Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. "We'll also try the S-grind which is one of our popular grinds. Besides having a good base for the shot, which is vital, you get a feel for how deep the sand is around your shot. THE MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED, DISTRIBUTED, TRANSMITTED, CACHED OR OTHERWISE USED, EXCEPT WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. 2023 DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The good news is that if you have a practice mat, you can still practice the motions, setup, and overall technique of what a bunker shot takes before heading out to the course. You want the leading edge to dig a bit. In fact, you will typically want to avoid doing this on a fairway bunker. Continue to use it. Watch the video above or read below for more. Think of your wedge as carrying the ball out of the bunker, and it will help you finish high. Its as simple as that, make bunker shots routine, and you can pull it off every time. 1. If the sand is literally nonexistent then its a hardpan chip shot, but i've personally run into very few bunkers actually like this, and the ones that are are literally clay. Most of the time in golf, we want to hit the ball first and then take a bit of grass with us. Clear editor. You can't hit a standard bunker shot here. The key to hitting out of hard sand, the easier of the two options, is to lean left and make sure you don't open the . Over time, youll realize that one, two, or even three bad rounds in an inexplicably short period of time is no longer that unreasonable. If you slide excessively toward the target on the downswing or swing by demonstrating a reverse pivot (back foot finish), this drill is ideal for you. Bunker Tips: How to Hit a Shot Out of Hard Sand - YouTube Can I cherry pick loft? What I will say, however, is that putting comes down to confidence. Brands Explained. Public courses in Tucson are the same way. Callaway Epic Flash Subzero Driver, 9 degrees, Diamana S+ shaft, Ping G425 Max 7 wood Using a weak grip allows an earlier release of the wrist hinge. "Then I have the M-grind which has the toe, trailing . Assuming you have a good bunker technique to begin with, there is not a lot of adjustment for hard packed / think sand. Maintenance. Titleist T200 3i Thump 90-X The weaker your grip, the more susceptible you are to hitting slices. But if you're in a bunker, usually in a place/lie you don't think you can get out of without a lot more trouble, e.g. Golf Speed Sticks: How to Hit the Ball Further with Speed Stick Systems The key, for me, is driving the club into the sand behind the ball, with force, so it does not bounce/glance off the hardpacked sand. 5 easy steps to get up-and-down from the bunker like a pro, This rising star and long shot is primed for a breakout win: 2023 Wells Fargo Championship odds, Hannah Green survives 3-way playoff for emotional victory at JM Eagle LA Championship, Tour Confidential: Tony Finaus rise, Justin Thomas career, summer trips, 2023 Mexico Open at Vidanta: How to watch, TV schedule, streaming, tee times, Meet the new GOLF Top 100 Teachers of America, These sleek and stylish golf carry bags are just what your game needs. I have also chipped when the lip is low and the shot allows it. I get it, the initial wave of depression that hits after we fail to reach one of our goals really sucks. Bunker Shots: How to Hit Out of a Sand Trap | Swing Align If you think youre going to make it, youll make it. Some golfers have perfected putting out of a bunker, but that is not conventional. Opening the clubface in this scenario would increase bounce and cause you to top or knife your shot over the green, so you have to keep it square. The fairway bunker shots will play differently than the how to hit a greenside bunker shot. It also helps the better players get the ball up higher, and is easier . Lateral movement or weight transfer is an important move during the golf swing thats often applied improperly or excessively, even by the best players in the world. Learn where to impact the sand to hit different golf shots.Like my shirt? He can be reached at zephyr_melton@golf.com. Michael Breed, host of 'The Golf Fix,' improves your sand game, with tips on bunker shots with little sand. Open the Clubface in Bunkers - My Golf Instructor That makes it stop quickly on the green. No one has taught me about the functions of bounce. Perhaps a club with less bounce. Get into your stance with the ball way forwardopposite the heel of your front foot. My practice motion is straight down, no doubt the leading edge (56 degree) is going