HOW TO PLAY HIGH, SOFT BUNKER SHOTS

exclusive by LEON FAULKNER
GOLF AUSTRALIA contributing pro

There’s no doubt the bunker shot is one of the most challenging any average golfer can face.

For those tight pin positions with very little green to work with, being able to hit a nice high and soft landing bunker shot – like US pro Hunter Mahan here – is a handy shot to have up your sleeve.

There are five basic set-up fundamentals (pic 1) you need to follow to hit this shot successfully.

1. Your feet should be slightly wider than shoulder width apart, securely placed in the sand and aligned open to your target;

2. Position the ball in the centre of the stance;

3. Lay the clubface open, then take your grip;

4. Distribute about 80 percent of your weight on your front leg;

5. Ensure your hands are ahead of the ball when you take your address position.

Once you have all these components, the plane of the swing should be across the ball in other words, working the clubhead on a path from outside the target line on the downswing (pic 2), across the target line at impact and inside the target line on the follow-through. Also, aim to catch the sand about 3cm behind the ball.

To increase the height of the shot, at impact, dig the heel of the club into the sand. Don’t fear a ‘shank’ here as the hozel does not make contact with the ball (lower the hands at address position to assist in this execution).

To create the soft landing it is important not to be too aggressive through impact, the tip is to maintain a steady pace throughout your backswing and the downswing.

The trade off is a full backswing in replacement of a fast downswing. This is, at first, very challenging, so time in the practice bunker is essential. The feeling is to produce a full swing that does not increase or decrease in speed.