Hazards are their to make our lives difficult on the golf course and they serve their purpose well. Seeing your ball land in the bunker, especially as a beginner golfer, is not only frustrating but can generate anxiety.
How are you going to get the ball out of the sand without dropping any shots? Playing from a bunker can be tough for new players but today we have some tips which will help you get out without wasting shots.
The first thing to note when playing a bunker shot is the stance. For this article we are working on the basis of a standard bunker lie, meaning the ball is not buried in the sand. When playing a bunker shot, always have the ball between your front foot and the middle of your stance. This will promote your weight towards your front foot and that’s exactly what you want when playing this shot.
You always want your weight to be forward when playing a bunker shot from a neutral lie as this will give you the best angle of attack on the shot.
Perhaps one of the biggest mistakes beginners make when playing a bunker shot is with the swing of the club.
The temptation is to try and push the ball out of the sand with a short, jabbing motion but this does not work. Instead, you need to make a long, smooth swing. It does not have to be played with a lot of force, make an easy swing and accelerate as you play through the ball.
If you try and swing the club as hard as you can in a short, jabbing motion you will probably be playing the shot again from inside the bunker.
When playing a standard bunker shot, it is best to aim to hit the sand roughly one inch before the ball. You do not want to be aiming to hit the ball first, you must hit the sand first.
However, as the club face contacts the sand, do not forget to follow through. Keep your hands moving throughout the shot and think about finishing with the club face high in the air.
Finally, choose a club with plenty of loft and open the face so it does not become stuck in the sand. As you will have the face open, the ball is likely to come out to the right (for right handed players), so always aim to the left to compensate.
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