Best Way to Play a Simple Bunker Shots

Learn to play a simple bunker shot of perhaps 12 to 15 paces from a bunker beside a green. Use a sand wedge with plenty of loft.

At address, use a square clubface (not opened or turned out), a wide stance, play the ball just ahead of centre with the clubshaft pointing towards your navel, not with the hands forward. Hold at the top of the club; don’t grip further down. Most importantly, leave a 5cm (2in) gap between the clubface and the ball and focus your eyes on the spot in the sand behind the ball. Make a threequarter backswing – don’t be too concerned about this. Look at the sand and concentrate on hitting the sand and the ball forwards onto the green. Make a threequarter-length finish and keep the grip firm. The whole concept of the shot is to hit the sand forwards onto the green.

Let the top half of your body move forwards towards the target. Most golfers wrongly fall backwards in an attempt to help the ball up and either hit the sand behind the ball or take no sand at all. The correct feeling should be of hitting the sand forwards onto the green.

The rules don’t allow you to have a practice swing in a bunker and to take sand. But to learn the shot, make several practice swings, simply concentrating on the sand and trying to hit it forwards.

Practice with a yellow or orange ball. Imagine this is the yoke of your fried egg. With your finger, draw in the white of the fried egg. Imagine hitting the whole of the fried egg out onto the green without popping the yoke! This will teach you to focus on the sand and to take your sand at the right place.

To feel the forward movement of the upper body, try this exercise. Draw one line in the sand 5cm (2in) behind the ball and another 12.5cm (5in) beyond it. Hold the clubhead above the line behind the ball. Your head starts opposite this line. By the finish of the swing the club should take the sand and the ball, and your head should finish opposite the other line. Your head and body move forward to hit the sand forwards.

Using a putter in a bunker

Occasionally you may be able to use a putter in a shallow bunker. The depth of contact is crucial. Keep the head of the putter well above the sand and concentrate on a neat strike on the back of the ball.