Get Out Of A Bunker Every Time Using These 3 Tips
Posted on: 1 December
Bunkers. Need we say more? Just the thought of bunkers is enough to make a lot of players feel anxious, but they don’t have to be so bad. Our PGA Professional has collated his top three tips to get you out of the bunker every time.
Why are bunker shots so hard?
The main reason bunker shots are so hard is that they require a very different swing technique from your standard golf shot. The added difficulty of hitting off sand compared to grass adds another difficult element when facing a bunker. At Lonsdale Links, one of our most intimidating bunkers is on the 16th (Road) and the longest is the church pew-like bunker on the 18th (Home).
How to improve your bunker shot
- SET UP
It is imperative that you set up correctly when playing a bunker shot. To do this, you want to ensure that:
- Your feet are slightly further apart than a normal iron shot
- Have the ball slightly ahead of centre
- Your feet and body alignment are slightly open to target (Slightly left of target for a RH)
- You dig yourself down into the sand slightly to form a stable base, whilst placing majority of your weight on the lead leg (Approx. 70/30) and keeping it there throughout the swing
- You lower the handle of the club and open the clubface slightly
This setup will help shallow out your angle of attack and ensure you aren’t “chopping” down into the sand.
- LOFT
Using the loft of the club will allow you to get the ball coming higher, and softer when hitting bunker shots. Before taking your grip, open the clubface slightly and rotate your top hand and bottom hand so they are more “on top” of the grip (RH golfers rotate left hand to the right & right hand to the left). This will allow you to not only use your hands more freely, but it will also ensure that the clubface remains open throughout the shot.
- TEMPO
It is essential that you keep the speed of the club head up whilst playing a bunker shot. It is a common error for players to either take a short backswing and accelerate too much through the ball or, take an extremely long backswing and deaccelerate into the shot. Keeping a smooth, gradual tempo through the shot will ensure the club head can move through the sand freely and you can complete a full-length follow-through.
Golf Lessons at Lonsdale Links
Want more tips and tricks to improve your golf game quickly? We have dedicated PGA Professionals at Lonsdale Links who offer group clinics and private tuition to speed up your confidence on the course and accelerate your golf skills.
