There can be many scary thoughts running through your head when you are faced with a bunker shot. Rid yourself of any negative thoughts or tension and remember these three key elements the next time you find yourself in a bunker:
- Play the ball slightly forward in your stance (just inside your left heel). This will ensure that you hit the sand first. Open your stance, creating a steeper swing, which will encourage that blast of sand behind the ball.
- If you have a good standard lie in the bunker, the object is to hit the sand, not the ball, and blast the sand so the ball exits the bunker with the sand. Instead of trying to hit the ball, picture the club face sliding under the ball while you accelerate through the sand.
- Do not decelerate. Make sure you accelerate through impact finishing on your front foot. This will ensure you get through the sand with enough force to blast the ball out with the sand.
On the practice green, place a club down behind the hole about 2-3 feet. Then hit a number of putts to that hole from 5, 10, 15 and 20 feet with the intention being if the ball doesn't go in the hole, it should end up between the hole and the club on the ground. This drill will encourage you to get the ball to the hole without blowing it by, while in the meantime getting you accustomed to the speed of the greens you will be playing that day.
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