Every golfer has played out of the bunker. Most amateurs will play this shot a few times a round….or at least once. Personally, I play a bunker shot every 3 or 4 rounds, but that success is subject to change at any time. Playing out of a bunker is not difficult if you understand the mechanics of a bunker shot. It is different from a normal wedge shot because the sand creates a different set of influences that affect the release and ball flight. I spent a great deal of time early in my career hitting bunker shots and now I consider them just another shot during my round. There are two different ways to play each bunker shot and today we are going to discuss them both.

There are two types of ball flights out of a bunker. The first is a high shot that lands close to the pin and does not release very far. The second is a low shot that releases more and rolls to towards your target. Both are great options and the conditions of the green, distance to the green, the size of the bunker face and the type of sand contribute to which type of shot you select. I do not have a preference of either because I do not like to be pigeon holed for any shot selection.

The process of hitting out of the bunker has a couple of important factors I will discuss after the video by Rory McIlroy. He explains how to hit each shot.

There are three factors that are universal to hitting a bunker shot. The first is to establish as strong base. If you ever watch any player hit from the bunker, the squish their feet down to create a strong platform from which to swing the club. This is important because it allows us to transfer energy to the club without fear of slipping.

The second is to hit about 2 inches behind the ball in order to pop the ball out of the sand. This can be a bit challenging when there is not much sand in the bunker, but it is a strong rule of thumb. I try to slide under the ball to create a soft landing on high shots. Regardless of which shot your are attempting, hit about 2 inches behind the ball for a successful sand shot.

Lastly, accelerate through the shot. The most common error for bunker shots is decelerating through contact. Accelerating through the ball creates the conditions for success when hitting a bunker because of the energy transfer to the ball causing it to fly out of the bunker. You know you decelerated during the shot when the ball just plops forward a few feet due to the lack of energy transferred to the ball. If nothing else during your bunker shots, accelerate through the ball.

Hitting the ball out of a bunker is not a daunting task. It is something that needs to be practice, but once you master this shot, you will never have to worry about these hazards again.

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!