10 methods to simplify greenside bunker photographs

Hitting from a greenside bunker may be tough, but it surely certain doesn’t need to be. It simply takes an understanding of setup and proper execution, permitting your self to not solely get out of the sand, but additionally get as near the pin as potential.

As a way to make hitting from greenside bunkers a power of your sport, observe the ten ideas beneath — which offers you all of the instruments you should see success.

Do that to make greenside bunker photographs simpler

Whereas no one needs to hit from the sand, it’s certain to occur sooner or later. As a substitute of getting nervousness about this sort of shot, merely observe these “guidelines” — which is able to assist lead you towards the success you’re searching for from greenside bunkers.

1. The golf equipment

There are an abundance of membership choices to select from once you’re in a greenside bunker — like a sand wedge, lob wedge, and a niche wedge (which everybody ought to have, in my view). The rationale these are the precise golf equipment is because of their loft, and, extra importantly, the truth that they’ve a rounded backside referred to as bounce. So what does the bounce do? It merely permits the membership to glide by the sand and keep away from digging.

2. Take sand with an extended divot

On a greenside bunker shot, the essential aim is to throw sand out of the lure once you swing. I prefer to see a comparatively lengthy divot, and, assuming the ball is wherever inside this divot, you’ll have sufficient momentum to get the ball out of the bunker and onto the inexperienced — which is a giant victory for the mid-handicapper.

Having a correct setup will assist you take sand whereas swinging, and for the reason that ball place is extra ahead in your stance, this enables the membership to naturally enter the sand earlier than the ball.

3. Clubface: open or not?

Do you want to open your clubface once you’re within the greenside bunker? Some individuals would say “completely,” whereas others may reply with a easy “no” — so all of it will depend on your membership selection and skillset.

I completely don’t need you to shut the face, since this tends to make the membership dig an excessive amount of when hitting the sand. However in case you’re a golfer with excessive clubhead pace (like nice Tour gamers have), you then may take into account opening it up extra.

4. Shaft angle at handle and affect

To ensure that the loft and bounce to work when the wedge hits the sand, the membership shaft shouldn’t lean in the direction of the goal. In case you make the error of doing this at handle, when you come into your downswing, your vanguard is probably going going to get caught within the sand — reducing membership velocity and certain not having sufficient in your swing at affect to get the ball out of the sand.

Keep in mind, turning into a short game master takes practice, so work on a number of the above to get your method down.

5. Your method should match swing pace

Talking of method, your swing pace and energy have a direct affect on what method it’s best to use for distance management. I feel this is the reason so many golfers wrestle with greenside bunker photographs.

For instance, going again to opening the clubface, in case you’re a median golfer, doing it will result in the ball going increased and shorter — which might throw off your method and swing pace throughout a shot.

Additionally keep in mind to keep away from letting the bunker lip trick you into considering that you should open the face. As a substitute, take into account the whole distance and select the precise membership for that quantity.

6. Keep away from the (dangerous) behavior of scooping

You don’t must elevate the ball or assist get it over the lip on a greenside bunker shot — but so many amateurs fall into this dangerous behavior. So in case you have a tendency to do that, you’ll wrestle with contact.

As a substitute of leaning again and making an attempt to scoop the ball, get very good at taking your full golf swing, ensuring your throw sand out of the bunker. This will finest be practiced by ditching the ball and taking observe swings together with your membership — which helps get you the sensation of throwing sand from the lure.

7. Do that scrape drill

Certainly one of my favourite drills to observe greenside bunker photographs is one thing referred to as a scrape drill.

From setup, don’t take a backswing, and easily observe scraping the sand in a round path to complete. This may prepare you to really feel the right movement, serving to you get the membership’s bounce into the sand so as to use the membership’s loft appropriately.

8. Observe throwing sand

When you be taught to make a extra regular swing with a sq. clubface that splashes the sand, you’ll change into a extra respectable bunker participant. I acquired actually good within the bunker by merely practising this movement, which helped me perceive the right swing pace.

9. Strive a niche wedge

Keep in mind earlier after I stated each participant ought to have a niche wedge of their bag? Right here’s why: Longer bunker photographs.

One of many easiest methods to hit an extended greenside bunker shot is to maintain the face sq. (and the hole wedge has loft and bounce already). So play the ball ahead and dig your ft into the sand. Now, simply make a daily full swing to generate pace and keep in mind to spray sand.

The hole wedge is a good resolution and may also help you hone an excellent ability.

10. Methods to cope with packed sand or a foul lie

There at all times appears to be an exception to the principles of golf, which makes the sport each attention-grabbing and complex at instances. The exception to the above strategies is that if the ball is in a foul lie within the sand, or if the sand is especially packed laborious. Arduous packed sand will typically trigger the wedge’s bounce to drop-kick off the bottom — resulting in a skulled shot.

In case you step right into a greenside bunker and acknowledge the sand trying packed, modify your setup by leaning your weight and the shaft ahead towards the goal — which now engages the forefront so it could actually truly dig. That is very completely different from the above ideas, and virtually the precise reverse of a standard bunker lie.

However by making this setup adjustment, the forefront will dig and permit it to get into the sand, so it could actually keep away from the dropkick miss. If you lean the shaft, the membership will probably be much less lofted, so the ball will doubtless come out decrease and produce extra roll. So, when doing this, I at all times recommend going with a extra lofted wedge.

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Nick Dimengo

Golf.com Editor