to bite. Works every time. A sand wedge is a smart investment in your golf game, one that is worth making. Squaring up the club face and trying to get the club to dig just seems like a recipe for inconsistency. For most sand shots you face you want to play the ball off your front foot. Once the club digs it wants to stop, and 9 times out of 10 that is how folks end up leaving it in the bunker. I might think about this. In other words, Tigers upper body is too far ahead of his arms/hands and, ultimately, the golf ball at the point of attack. Don't even think about it. Ever Wonder How Much a PGA TOUR Pro Makes to Wear All Those Logos? The toe will dig in first. If you hit the ball first in the bunker, expect your shot to fly over the green. The bounce on a wedge is arced across the sole so you can open up the face and bring more of the bounce into play. A basic chip shot will work very well from the wet and compressed sand, due to two things. Use a Decent Lofted Wedge. You simply must work on these shots for yourself to get a feel for how they are played. Titleist TSi3 10* TPO 1K 60-TX Plus, they're fearful, so they tend to lock their bodies in place and just wave at the ball with their arms. True, what others mentioned you cannot be using the same amount of bounce because it will "bounce" off the hard sand and blade into the ball. You may need to adjust your body to avoid bottoming out before hitting the ball. Try to hit a draw instead of a cut. In many ways, that process for one great player is very different than another great players process. The easiest way to get out of a bunker is to open the clubface, aim your feet slightly left of your target, and hit down and through the sand with a descending blow. Try these adjustments the next time you encounter firm sand: Its important to understand the right techniques for hard and soft sand, but only one thing is really going to elevate your game in this area practice. Can You Teach Golf Without Certification? Takes some practice to get the timing right but it will stop that tail arm/hand doing crazy stuff. Turn your brain off and fire your arms and hands thru the hitting area. This is the proper way to hit a bunker shot and the method that results in the most spin and control. Golfers have access to a ton of useful information on the internet and elsewhere these days. If you find yourself playing well during the week and struggling during your weekend matches, dont go to the club pro for a swing change. Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'H1kROUUnSatKk-wb4PT1Dw',sig:'F2CSJLogw0RG_ib4pQkOEt-h6_azEUDmWPSpRw3LRl4=',w:'338px',h:'507px',items:'852187-001',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); Accept that your two-digit numeric value, which represents your 18-hole score, is nothing more than a product of a process. The fish grabbed on to the back of the fly, and kept it in its . I get a lot of these at courses I play where the sand is really compacted or almost no-existent. Again, Im back to stressing the importance of a happy medium. But that doesnt mean there isnt a way to successfully navigate bunkers with too much sand. Greenside bunker shots often intimidate the average golfer, but they are actually pretty simple. 3 Reasons You're Still Struggling with Greenside Bunker Shots The ball should explode out of the bunker with the sand you hit and settle safely on the green. Tour players don't fear bunker shots the way most amateurs do, but only a handful of the pros get up and down from the sand more than 60 percent of the time. For greenside bunkers that are more than 30 yards to the pin, there are times that it may make sense to use your gap or approach wedge. You want a wide stance when in the sand for better balance. If done right, that's how to play a bunker shot when you are in a greenside bunker. I used to struggle with these types of bunkers until an old guy I play with told me to keep the face square and let the wedge do the work. If you struggle with hitting shots out of the bunker, try changing up the club. In other words, practice by playing and practice by playing the right way. If thats you, thats perfectly fine! Also, its a lot of information to mull over regarding the why as it relates to Tigers drill. If it's a longer shot, go with a pitching wedge or 9-iron. Callaway Rogue Max D 10.5/Tensei Blue 55R. By moving the ball back, we are giving ourselves less room to hit behind the ball, which is ideal in this situation. With two small adjustments to the way you would play a normal sand shot: The first is that you will need to hit a bit closer to the ball and