Bunker shots

Golf / Popular

Use bounce and a shallow sand entry to escape greenside bunkers.

What coaches agree on

  • Hit the sand an inch or two behind the ball so it rides out on a cushion of sand instead of striking the ball directly.
  • Set up with a wide, low stance - bend your knees and settle most of your weight on your lead side.
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  • Practice landing the club on a specific spot just behind the ball, using a drawn line as a target - consistency of entry point matters more than how hard you swing.
  • Rotate the clubface open before you take your grip so the bounce stays exposed through impact.

Common mistakes

  • Golfers decelerate or tense up through impact, steering the club instead of letting its momentum carry through, so it gets stuck in the sand rather than releasing.
  • Letting the shaft lean too far forward at impact takes the loft off the club and drives the leading edge into the sand instead of letting the bounce glide through it.
EASY WAY TO PLAY BUNKER SHOTS
Intermediate

EASY WAY TO PLAY BUNKER SHOTS

Coach's take: A specific grip trick with some reasoning behind it -- a refinement, not a first lesson.

3.1
GOLF: How To Master Bunker Shots
Advanced

GOLF: How To Master Bunker Shots

Coach's take: Real technique buried in a hard-to-follow lesson transcript -- you'd need the video, not just the words.

2.7
Bunker shots made easy
Intermediate

Bunker shots made easy

Coach's take: One decent trick wrapped around a wedge commercial -- skip to the Gary Player bit and move on.

1.9