Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'87NnzwKTRiZPBDlAWZjr9w',sig:'HQiI6Z9jVNZfWTzKISoTtWbIaBjxZ3yXcWEuEJBEXmg=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'1481003185',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); At the same time, The Masters champ often cards a 2 on 16 during Sundays final round like Tiger Woods did back in 2019. To clarify, an important aspect of a draw-biased setup involves positioning your trail shoulder lower in relation to your lead shoulder. If you can remember your steps and the checkpoints, you will be able to repeat the shot. Combine that with the fact that every kind of sand is different, and you have a recipe for a difficult up-and-down. The trick to hitting good bunker shots is considering the fluffy, sticky resistance of the sand and hitting your shot twice as hard as you might from that distance but half as fast, so the club . Rotating the trail foot open will help you get your weight where it needs to be in order to deliver a more powerful punch at impact. A more powerful punch is often made visible in ones more draw-biased ball flight. At the same time, Tiger wants to feel his front/back leg muscles in both the upper/lower thigh area doing whats required in an effort to use exactly what were supposed to. Our guide featuring how to hit a bunker shot will give you a step-by-step method that is guaranteed to get you out of a bunker (the first time!). Mizuno MP-20 4-9 PX 6.5 (Testing MP223 4 and 5), Mizuno T20 Raw 47-07 PX 6.5 A weak grip doesn't mean you hold the club with less pressure, but it actually refers to the release of the hinge in your wrists. 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. 1) Have you considered your penalty options? In addition, starting with a little weight on the left ensures that you are hitting down and through the sand. Tip #1: Move the ball slightly back towards the center of your stance. Here's how it should look, Here's how to hit up on your driver to produce big distance gains, How slow play messes with your mind, according to Top 100 Teachers, Don't have time for pre-round practice? Now with this type of a shot, you want to make sure that you have the face really open. Also, check your trail foot. Today Britt plays more golf than ever with her husband and two children and still loves connecting with golfers worldwide. King-of-Plebss 5 mo. Either experiment with square face or lower hands. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. This is because of the extra loft golf wedge loft, which makes it easy to get the ball out of the sand. Obviously, theres a lot to love about the guy who makes triple on the first hole, cracks a beer, and accepts failure after hole number 1. Titleist Vokey SM8 Raw 52-08F/56-10S/60-04L PX 6.5/6.0/6.0 By getting our arms/hands/club out in front of our body on the downswing. By For a typical explosion shot, try to hit on the three points listed below: You dont need to make things any more complicated than that. 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. If this describes your current relationship with bunker shots, you are in the right place. The key to hitting out of hard sand, the easier of the two options, is to lean left and make sure you dont open the clubface. I get it, the initial wave of depression that hits after we fail to reach one of our goals really sucks. Have you ever hit a ball in the bunker and got excited about the shot you would get to hit next? If the ball doesn't get out, you are going to waste at least one stroke - and probably more. Is Phil Mickelson Actually About to Go on a Tear? You should also dig your feet into the sand to make sure your base is set. Give it your all, no matter what. We must hit behind the ball in the bunker and launch some sand up into the air. It also helps the better players get the ball up higher, and is easier . 3W: Titleist 910F 16.5 * Diamana Kai'li 75 Mid R During many pros pre-shot routines and/or practice sessions, theyll frequently make practice swings in a slow, deliberate manner in an effort to reinforce the unique feels in their swing that they commonly associate with making a good golf swing. You wouldn't know it but a lot of more accomplished players actually use a 60 degree lob wedge out of bunkers. 3-PW: Mizuno MP 60 True Temper Dynamic Gold S300 S Keep in mind that grip changes are awkward and take time to get used to. 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. GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment, April 24, GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment, April 17, GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment, April 10, GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment, March 27, GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment, March 20, Please put and questions or comments here, Please put any questions or comments here. I'm not going to disagree with anyone here since this is just based on my personal experience, but i've never seen anyone do anything with a more square or even shut face in a bunker that didn't end in tragedy, regardless of the sand consistency. For this reason I like having different bounces on the two highest-lofted wedges in my bag. Approach your shot with soft arms and a weak grip. Lets take a look in the article below at how you should adjust your technique to get good results in either situation. I treat it like a chip from a really tight lie. If you think youre going to make it, youll make it. Continue to use it. This is a good idea as it will help give you some stability and control as you swing through your shot. Learn where to impact the sand to hit different golf shots.Like my shirt? Aim further left and get the handle higher than usual. Golfers tend to have fewer issues with fairway bunkers than greenside bunkers. 