aim to take a smaller 'divot of sand' out then normal. Have you considered your penalty options? I hit it like a bunker shot. If this is you, you need to learn, at a bare minimum, how to neutralize your ball flight. Use a sand wedge; Grip down on the club slightly, Open the clubface, Open your stance, Position the ball slightly forward in your stance; Widen your stance; Dig your feet in It doesnt matter if that personal goal happens to be winning your weekend match, winning the club championship, breaking 80, or qualifying for the US Open. Keep in mind that grip changes are awkward and take time to get used to. MEMBER REVIEWS: Cleveland Frontline Elite Putters! Once you feel confident, it will change how you view the entire golf course. also compact sand, use less bounce, hit closer to the ball but still behind the ball in the sand or hit the ball like a tight lie? This might seem like a subtle difference, but it actually has a massive impact on how you should play the shot. How do we do that? Line your feet up left of the target. @europeantour @pgatour #golfathome #staysharp pic.twitter.com/RI19l4qiA4. In order to strike the ball solidly without losing your balance, youll notice how fast youll need to get your arms and hands down and thru the golf ball. 1) Have you considered your penalty options? Golf tip: Different wedges needed for softer or harder sand traps Prior to Augusta, Brooks played really well at the LIV Golf event. For the average bunker shot, you will need your clubface open slightly. Here are a few of our favorite sand shot tips. How to Hit a Greenside Bunker Shot From Wet Sand - Golf Tip Even hitting just a few shots from the practice bunker will help you understand what to expect if you find a trap on the course. How to Hit a Bunker Shot with Wet Sand (Compact Sand) - Golf Distillery . The sand wedge is the most common type of club for a golfer to use out of the bunker. Your link has been automatically embedded. Playing a golf bunker shot from wet, compacted sand can be a daunting task. Here are 7 at-home drills from Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington, Padraig Harringtons latest backyard lesson backfired in hilarious fashion, Padraig Harrington reveals the 3 surprising swing keys you need to break 80, Try this drill from Padraig Harrington for more consistent chipping, 7 golf equipment tips that can help beginners improve right now, How to develop the perfect pre-shot routine, according to two of golfs best instructors, Perfect your impact position with this clever swing drill, This pro is chipping one-handed in competition. We Played Golf at Sea Island for the First Time! How To Find The Right Wedge For Bunker Play? | Golf Monthly However, bounce does elevate the leading edge of the club which can, in theory, make it more likely that you will hit a shot thin or blade it. He pounded his high, piercing cut dead down the middle of the fairway and made a lot of big putts inside ten feet. Golf Podcast 476: These Three Guys are Changing the Long Drive Game, Golf Podcast 475: Scottie Schefflers Rise to Success: His Trainer Reveals the Secret. When chipping near the green Im thinking mostly about how much I want the ball to roll out, but if the lie is really tight Ill go with the lower bounce wedge. Lots of bunkers like this in Arizona. Instead of trying to address the mechanical or technical aspects of your swing/stroke/game, commit to a mental change. I hope to never need to use that one, but you never know. The more bounce the less the club will dig into the sand. Tiger flushed an 8 iron to within 3 feet of the cup in Sundays final round after his well-struck ball turned over from right to left, landed pin high at the top of the slope located in the middle of the green, and rolled towards its final destination. Most times, golfers slide on the downswing too much. If you chunked a chip shot into a bunker from a great lie, why not take a stroke and distance penalty and replay the shot? These shots need loft. Generally, the more we open or rotate our trail foot at the setup, the more we can rotate our lower/upper body during the swing. You can hit with a square face and shaft lean, effectively "scraping" the surface of the hard sand a la @Nels55. Ball pops clean out of the bunker with height. And theres no better choice among pros than Harrington to pass the secrets to their success on to the masses. Pro Modus 3 Tour 120 shafts. A club without any bounce would act like a shovel when it hit the dirt. Use these 2 moves for perfect bunker shots every time. Step 2: Take the Right Set Up. Biggest mistake I see on these