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Chances are, you don't use a one-size-fits-all shot when you're chipping or pitching around the greens. You make some changes based on the situation and the lie, right? Well, your bunker game deserves the same kind of attention.
Sand conditions vary almost as much as grass conditions do. At tour events, we see everything from powdery, fluffy sand (at Phoenix or the Bob Hope) to hard-packed, wet sand (at Pebble Beach). It takes different techniques to play from hard and soft sand. If you can deal with both conditions, bunkers become much less of a hazard.
The first step is understanding the sand. Start with the practice bunker at your home course. Hit a 50-yard pitch shot into the bunker. Does the ball create a big crater and sit in the middle, or does it hit hard and roll to a flat spot? Now get in the bunker and hit some shots. Does the sand come out in clumps or splash out in a powdery spray? Answers to these questions will help you develop a plan of attack.
The wetter and heavier the sand, the firmer the surface will be. That means the ball will stay on top of the sand. In drier, lighter sand, the ball tends to sink. Once you are aware of that, you're ready to get started. Take a look below to see how I play from both types of sand.
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Playing from fluffy sand
This shot is the standard explosion you're probably used to hitting. Your weight should be spread evenly between your feet, and your spine should tilt slightly away from the target. Notice how I set my head farther back here. I'm going to hit two inches behind the ball, directly below my chin. Try to skim the club through the sand--don't let it dig in.
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 Find your stable footing I can't emphasize enough that your weight has to stay forward on bunker shots from firm sand. To get a feel for this setup, exaggerate by lifting your back foot slightly off the ground as you hit practice shots (right). With no place to shift your weight, you'll be forced to keep it forward. Repeat this feel when you hit shots from firm sand on the course. |
