how to hit bunker shots out of hard sand

Now, as many of you are probably wondering, how should I apply these principles to my own golf swing? 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. Ball pops clean out of the bunker with height. Most of the time in golf, we want to hit the ball first and then take a bit of grass with us. On the eighth hole, another bunker shot from a tough lie didn't quite reach the green, and he holed a 15 . Hole everything out and approach every shot the same way. If the clubface is open like you would normally do for an explosion shot, the bottom of the club will bounce up and hit the middle of the ball giving you a skulled shot over the green. Our guide featuring how to hit a bunker shot will give you a step-by-step method that is guaranteed to get you out of a bunker (the first time!). Going there, if you are not used to it, may seem very daunting in the beginning. On holes like the dogleg-left par 5 13th at Augusta National, righties hoping for a shorter approach into the green will opt for a draw-biased swing/setup off the tee. The More You Open the Clubface, the More You Use the Bounce BREAKING: LIV Golf Signs Another Top-50 Golfer, Ex-Good Good Members Micah Morris and Grant Horvat Sign Equipment Deal With TaylorMade Golf, TRENDING: Costco Preparing to Release Kirkland Signature Irons. Golf Podcast 477: Is this the Future of Golf? The fluffier the sand is, the more you will open your stance. "Then I have the M-grind which has the toe, trailing . If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. I get it, the initial wave of depression that hits after we fail to reach one of our goals really sucks. You can play a lot of short game shots using the same technique. I hit it like a bunker shot. Key is you don't have to hit it hard. Dropping the trail shoulder or raising your lead shoulder promotes a sweeping action at the bottom of your swing. If you can remember your steps and the checkpoints, you will be able to repeat the shot. (@scratchgolftips) on Instagram: "Here's a great look at Tiger practicing hitting bunker shots before a round in 2020. If a course has the staff and equipment needed to regularly care for the bunkers, the sand will usually be soft. Holding your sand wedge in front of you, turn the face open about 20 degrees, then take your grip. I was using a full swing but my mindset was that I would open the face so much so the ball wouldn't travel too far if I didn't get much sand. A full swing is completely counter-productive when trying to hit a low golf shot. A lot of golfers like to give themselves putts inside five feet, take the timely mulligan, or hit their third shot from their buddys ball after pumping their tee ball OB. Lastly, youll play your best after youve been punched in the gut when you remain committed to your pre-shot routine. To have a successful chip shot over the bunker, you need to match the bottom of your arc to the lie. But Paddys latest lesson isnt about learning bunker basics (which hes covered before). First, lets talk about why you should care about the firmness of the sand. As much as I wish this mode of thinking was something that we could achieve overnight, it requires practice. Just to expand on that a bit, you can ALWAYS use stroke-and-distance for a 1 shot penalty, no matter where the ball is. Approximately speaking, your body is now at a 90-degree angle in relation to the ground. You want the leading edge to dig a bit. When you are hitting out of a bunker, the open face is minimal. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, three-time major champion Padraig Harrington has taken to Twitter to keep golf fans entertained and to help them improve their games. Square face or even slightly closed is really the only adjustment you need. Typically, you want a sand wedge (56 degrees) or higher. So, grab your sand wedge and stick your . The sand wedge is the most common type of club for a golfer to use out of the bunker. 100plus. Have some practice coz many guys are pre-set to fail regardless of the sand, the time of day, the tourney rules etc. Today Britt plays more golf than ever with her husband and two children and still loves connecting with golfers worldwide. With the bounce on your wedge and the grooves on the club face, you will be able to launch the ball out of the bunker when you have a more steep swing. The swing does not need to be long, and there will still be a body turn; just try to feel the club on more of an upright plane. Finau's sixth career PGA Tour victory was worth $1,386,000. We hope that our comprehensive guide on how to hit a bunker shot has helped you feel a bit more confident in your abilities. Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'cc8mprJoQQxU04oAD_WiRw',sig:'GIc2IfGpqgkQxHOxik__Ho4nnUFR_4aCAfHG5wY8lkg=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'1481062574',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); If you dont do so already, kick off your golf season by outlining a few goals. When a bunker has been hardened by rain or irrigation, the golf ball will spin more coming off the clubface. Combine that with the fact that every kind of sand is different, and you have a recipe for a difficult up-and-down. If this is you, you need to learn, at a bare minimum, how to neutralize your ball flight. 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. All golfers should know how to hit bunker shots, so lets break it down into simple steps. Squaring up the club face and trying to get the club to dig just seems like a recipe for inconsistency. 