Instead of using a sand wedge as you normally would use a lob wedge when the sand is wet (if you have one). 3 keys for getting out of bunkers with soft sand - GolfWRX Remember, a neutral grip involves placing your lead hand on the grip so that you can see 2/2.5 knuckles on your lead hand when you address the ball. Bounce is whatever part of the sole of the club that sits lower than the leading edge. Aim further left and get the handle higher than usual. Like Tiger (albeit with far less speed, less athleticism, and to a far greater degree), their body outraces their arms and hands on the downswing in an effort to hit at the golf ball as opposed to swinging THRU the golf ball. Lastly, how do you dunk a basketball? After firing a disappointing 75 en route to a runner-up finish, Brooks was gracious in defeat during his post-round press conference. Tour players don't fear bunker shots the way most amateurs do, but only a handful of the pros get up and down from the sand more than 60 percent of the time. Its a good idea to pay attention to the normal sand conditions on your home course. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, three-time major champion Padraig Harrington has taken to Twitter to keep golf fans entertained and to help them improve their games. Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'Tpqp65v_T71VOMCYMolXgQ',sig:'d6r1RLR_MdErYy-R5reJudeK67k_byjqoi7qRyERGds=',w:'358px',h:'478px',items:'129301275',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); By moving the ball up, it often promotes a lower trail shoulder/higher lead shoulder in relation to the ground at address. Typically, you want a sand wedge (56 degrees) or higher. Square face. If the ball is positioned off the inside part of your lead heel, you are in a good spot. Try these adjustments the next time you encounter firm sand: Its important to understand the right techniques for hard and soft sand, but only one thing is really going to elevate your game in this area practice. 1,036 likes, 2 comments - Darin de Lelys Golf (@darins_wedge_work) on Instagram: "Better Out Of The Bunker!!! That's why I use the most lofted club I have, and then I pray it's enough to get over the lip! By Viewers and amateurs alike are always looking for ways to get inside the minds of professional golfers. if it rolled in, drop it front a low height. NEW Titleist TSR Hybrid Our Best Golf Club Fitting Yet? Again, this is a point that has more to do with budgets than anything else. Lots of bunkers like this in Arizona. You can play a lot of short game shots using the same technique. Jon Rahms surge of birdies Review the general bunker shot guidelines below in order to correctly execute the shot. I might think about this. Believe me, golf becomes a far more rewarding game after failing/succeeding on the course while we play in pursuit of something. The Secret to Clearing a Tall Bunker Lip Every Time - Golficity If you aim to get the ball out, finish up high, and go. Heres the easiest way to stay behind the ball more effectively with your upper body: FEEL as if your hands and arms are outracing your upper body on the downswing. https://www.golfspan.com/author/brittany-olizarowicz, Who Makes Adams Golf Clubs? I like my low bounce 60 degree in this situation. Have you ever hit a ball in the bunker and got excited about the shot you would get to hit next? If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Square face or even slightly closed is really the only adjustment you need. Despite entering the final round of the Masters with a two-shot advantage over his playing partner, Spaniard Jon Rahm, Brooks failed to capture his first green jacket and struggled in virtually all facets of his game, as was evident in his final round score of 3 over par, 75. Mickelson Sounds Off on Twitter at the OWGR, Tony Finau Spotted Caddying for Sons Hours After Winning PGA Tours Mexico Open, Talor Gooch Performs A LIV Golf First With Back-to-Back Victories, Brooks Koepka Gets 200-Club-Length Relief in Strange Ruling at LIV Golf Singapore, Jon Rahm & Scottie Scheffler Skipping The Wells Fargo Championship. On the golf course, especially under tournament conditions, you want to be hyper-aware of your surroundings. Take our word for it; getting good out of a bunker is something that takes a bit of practice initially, but it will be a worthwhile skill long term. Takes some practice to get the timing right but it will stop that tail arm/hand doing crazy stuff. 4. Easy to have club bounce off sand and skull ball way over green or into lip of bunker, been there done that . Before Sunday, Brooks Koepka did everything right at Augusta National. Hovlands lucky shirt Swing the club along the line of your feet. As Harrington demonstrates in the video, the secret to making short work of fluffy lies is to open the clubface and expose the bounce as much as you like, then swing hard to help it get up in the air. Some golfers have perfected putting out of a bunker, but that is not conventional. Pros, on the other hand, have mastered shots from the sand, and often prefer landing in bunkers than rough around the green. If this is you, crack that beer and accept that you can birdie the next hole rather than hopping aboard the bogey train. Play the ball a bit forward in your stance . Sliding under the ball. This will ensure that the leading edge will make contact with the ball below the equator of the ball (see picture below). When chipping near the green Im thinking mostly about how much I want the ball to roll out, but