1. and note the landing and roll out distance and write it down. He left a bunker shot in the sand on the sixth hole and managed to get up-and-down for par. Make bunker practice a regular part of your routine and you should gradually gain confidence and see improved results. 4. If the sand is soft, your club is almost certainly going to sink down into that sand as you swing through the ball. https://www.golfspan.com/author/brittany-olizarowicz, Who Makes Adams Golf Clubs? If you feel a ton of sand below you, then you know you will have to alter your angle . ET. compacted sand look for a . Plus, they're fearful, so they tend to lock their bodies in place and just wave at the ball with their arms. I can promise you that a double bogey in a tournament round feels much different than a double bogey while drinking beers with your buddies on a casual Saturday afternoon. Will provide exactly the movement you need through the sand to take out that 'divot' that the golf ball is moved out of the sand trap on. The weaker your grip, the more susceptible you are to hitting slices. A Golfers Paradise! A little steeper to drive down, smooth that tempo, you do not need a lot of speed. 2023 HomeTown Lenders Championship (Korn Ferry Tour) - Discussion and Links to photos, 2023 Zurich Classic - Discussion and Links to Photos, 2023 RBC Heritage - Discussion and links to Photos, 2023 Valero Texas Open - Discussion and links to photos, 2023 WGC Dell Technologies Match Play - Discussion and links to photos. 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? Pasted as rich text. "You take your spine, [and] it's not comfortable, but you put it . With it, you can let the club enter the sand an inch or two behind the ball and exit an inch or two after it and the ball just jumps out with the sliver of sand you carved out with your wedge. Holding your sand wedge in front of you, turn the face open about 20 degrees, then take your grip. Lastly, how do you dunk a basketball? Driver: Titleist 910 D2 9.75* Diamana Kai'li 65 Mid S You want a wide stance when in the sand for better balance. Over time, youll realize that one, two, or even three bad rounds in an inexplicably short period of time is no longer that unreasonable. On the eighth hole, another bunker shot from a tough lie didn't quite reach the green, and he holed a 15 . Lately, theres been a lot of buzz surrounding the use of distinctively unique swing rehearsals. How do they differ when hitting from the fairway? It's always a . Golf Podcast 476: These Three Guys are Changing the Long Drive Game, Golf Podcast 475: Scottie Schefflers Rise to Success: His Trainer Reveals the Secret. Like Rahm, Koepka is willing to put the bad golf behind him. If you want high and spinny, you have to open the face and hit close to the ball. Check the full bunker lesson from Harrington below. Two Sides to Every Story | Grant Horvat Explains Why He Left Good Good, LIV Golfers Are Struggling to Keep Sponsors, FIRST LOOK: Rapsodo Debuts New MLM2PRO Launch Monitor and Golf Simulator, REPORT: LIV Purchased Land In North Augusta To Build Championship Venue. The right set up is the key to hitting an effective shot from the bunker. He's stepped into the bunker 3. To be clear draws fly from right to left for righties and left to right for lefties. Its as simple as that, make bunker shots routine, and you can pull it off every time. If you only open your clubface and never adjust your stance, you will miss the shot to the right of the pin. also compact sand, use less bounce, hit closer to the ball but still behind the ball in the sand or hit the ball like a tight lie? Is all the sand you play in firm? "We'll try the K-grind which has a wider sole and works best in soft sand. If the club face is square to your stance line the club will often dig into the sand resulting in a shot that does not travel far enough or fly high enough to exit the bunker. 5. Play the ball a bit forward in your stance . Ever Wonder How Much a PGA TOUR Pro Makes to Wear All Those Logos? My practice motion is straight down, no doubt the leading edge (56 degree) is going to bite. I have a drone shot of me casting a beast fleye and it getting eaten, but not eaten enough. 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. You want the leading edge to dig a bit. The ball should explode out of the bunker with the sand you hit and settle safely on the green. Obviously, this is a lot of information to consume in an effort the digest what Tiger is doing and trying to accomplish with this drill. I get a lot of these at courses I play where the sand is really compacted or almost no-existent. With the tournaments result still hanging in the balance, players are fully aware that they must avoid the pond that runs along the left-hand side of the greens surface in order to remain in contention. Assuming you have a good bunker technique to begin with, there is not a lot of adjustment for hard packed / think sand. When his body outraces his arms/hands on the downswing, the club also falls behind his body. 