shots is way too much speed. Achieving a more-neutral ball flight involves learning how to produce the mirror image of your preferred miss. For fairway bunker shots, try to clip the ball clean without taking hardly any sand. Just like a pitcher throwing from the stretch, they are exploding off their trail foot/side before releasing the ball toward home plate. The Secret to Clearing a Tall Bunker Lip Every Time - Golficity A bunker shot can be very much like a flop shot. Knowing how to hit out of a bunker is important. The end result is a shot that . When the sand is hard, however, it doesn't really work at all the explosion shot really isn't an option. You should feel your feet pushing off the ground as you simulate the downswing with your arms and hands, as Tiger is doing here. All golfers should know how to hit bunker shots, so lets break it down into simple steps. Approximately speaking, your body is now at a 90-degree angle in relation to the ground. Now with this type of a shot, you want to make sure that you have the face really open. To get out safely, open the clubface so the club can bounce off the sand instead of dig. If youre able, find any wall and stand flush up against it just as would in an effort to measure your own height. New Adams Idea driver, fairway wood, hybrid + Adams C-Groove putters. Might take a little less sand or even use the leading edge. Golf Tips And Advice! on Instagram: "Here's a great look at Tiger That shot is very lie dependent. How do we get there? Round 1 of the Masters did not disappoint! In the last few years, Tiger Woods has received lots of attention for making the below body/swing rehearsals on the driving range: Throughout Tigers illustrious career, hes battled to keep the club/club head out in front of his body more on the downswing. Pros, on the other hand, have mastered shots from the sand, and often prefer landing in bunkers than rough around the green. Instead of allowing your mind to jump to Oh boy, now Im going to make triple and have to play my next 8 holes in 1 over just to shoot 79, ask yourself one simple question: Where in the fairway should I put this ball in order to attack the flag?. Will take a lot of mulligans. This also works perfectly for buried lies. Feel your core stretching or working as you get your upper body more over the ball. Lateral movement is a form of energy transfer that takes place during the swing to create club-head speed and distance. | Sea Island Seaside Course. The first part of how to hit sand shots in golf is to choose the proper club. Don't ask me how it comes out so high, but it does. In order to guard against his club head lagging too far behind his body (commonly known as getting stuck), Tiger knows he must mitigate the use of his arms/hands rotation. When it is firmer or there is less sand in the bunker than normal, use a low bounce wedge, maybe even pitching wedge, and play it square. At some level, golfers are best served by practicing acceptance during the most unacceptable of moments. If you dont select the correct club from the bunker, youll have no chance. SW: TourModel III True Temper S If the clubface is open like you would do for a blast shot, the bottom of the club . Lastly, youll play your best after youve been punched in the gut when you remain committed to your pre-shot routine. Hit The Sand Hard. But I sort of forgot about that during the tourney. Step 4: Put 80 percent of your weight on your lead leg. To hit a low golf shot, take a shorter backswing and follow through to minimize the height of the shot. Golfers tend to have fewer issues with fairway bunkers than greenside bunkers. Obviously, in an increased effort to use the ground while minimizing excessive lateral movement, dont move your head up and down drastically. 2023 HomeTown Lenders Championship (Korn Ferry Tour) - Discussion and Links to photos, 2023 Zurich Classic - Discussion and Links to Photos, 2023 RBC Heritage - Discussion and links to Photos, 2023 Valero Texas Open - Discussion and links to photos, 2023 WGC Dell Technologies Match Play - Discussion and links to photos. First find your 'mostability', I *finally* learned how to escape deep bunkers thanks to this short-game expert, What's the proper footwork in the golf swing? Playing out of a lot of sand is incredibly difficult, Harrington explains, Professional golfers are extremely frustrated if we go to a golf course with too much sand because we get no control.. Review the general bunker shot guidelines below in order to correctly execute the shot. Hitting the ball out of the sand requires technique that is unlike any other shot