if the lie is really tight Ill go with the lower bounce wedge. The Cleveland CBX 2 Sand Wedgeis a great option for most players and is forgiving and effective where and when you need it most. Think of your wedge as carrying the ball out of the bunker, and it will help you finish high. On other courses often municipal courses or other facilities with modest budgets there may be very little sand, and the bottom of the trap may look like little more than dirt. Swing only slightly harder than a chip/pitch of the same distance. If you want to turn it over more with the big stick, start by checking your ball position. At some level, golfers are best served by practicing acceptance during the most unacceptable of moments. Titleist 917F3 15* VA Composite Drago 75-X LIVE! From the Circus: 27th April | circus, merchandising - Facebook Play the ball a bit forward in your stance and then aim a bit to the left of your target. Might try this, works for me in wet/hard sand.our course has firmly packed, and often wet white quartz sand Normal sand I use a more "V" shaped swing, hit behind the ball couple inches, Wet/hard sand, I use a "U" shaped swing mainly using shoulders, hit just behind the ball, takes a longer shallow 'divot' and comes out spinning like a mofo. Often, proper posture at the setup position is confused with standing in a similarly vertical position to your current position up against the wall. Even hitting just a few shots from the practice bunker will help you understand what to expect if you find a trap on the course. If the sand is pretty hard you may have to hit it harder to really get the club into the sand. Brooks back to his best, Checkout the leaderboard ahead of the Round 2 tee times.#themasters pic.twitter.com/ODyjy9dpfo, BoyleSports (@BoyleSports) April 7, 2023. You can still hit behind the ball like a normal bunker shot and the square face will allow the wedge to dig into the hard sand and pop it out on a nice cushion. Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'sxB0VfKgRyRlHBwDqDTwjA',sig:'igfJFD2-EyHNoBofQzjv5KgrDHkojiDPQ-Br8uLF4X8=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'941130414',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); Most obviously, Tigers body is situated in a very angular fashion and not straight up and down in relation to the ground. The end result is a shot that . If your kids have a sandbox, that could be an option! For fairway bunker shots, try to clip the ball clean without taking hardly any sand. Use a Decent Lofted Wedge. Although exaggerated, Tigers body position is a reflection of a proper setup position when we address the golf ball. The swing does not need to be long, and there will still be a body turn; just try to feel the club on more of an upright plane. If youre trying to navigate a tough external environment by adding the internal stress of certain swing-related thoughts, youre going to make that round much more difficult than it needs to be in certain situations. Golf Podcast 473: Golf Ball Rollback: What You Need to Know About Bifurcation, Bad Hole or Bad Round? If this describes your current relationship with bunker shots, you are in the right place. If you struggle with hitting shots out of the bunker, try changing up the club. But if you're in a bunker, usually in a place/lie you don't think you can get out of without a lot more trouble, e.g. Without the bounce you'd have to be much more precise. Bunker shots are some of the most difficult in golf. Many golfers exaggerate the move in the sand trap, and they almost try to lift the ball out with the club. So it is almost as if the ball is plugged - place a . Lets take a look in the article below at how you should adjust your technique to get good results in either situation. If you dont select the correct club from the bunker, youll have no chance. If you hit the ball first in the bunker, expect your shot to fly over the green. Dropping the trail shoulder or raising your lead shoulder promotes a sweeping action at the bottom of your swing. You want the leading edge to dig a bit. And theres no better choice among pros than Harrington to pass the secrets to their success on to the masses. If you find yourself playing well during the week and struggling during your weekend matches, dont go to the club pro for a swing change. Which State Has the Most Golf Courses? Prepare to be BLOWN AWAY by this Course! MEMBER REVIEWS: Cleveland Frontline Elite Putters! My 55* sand wedge has a medium bounce that works well out of fluffy sand. On holes like the dogleg-left par 5 13th at Augusta National, righties hoping for a shorter approach into the green will opt for a draw-biased swing/setup off the tee. Square the clubface to hit a better shot out of a bunker with hard sand. The club gets buried, and the ball advances a few feet. But, if your ball position is too far back, get it further forward. How do we get there? It also helps the better players get the ball up higher, and is easier . Finau's sixth career PGA Tour victory was worth $1,386,000. Srixon ZX5 irons 5-AW, Nippon N.S. This is just another way of saying or doing whats necessary in order to get your upper body less ahead of your arms/hands and the golf ball. One of the inherent challenges with bunker shots is that you never quite know what sand conditions you will face when stepping down into a trap. Be patient, this will not happen overnight! When it is firmer or there is less sand in the bunker than normal, use a low bounce wedge, maybe even pitching wedge, and play