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This week the Royal Golf Club's PGA Teaching Professional, Martin Robinson, gives you tips on handling bunker shots
BUNKER shots cause so many golfers so much pain! But it doesn't have to be that way.
There are some common mistakes that golfers make that hinder their chances of getting out of bunkers successfully, but there is quite often a simple fix to your specific problem.
Fault 1 - Too much sand: This is when the golfer swings the club down on too steep an angle and the club head buries into the sand without making any impact on the ball.
Fix 1 - In order to take less sand there are a couple of things you can try. Move the ball position slightly further forward in the stance. Also, allow the wrists to unhinge on the downswing allowing the weight of the club head to accelerate through to a full follow-through. Or you can raise the spine angle by standing up a little taller through the swing - this would help to take a shallower divot and increase the chances of making a good contact with the ball.
Fault 2: Quite often I see golfers on short bunker shots making long backswings and then slowing down into the ball to make sure they don't hit the shot over the green. Any deceleration in a bunker will probably result in a duffed shot and the ball not coming out at all.
Fix 2 - You should shorten the length of your backswing allowing you to commit to accelerating aggressively through the sand, aim for a point about an inch or two behind the ball and turn your body towards the target making a full follow-through, this should give you the necessary speed to cut through the sand making the ball pop out high and soft.
Fault 3: Some golfers find themselves constantly thinning the ball low and hard either well through the green or straight into the face of the bunker in front of them - this a very costly shot.
Fix 3 - This fault is predominantly due to the spine angle throughout the swing not remaining the same. Usually at address the golfer's chest would be angled down towards the ball, but in the swing the upper body will lift either on the backswing or the downswing. To stop you should keep the angle the same by sticking your behind out and keep your chest facing the ball throughout the whole swing.
These faults are just a few of the most common problems in bunkers. Remember, the right amount of sand, good acceleration, and a good follow-through are the key points. The best way to practice is to spend some time in a bunker just splashing sand out without the ball at first to get a good feel for the shot. Soon your sand wedge will become a friend instead of a foe!
