When your faced with hitting a bunker shot, the most important thing to remember is to open the face of the club before gripping it.
Begin with a wider stance, your weight slightly favoring the left side. The ball is forward in your stance, and your body is open with the knees flexed toward the target. Your hands are positioned low, and your feet are dug into the sand for balance.
Swing the arms along the bodyline, keeping the arms and body connected in the backswing. Swing the clubface toward the target in the follow-through, keeping the right heel on the ground. This will allow the body to maintain correct angles during the swing, which will produce a shallow divot and help you control the trajectory and distance of each shot.
Distance is controlled by alignment. The shorter the shot is, the more open your body and clubface needs to be to the target. For longer shots, the body and clubface will be aligned square to the target.
When practicing your bunker shots, set specific targets, have an outcome goal and practice from different lies.
–These tips were taken from Gary’s book, “Going for the Green.”–
