Best Way to Hit a Open-Faced Bunker Shot in Golf

Using a square clubface and a sand iron with 60—64 degrees of loft will get you out of anything you can see out of. The aim for club golfers should be to get the ball out onto the green every time without being overly ambitious. A more advanced shot involves opening the clubface for added height and backswing. You should only attempt these from a good lie in a well-raked bunker.

To feel the correct action of opening the clubface, turn the toe of the club out very slightly, about 1cm. Now have some practice swings in the sand (or on grass) and you should feel the bottom of the sand wedge making a bouncing contact. To play a good, open-faced bunker shot, you need to feel the clubhead bouncing in the sand and to be very aware of the bottom of the clubhead. This will help you add height and backspin.

At address, turn the clubface out very slightly and then grip the club. As you turn the face out make sure you keep the ball towards the toe of the club. It probably won’t be as near the toe as you imagine. Secondly, it may feel awkward in your hands. Open the clubface first and then grip. The egg-shaped part of your rubber grip will feel strange in your fingers. Trust it. Remember the two golden rules of the short game. Firstly the clubshaft points to your navel. Secondly the right shoulder needs to be high.

As you play the shot, concenttate on bouncing the clubface into the sand, still looking 5cm (2in) behind the ball. The clubface should stay open, face upwards beyond impact. Allow your left arm to bend away to your side, left elbow rubbing across you, back of the left hand and clubface upwards. The ball should pop up with greater height and will probably drift away to the left. Don’t worry too much about the direction of the shot. Initially expect the ball to finish 1.5 or 1.83 metres (5 or 6ft) right of target. Only when you are confident with adding some height and backspin to the shot should you think about the direction.

We talk about opening the stance in a bunker shot. This simply means turning the feet and stance round to the left to allow for the ball to drift away to the right. It might also add a little more sidespin. To open the stance, remember that the top of the club must still point to your navel. Turn the whole stance found in a circle. Hold at the end of the club; don’t grip down it. Keep the stance wide, hands low and knees bent.

To practice the shot, experienced golfers should tee the ball on a high tee peg on grass or a really good lie on the sand. Lay the clubface open and try to slide the clubhead beneath the ball, taking the tee peg and seeing the ball drop to the ground. Imagine the ball has little legs and you are trying to cut them from beneath it.