in the game. Depending on your course and previous shot, your lie could be on an incline or a decline. I'm not going to disagree with anyone here since this is just based on my personal experience, but i've never seen anyone do anything with a more square or even shut face in a bunker that didn't end in tragedy, regardless of the sand consistency. Or is it drier and finer? I always move a ball out of a footprint, rake it and try and drop it as I think it landed in the bunker. If you have trouble getting your ball to turn over, opting to address this deficiency will help you gain more yards and attack more pins. Which State Has the Most Golf Courses? By jumping! Also, examine where your toes are pointed at the setup. In the absence of that maintenance, however, the bunkers will get hard and playing shots will get tricky. Dont dig your feet in quite as much, and you can hit almost any club out of a fairway bunker as long as you have enough clearance. Additionally, keep your hands ahead of the ball at impact to help deloft the clubface and keep the ball low. Special Select Squareback 2 w/ SuperStroke Pistol GT 1.0. Take our word for it; getting good out of a bunker is something that takes a bit of practice initially, but it will be a worthwhile skill long term. You are going to be a bit nervous when playing a bunker shot from behind a tall lip. Despite entering the final round of the Masters with a two-shot advantage over his playing partner, Spaniard Jon Rahm, Brooks failed to capture his first green jacket and struggled in virtually all facets of his game, as was evident in his final round score of 3 over par, 75. Is the sand going to be packed firm with the ball sitting up on top? Lets start by talking about how you should approach a standard bunker shot in soft sand. Keep in mind that the digging in of your feet helps with greenside bunkers, but it is not necessary with fairway bunkers. Hovlands lucky shirt Tigers drill above, on the other hand, looks to mitigate lateral (side-to-side) movement by replacing it with vertical (up and down) movement. If the sand is pretty hard you may have to hit it harder to really get the club into the sand. Theyll change their grip, change their putter, change their setup, and maybe theyll play better the following day. Slow Swing Speed. If your lead foot isnt open enough, this may discourage you from delivering the clubhead into the ball so that it produces a draw. Opening the face and exposing the bounce just skips the club into the ball. Sand Trap Tips: How To Play Bunker Shots In 8 Easy Steps You'll have to adapt to different types of sand. The setup for bunker shots includes how your feet are aimed and how the clubface is aimed. Swing only slightly harder than a chip/pitch of the same distance. Rather than opting to hang his head after a gut punch on the first hole of the tournament, Rahm offered us a glimpse into the mind of a champion by making an eagle on his very next hole. Sliding under the ball. How to hit a bunker shot: 5 easy steps to get up-and-down from the sand There's some amount of bounce on every modern wedge and iron. In addition, starting with a little weight on the left ensures that you are hitting down and through the sand. Besides lessening the bounce and almost squaring up the clubface I still swing as if hitting out of softer sand. Why cant I just be happy with my driver? So look for a sand wedge of 56 degrees of loft and at least 10 degrees of bounce for soft sand, and for harder. This shot is more forgiving using the low-bounce wedge because it doesn't tend to bounce up into the ball. Lets start with the more difficult of the two, playing out of soft sand. Butch Harmon: Take the Easy Way Out Of Sand - Golf Digest In other words, if youre a slicer, learn how to hit a hook. I dont notice any difference on full swings. Commit to turning to a full finish, and you'll get the ball out every time. Bunker Shots for Beginners - Golf Sidekick Don't worry about the ball. Step 3: Keep the ball inside your lead foot. For a typical explosion shot, try to hit on the three points listed below: You dont need to make things any more complicated than that. On the eighth hole, another bunker shot from a tough lie didn't quite reach the green, and he holed a 15 . Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'VKjSygTIQvdkKaP4wCziMA',sig:'1F9U_yCyztFYqjqS2YzwXVTxtRVd90Krl-ulcwUrdFI=',w:'478px',h:'359px',items:'102285666',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); Rest assured that most golfers arent even willing to go to that level in order to review or take stock of their game in a straightforward, honest, objective manner. Now, as many of you are probably wondering, how should I apply these principles to my own golf swing? How To Hit A Bunker Shot - A Step-By-Step Approach If you need to get it up and over a lip you can use a butterfly grip to lock the top hand wrist into extension and fire the toe under the ball. Our bunkers all but lose their sand in the winter with all the rain. Key is you don't have to hit it hard. Many sand wedges have massive bounce soles which are exactly what you do NOT need in a hard packed bunker. Top 100 Courses in the U.S.: GOLFs all-new 2022-23 ranking is here! 2. compacted sand look for a . Will provide exactly the movement you need through the sand to take out that 'divot' that the golf ball is moved out of the sand trap on. Titleist 917F3 15* VA Composite Drago 75-X Before Sunday, Brooks Koepka did everything right at Augusta National. Find a practice green and set to work; this is not something you can learn on the course. Going there, if you are not used to it, may seem very daunting in the beginning. GOLF.com and GOLF Magazine are published by EB GOLF MEDIA LLC, a division of 8AM GOLF. Join InsideGOLF for only $20 - includes instant $20 Fairway Jockey credit! Here are five tips for playing from the sand. At the same time, Tiger wants to feel his front/back leg muscles in both the upper/lower thigh area doing whats required in an effort to use exactly what were supposed to. Hackinator, May 24, 2022 in Instruction & Academy. The sand you find in bunkers is more likely to be hard when it is wet. TRAVEL: Giants Ridge (MN) Should Be On Your Golf Trip Short-List! With the driver, were supposed to set up to the golf ball so that its positioned slightly inside our lead heel. Padraig Harrington reveals the secrets to hitting out of hard and soft sand, Phil Mickelson alleges world ranking collusion taking place, What is a PGA Tour Special Temporary member? Beginners and those who struggle with the sand sometimes swing the club into the sand, then stop. Especially when you lose a big match to that one guy that really pisses you off or fail to qualify for your club championship by a single shot. Interestingly, whether youre playing out of fluffy or firm sand, Harrington suggests always making contact at the same point behind the ball, instead of moving the contact point forward or backward. Take a page out of Koepkas book in how he internalizes a bad day on the course. Check the full bunker lesson from Harrington below. If this is you, crack that beer and accept that you can birdie the next hole rather than hopping aboard the bogey train. Often, proper posture at the setup position is confused with standing in a similarly vertical position to your current position up against the wall. Prior to joining the team at GOLF, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. In bunkers, you cannot test the surface, however, you can use your feet to feel the density of the sand. For more great instruction like this, watch Best Lessons Ever Wednesdays at 7 p.m. We must hit behind the ball in the bunker and launch some sand up into the air. Re member: Use a 56 or 58 sand wedge. If you aim to get the ball out, finish up high, and go. We have hard sand, especially after a rain. 4. Amazingly, Rahm doubled his first hole of the tournament thanks to a four-putt on the 1st green. Padraig Harrington's latest backyard lesson backfired in hilarious fashion. I had 3 of these over the weekend, and everyone flew 10 to 20 yards longer than I wanted even though I tried opening the face of sw as much as I possibly could. You can post now and register later. After firing a disappointing 75 en route to a runner-up finish, Brooks was gracious in defeat during his post-round press conference. Technique for hitting high, spinny bunker shots USGA and R&A announce proposal to limit golf ball performance for elite level competition, Quick SaleToulonTSR2 152 Ball OGStroke Lab, Cobra 2020 Forged Tec One Length irons & LAB Link.1 putter, Ventus TR Blue 6S Velocore Driver Shaft (Ping Adapter) , Phantom X 11 weld neck, Scotty shaft, Scotty grips. If a course has the staff and equipment needed to regularly care for the bunkers, the sand will usually be soft. 3 keys for getting out of bunkers with soft sand - GolfWRX Swing the club along the line of your feet. For a typical sand shot where the sand is dry and a bit fluffy, the bounce helps the club slide under the ball at a predictable depth in the sand and come out the other side. Moreover, theyre both unafraid to lay it all on the line.

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