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. But that doesnt mean there isnt a way to successfully navigate bunkers with too much sand. USE OF AND/OR REGISTRATION ON ANY PORTION OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF OURVISITOR AGREEMENT(UPDATED 1/6/23),PRIVACY AND COOKIES NOTICE(UPDATED 1/4/23) ANDCALIFORNIA PRIVACY NOTICE. Again, Im back to stressing the importance of a happy medium. Check out Monte's "Use the Bounce" video series for some great info on this technique. Maintenance. Use a Decent Lofted Wedge. Try a wedge with much less bounce, maybe the 50*. Often, Ill witness amateurs spending loads of time on the practice green trying to reinvent their putting stroke after one bad round. 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. Plus, they're fearful, so they tend to lock their bodies in place and just wave at the ball with their arms. You want a wide stance when in the sand for better balance. Some golfers tend to have better luck with the higher lofted lob wedge in play. You dont need to transfer quite as much of your weight back to your right side on this shot. I have a terrible time in the sand. Is the sand packed and wet? If theyre level with one another in relation to the ground, you may struggle hitting draws. The result is too much sand and a low lofted running shot. Ping Glide Forged, 48, 52, 56, 60, DGS300. 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. If you want to turn it over more with the big stick, start by checking your ball position. A club without any bounce would act like a shovel when it hit the dirt. Hit The Sand Hard. I have also chipped when the lip is low and the shot allows it. Golf Podcast 474: The Most Anticipated Masters Tournament Ever? There's some amount of bounce on every modern wedge and iron. Can You Teach Golf Without Certification? 2I: TourModel III True Temper S and note the landing and roll out distance and write it down. Why cant I just be happy with my driver? 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. Lately, theres been a lot of buzz surrounding the use of distinctively unique swing rehearsals. Padraig Harrington's latest backyard lesson backfired in hilarious fashion. You have to get your weight behind the golf ball in relation to your target in order to optimize distance. When hitting a greenside bunker shot, it can help to put a little extra weight on the left side. For most sand shots you face you want to play the ball off your front foot. In other words, if youre a slicer, learn how to hit a hook. Trust in the bounce on your wedge and the mechanics of your bunker swing to get the ball headed toward the target. Display as a link instead, Commit to turning to a full finish, and you'll get the ball out every time. Think of your wedge as carrying the ball out of the bunker, and it will help you finish high. Lets take a look in the article below at how you should adjust your technique to get good results in either situation. 1,036 likes, 2 comments - Darin de Lelys Golf (@darins_wedge_work) on Instagram: "Better Out Of The Bunker!!! Amazingly, more than nine times out of ten, mid to high handicappers (15 and up) who seek my guidance each employ the following move during the golf swing: Their chest/upper body is positioned too far ahead of the golf ball in relation to the target. Obviously, Tiger is EXAGGERATING an extreme position here. Based on the shot you want to hit, you will focus on hitting the san." Darin de Lelys Golf on Instagram: "Better Out Of The Bunker!! 1) Have you considered your penalty options? I always move a ball out of a footprint, rake it and try and drop it as I think it landed in the bunker. This is the proper way to hit a bunker shot and the method that results in the most spin and control. Depending on your course and previous shot, your lie could be on an incline or a decline. Most amateurs swing the club into the sand, and when they feel the resistance, they quit on the shot. So it is almost as if the ball is plugged - place a . Itll give you some definition and structure in how you approach your weekly rounds and practice routines. You should also dig your feet into the sand to make sure your base is set. Often, proper posture at the setup position is confused with standing in a similarly vertical position to your current position up against the wall. 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. 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. 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. If you only open your clubface and never adjust your stance, you will miss the shot to the right of the pin. You wouldn't know it but a lot of more accomplished players actually use a 60 degree lob wedge out of bunkers. Swing only slightly harder than a chip/pitch of the same distance. Notice how." Golf Tips And Advice! He left a bunker shot in the sand on the sixth hole and . The weaker your grip, the more susceptible you are to hitting slices. Just like a pitcher throwing from the stretch, they are exploding off their trail foot/side before releasing the ball toward home plate. As is tradition on Sundays at the Masters, the back left hole location on the par 3 16th hole presents players the opportunity to use the slope located in the middle of the green in order to feed the ball closer to the hole. In this video he addresses the unique challenges presented by different sand conditions. We don't want the club to dig, but we also don't want to blade our chips. Unfortunately this is a dicey way to make this shot. 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. 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. I sculled them all. Then set a . Preferably hit to a flat green. The fairway bunker shots will play differently than the how to hit a greenside bunker shot. When we are playing out wet, compact sand it is important that the club doesn't bounce against the firmness and you end up with a bladed shot. 