Hampton Court Palace Golf Course

Waiting in the Cold at Heathrow Airport!

Arriving at Heathrow Airport on 30 Oct at 7 am was the start of my thrilling four-day golfing adventure with my best friend, Kirk. The arrangements were made and he was at the airport (with coffee in hand), waiting to pick me up. Have you ever heard the saying, “don’t change the plan!”, well if not, then let me explain!

Foolishly, I left the arrival area thinking I could help the situation by going to the car pick area. Yup, I left the arrivals and went…. I bet you can see where this is going! After two hours of standing in the cold, my phone rang and it was my buddy questioning where I was. He was in the lower level and I was at the upper level of the same terminal waiting for each other. There is little question I was to blame for “changing the plan” and everyone has had a great laugh at my expense since. I will again apologize to my friend for being dopey!

Borrow Clubs at the practice range!

After a rough start, things went famously. We quickly visited his darling wife to say hello, hit a few balls at a range and then headed to the Northwood Golf Club. I was borrowing his son’s clubs (and golf balls) while I was on my adventure which worked out better than expected.

The next day we headed to Hampton Court Palace Golf Course. After playing 18 holes on Henry the VIII old hunting grounds, I was a bit overwhelmed by the majestic nature of my surroundings! Having dreamed of playing in the UK (and other parts of Europe) for ever, I was finally crossing this off my bucket list! Kirk told me I was going to get the “royal treatment” and he was absolutely right!

The next two days were spent golfing and hanging out! Having been to London before, I enjoyed exploring the Middlesex area by looking at the old architecture and relishing in the local colour. We ate at the local restaurants, drove by places like Moor Park Golf Club, and just enjoyed hanging out!

The Royal Treatment!

On the last day it rained, but this did not stop the competition for the duck. I wrote about that earlier and will recount some of those adventures later. But, let’s just say I am still the holder of “the duck“!

Over the next few articles, I will provide more details of my UK Golf Adventure. These adventures will include a couple of course reviews and more tidbits of my awesome time in the UK.

Thanks Kirk for “the royal treatment”! I look forward to repaying your kindness very soon!

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

The approach shot to a green at the Hampton Court Palace Golf Course.

Sand traps are not to be feared! They are designed to challenge the average golfer, increase the difficulty of approach shots, or force players to hit a different club off the tee! Sand traps do, however, cause many problems for the amateur player who does not understand the proper technique to play out of the sand. Most inexperienced players try to pick instead of blasting the ball out of the trap. Their cautious approach often results in a failed attempt to hit the ball out of the sand trap. Sometimes rooted in fear, their repeated failure to make that all important successful shot haunts them every time they enter the beach!

Through the years, I have tried many techniques to successfully extricate myself from sand traps. I have tried putting the ball, to half-swinging my club, to swinging as hard as I can with little success of landing the ball near to the pin. Through all my trials and tribulations, I have found three key ‘need to know’ points that result in excellent sand shots. So, I thought I would share with them you and see what you think.

Bend your knees. It is important to keep your knees bent throughout the entire shot. By keeping your knees bent, it allows the club face to slide under the ball and pop it out of the sand. Additionally, keeping your knees bent will allow you to maintain your balance throughout the entire shot, thus promoting a consistent and repeatable golf swing.

Follow Through. Many amateurs have the tendency to stop their follow through during a sand shot. This restrictive movement reduces the power generated by your golf swing. And in turn, results in the ball staying in the hazard or barely making it over the lip of the sand trap. Following through will help you consistently generate the power required to aggressively hit the ball out of the sand trap.

Hit Behind the Ball. Hitting behind the ball in a sand trap is a must! I recommend hitting about 2 inches behind the ball for most consistent results. The distance the ball travels after contact is determined by the depth of the club in the sand. It is important to hit behind the ball in the bunker because it promotes a full swing and consistent results.

From both videos, taken at the Hampton Court Palace Golf Course just outside London, UK, the three important aspects of playing a bunker shot mentioned above are obvious. My friend and I had two different types of bunker shots, but our technique was exactly the same. Anyone can play consistent bunker shots. All it takes is bending your knees, following through, hitting behind the ball and of course, a little practice.

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