it square. He assists on all things instruction and covers amateur and womens golf. Use a sand wedge; Grip down on the club slightly, Open the clubface, Open your stance, Position the ball slightly forward in your stance; Widen your stance; Dig your feet in When we are playing out wet, compact sand it is important that the club doesn't bounce against the firmness and you end up with a bladed shot. This will dictate your approach. A lot of the time the club will bounce off the top of the sand, and the leading edge will hit the middle of the ball. Pro who taught me this technique had me hitting flops off of a wooden board with my 56 wedge with 14 degrees of bounce. If youve performed all of the above and youre still struggling, you can always strengthen your lead hand on the golf club. For the average bunker shot, you will need your clubface open slightly. USE OF AND/OR REGISTRATION ON ANY PORTION OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF OURVISITOR AGREEMENT(UPDATED 1/6/23),PRIVACY AND COOKIES NOTICE(UPDATED 1/4/23) ANDCALIFORNIA PRIVACY NOTICE. Or is it drier and finer? If you feel a ton of sand below you, then you know you will have to alter your angle . TRAVEL: Horseshoe Bay Announces Spring Break Events & Activities, TRAVEL: Keswick Hall (VA) Offers Top-Tier Private Club Experience. What are they? Now, hit the golf ball in front of you without moving your feet during the golf swing. How to Hit a Short Bunker Shot in Golf - Golf Distillery Also, when you head to a new course for a round, spend some time before the round visiting the practice bunker (if they have one available). I used to struggle with these types of bunkers until an old guy I play with told me to keep the face square and let the wedge do the work. Prior to joining the team at GOLF, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. compacted sand look for a . The easiest way to get out of a bunker is to open the clubface, aim your feet slightly left of your target, and hit down and through the sand with a descending blow. But that doesnt mean there isnt a way to successfully navigate bunkers with too much sand. You cannot paste images directly. Padraig Harrington reveals the secrets to hitting out of hard and soft sand, Phil Mickelson alleges world ranking collusion taking place, What is a PGA Tour Special Temporary member? Or, theyll make the above change/changes and still struggle. If theyre level with one another in relation to the ground, you may struggle hitting draws. In order to guard against his club head lagging too far behind his body (commonly known as getting stuck), Tiger knows he must mitigate the use of his arms/hands rotation. How to play a Bunker Shot, The Easiest Shot in Golf On the downswing, aim for a spot about an inch or two behind the ball in the sand. One of the most critical factors of hitting out of the bunker is to ensure that you take some sand with your golf shot. Amazingly, Rahm doubled his first hole of the tournament thanks to a four-putt on the 1st green. So there's this big chunk of metal that's sticking down into the sand kind of acting like a rudder. Failure sucks, and pressure is virtually unavoidable once were willing to accept the terms of our individual goals. Then set a . If it's a longer shot, go with a pitching wedge or 9-iron. I should be able to draw a line perpendicular to the ground that runs through your shoulders, knees, and feet. It's a really good all-round club and will work well from the bunker. Step 5: Set your hands low and cock your wrists early. Giving lessons, I often witness the same these inconsistencies among my students. Remember, a good setup position should exhibit the following traits: BENT KNEES, BACKSIDE OUT, LINEAR SPINE ANGLE closer to 60 vs. 90 degrees, and ARMS/HANDS (located) UNDERNEATH our shoulders. This shot is more forgiving using the low-bounce wedge because it doesn't tend to bounce up into the ball. If you can remember your steps and the checkpoints, you will be able to repeat the shot. In order to jump off the ground, golfers use the exact same method of pushing off the ground to transfer energy, create club-head speed, and create more power/stability/distance. Here's how you can do it: Set up slightly open to the target. However, exaggerating specific moves in an effort to reinforce new feels or ingrain new habits will help you achieve your desired results more effectively and efficiently. Titleist TSi3 10* TPO 1K 60-TX What I will say, however, is that putting comes down to confidence. Feel your core stretching or working as you get your upper body more over the ball. You wouldn't know it but a lot of more accomplished players actually use a 60 degree lob wedge out of bunkers. Like hitting off a dirt road. Bob Vokey Bunker Tips: Which wedges work best from the sand? Amazingly, more than nine times out of ten, mid to high handicappers (15 and up) who seek my guidance each employ the following move during the golf swing: Their chest/upper body is positioned too far ahead of the golf ball in relation to the target. I know in the past, I tried a chipping motion, and it worked pretty well on hard sand. Try to hit that spot and let the club glide underneath the ball through the sand. He hit a lot of fairways, hit plenty of greens, and made enough putts. His spine angle is closer to 60 degrees than 90 degrees, his backside is sticking out, his knees are bent, and his upper body is hovering over the ground/ball as opposed to over his lower body as if he were sitting in a lazy boy chair.