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). If the intention is to still keep sand between the club and ball like a normal bunker shot then you need the club moving quickly and smoothly through the sand. Bunker shots are hard to practice at home because there wont be too much that feels like the sand on the 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. Pros, on the other hand, have mastered shots from the sand, and often prefer landing in bunkers than rough around the green. And my entry point would be much closer. "We'll also try the S-grind which is one of our popular grinds. You want the leading edge to dig a bit. Tiger Woods Downswing Rehearsal: What Exactly is he Doing? No Quit: Keep your body turning through the shot so your chest is facing the target at the finish. However, you will typically have a much more open club face and stance with a flop shot. Some of you with over active trail arms might want to try as you come into impact squeeze the pinky and index fingers on the lead hand to stop the momentum. The GROUND. E.g. Try to hit that spot and let the club glide underneath the ball through the sand. The more open you play the blade, the more you need to aim to the left. Less speed, and that's it. In other words, Tigers upper body is too far ahead of his arms/hands and, ultimately, the golf ball at the point of attack. A full swing is completely counter-productive when trying to hit a low golf shot. I treat it like a chip from a really tight lie. Review the general bunker shot guidelines below in order to correctly execute the shot. A basic chip shot will work very well from the wet and compressed sand, due to two things. Instead of using a sand wedge as you normally would use a lob wedge when the sand is wet (if you have one). Often, proper posture at the setup position is confused with standing in a similarly vertical position to your current position up against the wall. Round 1 of the Masters did not disappoint! Approximately speaking, your body is now at a 90-degree angle in relation to the ground. 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. 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. I should be able to draw a line perpendicular to the ground that runs through your shoulders, knees, and feet. Check out Monte's "Use the Bounce" video series for some great info on this technique. Takes some practice to get the timing right but it will stop that tail arm/hand doing crazy stuff. Five-time major champion Phil Mickelson highlights how he tackles bunker shots from firm lies in the sand. The greens may be faster, the rough may be longer, the pace of play might be slower, and your adrenaline may be through the roof. At this point, you should have your clubface slightly open yet aimed at the pin, your stance aimed somewhat left of the pin, and your feet slightly dug into the bunker. Titleist 917F3 15* VA Composite Drago 75-X Hitting out of a bunker with a pitching wedge can be very difficult. Here are five tips for playing from the sand. 95% of golfers are making bunker shots way more difficult, because they're not doing THIS!Make this simple change and see how easy it is, to not only get out. Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'VKjSygTIQvdkKaP4wCziMA',sig:'1F9U_yCyztFYqjqS2YzwXVTxtRVd90Krl-ulcwUrdFI=',w:'478px',h:'359px',items:'102285666',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); Rest assured that most golfers arent even willing to go to that level in order to review or take stock of their game in a straightforward, honest, objective manner. 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. I had 3 of these shots when playing with him at our course. Many sand wedges have massive bounce soles which are exactly what you do NOT need in a hard packed bunker. The end result is a shot that . Low bounce 58 or 60, square face, hit 1/2" behind the ball. Golfers have access to a ton of useful information on the internet and elsewhere these days. As those bunkers dry out, the conditions will gradually soften. Simple things such as paying attention to the lie you have can help you save shots in the rough. 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. Low bounce 58 or 60, square face, I'm not going to disagree with anyone here since this is just based on my personal experience, but i've never seen anyone do anything with a more square or even shut face in a bunker that didn't end i, I get a lot of these at courses I play where the sand is really compacted or almost no-existent. If youre a fairly experienced player and your grip is fairly neutral/comfortable, strengthening your grip may be uncomfortable and not in your best interest. One of the ways is to increase your swing speed and gain optimal results. Have some practice coz many guys are pre-set to fail regardless of the sand, the time of day, the tourney rules etc. Most golfers would agree that hard bunkers make for more difficult shots, but they arent impossible. 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.