August 1, 2015 5:42 pm

By Jon Woodroffe

Bunker shots hold fear and dread for most higher handicap golfers and it is quite understandable as the whole shot is most illogical. After all you are trying to hit the shot very hard yet hit the ball a very short distance. You are trying basically to miss the ball and you are trying to hit the surface beneath the ball very hard which is you have ever hit the range mats hard behind the ball you will know that it is not a very pleasant experience.

So all these things make it hard to trust yourself to do the one main thing that you must do in a bunker shot to be successful and that is to follow through fully rather than stab at the sand and stop your swing immediately after impact.

If this sounds like your bunker woes, then here is a great trick to help. As you play your bunker shot, make sure that you finish your swing with your belt buckle, or tummy button, pointing towards the target. If you do this you will have continued the clubhead through the shot with enough momentum to send the sand flying out of the bunker and on top of that sand will be your ball, just like the 2 pictures of golfers here getting themselves successfully out of bunkers at a recent World of Golf game at Surbiton Golf Club.

 

Try it and I know you will find yourself losing your fear of the bunkers.

 

Categorised in: Tip of the month