Golf Bunker Shots HOW EXACTLY TO Easily Escape Sand Traps
For so many beginners, escaping from the bunker may be the stuff of nightmares. Just the idea conjures up images of shot after shot spent hacking away in the sand. Here are tips on how to make the proper golf bunker shots to flee the sand trap.
The truth is that when you know what to accomplish, there really isn't very much to be afraid of. Whether you're splashing the right path out of a green-side bunker or escaping a fairway trap, if you have the right techniques you'll soon discover that getting your ball from the sand can be one of many simpler shots you'll play.
Adjusting your setup is key. Dig the feet into the sand and obtain a more solid foundation for your shot. When playing out of a green-side bunker, aim merely to the left of the prospective should you be right-handed, and just to the right should you be left-handed. For fairway bunker shots, try to hit the sand 1 inches (2.5cm) behind the ball. For several bunker shots, keep your eyes focused on the point at which you need the club-face to enter the sand. Whatever your position, be sure you accelerate through the ball.
1. Fairway Bunkers
Fairway bunkers are often fairly shallow and allow one to make regular club selections in line with the distance you need to make. For shots from green-side bunkers, which are often quite steep, you'll need to use a sand wedge.
This is an iron which has a very lofted face (typically 56 degrees) and is specially made to bounce off the under-surface of a bunker. Its fat profile produces an explosion of sand that helps lift the ball out of bunker and onto the green. Never ground your club in the sand before you play a bunker shot! If you do, you'll face a penalty.
Finding your ball in a fairway bunker presents an entirely different challenge from being caught in a green-side sand trap. You'll need to take a much longer shot, so you'll be utilizing a different club. You won't be trying to achieve an explosive effect when splashing out of a bunker close to the green - instead, you should try to nip the ball off the most notable of the sand.
2. Green-side Bunkers
It may sound strange, but when playing the green-side bunker shot you need to deliberately aim to miss the ball. It is because your target is an area of sand about 2.5 cm (an inch or so) behind the ball. Striking the top of bunker here creates a pocket of sand that really helps to lift the ball up and forward, and out of the sand trap.
As you swing back towards the ball you need to feel like you're cutting across the ball, or, as golf coaches say, from outside to in. While this may feel unnatural, trust your swing. Even though you think you're going to hit the ball too much left, the truth that your club-face is open will actually take the ball to the proper.
As ever, it's important that you accelerate through the ball once you play your shot. Similarly, it's also advisable to make a proper follow-through with an excellent hip and shoulder turn. The final thing you want may be the club stopping in the sand and the ball staying in the bunker.