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. If I have some distance to cover, I just "pick it" with a shallow swing with the 60-04. If the sand is packed, you want a more shut clubface, whereas if its fine sand, you want to open it up more. For fairway bunker shots, try to clip the ball clean without taking hardly any sand. The first part of how to hit sand shots in golf is to choose the proper club. If your kids have a sandbox, that could be an option! Ping G430 driver - Loft above advertised? If youre one of those players who has a wildly inconsistent divot pattern (sometimes deep, other times shallow, sometimes no divot, others have proper width, others have little width), youre going to produce proportionately inconsistent results. In other words, practice by playing and practice by playing the right way. He hit a lot of fairways, hit plenty of greens, and made enough putts. Line your feet up left of the target. Make sure you get out of the bunker and give yourself a chance at a one-putt, but for the most part be satisfied with getting down in three. He assists on all things instruction and covers amateur and womens golf. Explaining Akshay Bhatias status, This rising star and long shot is primed for a breakout win: 2023 Wells Fargo Championship odds, 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 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. The sand carries the ball with it. In this episode of How to Hit Every Shot, instructor Erika Larkin takes us through the basics of blasting it from the bunker. The greens may be faster, the rough may be longer, the pace of play might be slower, and your adrenaline may be through the roof. Opening the face naturally after it enters the hard sand. At some level, the difference between an opening round 65 and a closing round 75 may not have been all that much. As you play a course a few times, youll get familiar with the sand conditions, and you can alter your technique accordingly. Obviously, this is a lot of information to consume in an effort the digest what Tiger is doing and trying to accomplish with this drill. ago. "We'll also try the S-grind which is one of our popular grinds. Bunker shots are some of the most difficult in golf. If your goal is to break 80, that tee shot on hole 10 that you just pumped OB after shooting 39 on the front is going to seem like hell on earth. But setup the same for everything, except put a little more weight forward. 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. Greenside bunker shots often intimidate the average golfer, but they are actually pretty simple. Obviously, in an increased effort to use the ground while minimizing excessive lateral movement, dont move your head up and down drastically. If thats you, thats perfectly fine! You want to take less sand than usual when it's wet. He pounded his high, piercing cut dead down the middle of the fairway and made a lot of big putts inside ten feet. 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. Also, examine where your toes are pointed at the setup. You want the leading edge to dig a bit. I had 3 of these shots when playing with him at our course. Dig your feet in and make an extra wide stance. This might seem like a subtle difference, but it actually has a massive impact on how you should play the shot. How do they differ when hitting from the fairway? While Rahm and Koepka both play the game under very different circumstances in comparison to the typical amateur, all golfers have goals. In many ways, that process for one great player is very different than another great players process. Bounce does NOT make the club bounce off the turf. Theyll change their grip, change their putter, change their setup, and maybe theyll play better the following day. These shots need loft. Before Sunday, Brooks Koepka did everything right at Augusta National. FOLLOW THROUGH to the finish like any other shot. I get a lot of these at courses I play where the sand is really compacted or almost no-existent. Additionally, keep your hands ahead of the ball at impact to help deloft the clubface and keep the ball low. Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'AjB58-GNRZFTU9YaB9rusA',sig:'Br2CeQnBSmNfvem9uaMAo1WvwUc_ZiP5RHG1OEeHhb4=',w:'424px',h:'594px',items:'1481228422',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); Also, it may promote more weight transfer. The lob wedge vs. sand wedgebunker debate will probably never come to an end. Besides having a good base for the shot, which is vital, you get a feel for how deep the sand is around your shot. One of the most critical factors of hitting out of the bunker is to ensure that you take some sand with your golf shot. If you feel a ton of sand below you, then you know you will have to alter your angle . 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. 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. Chances are, youll be best served by alerting your mental approach. What this does is, it exposes the flange on the bottom of the club. You can still hit behind the ball like a normal bunker shot and the square face will allow the wedge to dig into the hard sand and pop it out on a nice cushion. Rotating the trail foot open will help you get your weight where it needs to be in order to deliver a more powerful punch at impact. For many amateurs, sand traps and bunkers are intimidating and present a true challenge. You want to hit behind the ball to splash it out on a patch of sand, so play the ball forward in your stance, up by your left foot. With it, you can let the club enter the sand an inch or two behind the ball and exit an inch or two after it and the ball just jumps out with the sliver of sand you carved out with your wedge. The GROUND. One of the most critical factors of hitting out of the bunker is to ensure that you take some sand with your golf shot. He came to Augusta National riding high from his recent victory and extremely confident in all facets of his game. I know youve heard this line before, but have you really approached your game in this manner in all environments? Be patient, this will not happen overnight! The more willing you are to put it all on the line, the more youll accomplish in the long run. I didnt look