Become a pro in golf
 

Welcome to our golf Archive. Have fun browsing!

 

Article #69: Golf - Getting To Grips With Bunker Shots

(Browse for more articles)

 
A bunker, also known as a trap, is an two to three inches behind the ball so
area of ground, often a small natural that you scoop up some sand which, in
depression, from which the turf has been turn, makes contact with the ball and
removed and replaced with sand, water or shoots it up and out of the bunker.
tall grass. Where a bunker crosses the If you're taking your shot on an uphill
line of play it is often referred to as a slope of the bunker be careful to keep
cross bunker. your shoulders level and avoid the
The secret to tackling a bunker shot is tendency to tilt them with the slope. If
to establish a solid base with a firm you are taking a shot on a downhill slope
footing that will support your swing of the bunker, open your stance a little,
without slipping. In establishing this steepen your backswing and swing slightly
firm base however you must be careful not more aggressively. Be careful not to
to dig your feet in too well or you will close the face of the club and accelerate
make your legs rigid and encourage too through the ball.
strong a shot. The essence lies in If you're having trouble with bunker
keeping your lower body still with very shots then he are a couple of exercises
little movement in your legs. to try.
You should stand with your weight Put a tee in the sand so that just the
favoring your left side (unless you're a top is visible. Then put a ball on the
left-hander in which case you should tee and try hitting the tee about halfway
favor your right side) and your stance down its length. This will help you to
should be opened and a little wider than focus on getting under the ball.
normal to restrict your backswing and Next, draw a straight line in the sand
also to steepen your swing. You should with the handle of the bunker rake and
also turn your knees in slightly, so that stand so that you are straddling the line
you have more weight on the inside of with it slightly left of center. Then
your feet. practice making swings to splash the sand
As with all golf shots you should have a forward with your club head hitting the
firm, but light grip. If your grip is too sand on the line. Once you are
tight your wrists will become rigid and consistently hitting the line, put a ball
you'll find it hard to slide the club down a couple of inches to the left of
under the ball and into the sand. You the line and continue your practice.
should also move your grip slightly As with everything else, the secret to a
farther down the club shaft than normal, good bunker shot lies in a sound
about half an inch will be enough, as technique and plenty of practice. If you
this will not only make it easier to hit spend a bit of time practicing bunker
the ball, but will also discourage you shots not only will you find that your
from burying your feet in the sand. score goes down, but your level of
Finally, hinge your wrists slightly frustration will also go down.
earlier than you would normally to One of the best ways to improve your golf
encourage a steeper angle of attack on is to take some time out for a bit of
your downswing. serious practice and there is no better
When it comes to your swing, shorten your way to do that than on a golfing holiday.
backswing by about one quarter and mirror Both Orlando golf vacations packages and
this three-quarter swing on your Phoenix golf vacations packages offer the
follow-through. In a bunker shot your aim ideal opportunity to improve your game
is not to hit the ball with the club head and have a great break at the same time.
but, instead, to aim for a point about






1 - A - B - C - D - E - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20 - 21 - 22 - 23 - 24 - 25 - 26 - 27 - 28 - 29 - 30 - 31 - 32 - 33 - 34 - 35 - 36 - 37 - 38 - 39 - 40 - 41 - 42 -