you on the bunker face.

Stance. Place 70 per cent of your weight on your left foot. Your stance should be a shoulder-width apart. Place the ball between the middle of the stance and your left heel.

Now you have opened the clubface, it will be pointing to the right if your body is square to the target. To compensate, shuffle your feet and shoulders to the left until the face is square to the target.

Aim. Pick a mark in the sand behind the ball around an inch away. Aim to hit this spot.

Wrists. When making the swing you need to break your wrists almost immediately in the backswing. Pick up the club head more sharply than normal forcing it outside your natural line.

Swing. Swing the clubhead back down hard along the line of the shoulders. Your knees should be more flexed than for a normal shot, so you need to concentrate on keeping your head steady.

As you swing the club back towards the ball you should feel as though you are cutting across the line from outside to in. It may feel as though this will take the ball too far left. But it won’t – it will allow for the fact the open clubface is forcing the ball right.

Bounce. You should take almost a full swing. Rather than slicing down into the bunker, the clubhead can bounce through it and lift the sand – and the ball – skywards.

It requires considerable clubhead speed to remove the ball, especially when the face is steep or the sand is wet. Aim to produce a solid-sounding thump.

Follow through. It is important to follow through to the target. Don’t allow the club to die into the sand.

Imagine smashing the club down onto a pool of water and wanting to watch the droplets scatter over the green. It is the same action – the sand absorbs some of the blow but bounces the club back out.

Use your shoulder and hip turn to help it along.