at bounce when i grabbed my wedges. Pick a target, pick a ball flight, step in, and fire. You want a wide stance when in the sand for better balance. Prepare to be BLOWN AWAY by this Course! Srixon ZX5 irons 5-AW, Nippon N.S. About 4-6 inches. I would open the face a lot less, otherwise you will bounce into the ball. A Golfers Paradise! Like hitting off a dirt road. Also, when you head to a new course for a round, spend some time before the round visiting the practice bunker (if they have one available). A sand wedge is a smart investment in your golf game, one that is worth making. If the ball doesn't get out, you are going to waste at least one stroke - and probably more. What are they? Use this excellent drill: Take your normal setup position with a short iron and then drop your trail foot back excessively (a few feet). If you try the same thing without much bounce the club head can dig in more than you want and wreck the shot. Golfers tend to have fewer issues with fairway bunkers than greenside bunkers. By involving our core and leg muscles on the downswing. Line your club up slightly right of the target with an open face. Giving lessons, I often witness the same these inconsistencies among my students. I like my lo. "We'll try the K-grind which has a wider sole and works best in soft sand. Moreover, theyre both unafraid to lay it all on the line. By moving the ball back, we are giving ourselves less room to hit behind the ball, which is ideal in this situation. No Quit: Keep your body turning through the shot so your chest is facing the target at the finish. If the intention is to still keep sand between the club and ball like a normal bunker shot then you need the club moving quickly and smoothly through the sand. Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'EEPAamLWSi1jfjUyrDgcYg',sig:'sOzvCMUzSRltc8jigTsiaz-xAXvOFYoHVVJ1G2x8xzI=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'1251616690',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); To hit a draw, get your weight behind the golf ball. Bunkers look much scarier than they are. Have you ever hit a ball in the bunker and got excited about the shot you would get to hit next? Thanks, yes this definitely sounds like the way to go. Play it like a pitch and aim to get the toe down and under the ball. Pay attention to what you feel in the balls of your feet. Make a hard swing with an open face and you will start to see results like the bunker shots you have seen professional golfers hit on TV. . The Cleveland CBX 2 Sand Wedgeis a great option for most players and is forgiving and effective where and when you need it most. If the clubface is open like you would do for a blast shot, the bottom of the club . Padraig Harrington, a three-time major champion, knows a thing or two about playing out of bunkers. Step 7: Slap the sand behind the ball. Here's why, How a popular green-reading method helped launch this young pro into contention in Mexico, This chipping drill will help you get up-and-down from anywhere, 8 simple ways to banish negativity during your round, Use this hip rotation drill to develop more power through your downswing, Stop topping the ball with these 10 easy fixes, Seeking power and clubhead speed? You simply must work on these shots for yourself to get a feel for how they are played. The toe will dig in first. Low bounce 58 or 60, square face, hit 1/2 behind the ball. Now he has a new helpful tip for golfers everywhere: the secrets to, and differences between, playing out of hard and soft sand. Step 4: Put 80 percent of your weight on your lead leg. If youre trying to navigate a tough external environment by adding the internal stress of certain swing-related thoughts, youre going to make that round much more difficult than it needs to be in certain situations. Amazingly, Rahm doubled his first hole of the tournament thanks to a four-putt on the 1st green. Keep in mind that the digging in of your feet helps with greenside bunkers, but it is not necessary with fairway bunkers. 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? Tiger Woods Downswing Rehearsal: What Exactly is he Doing? Some golfers prefer the lob and others the sand, but they are both capable of doing what you need them to do. Sometimes, these players set up to the ball with their upper bodies too far ahead of the golf ball. The right set up is the key to hitting an effective shot from the bunker. 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. If you aim to get the ball out, finish up high, and go. Swing the club along the line of your feet. Srixon ZX4 4 iron The big key during the swing is to follow through, and turn your body to the target. When his body outraces his arms/hands on the downswing, the club also falls behind his body. Here's a tip I got from our pro. Low bounce 58 or 60, square face, hit 1/2" behind the ball. The WHY: In an effort to not get ahead of the golf ball with his upper body on the downswing/impact. Check the full bunker lesson from Harrington below. This is just another way of saying or doing whats necessary in order to get your upper body less ahead of your arms/hands and the golf ball. 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. Titleist 917F3 15* VA Composite Drago 75-X 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. The fish grabbed on to the back of the fly, and kept it in its . His spine angle is closer to 60 degrees than 90 degrees, his backside is sticking out, his knees are bent, and his upper body is hovering over the ground/ball as opposed to over his lower body as if he were sitting in a lazy boy chair. 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. How To Clean A Golf Bag - Bringing It Back To It's Former Glory, The 5 Best Womens Golf Gloves: Great Fit & Value. Lastly, how do you dunk a basketball? Step 6: Use plenty of speed and keep your clubface open.
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