Bunker Blues

We’ve all had that experience of getting into a deep greenside bunker, only to spend two to three swings before finally expelling the ball onto the green. It usually starts with a poor lie, or sometimes stems from an uncertainty of the texture of the sand.

A good finish should have the left leg straight, the right thigh up close to the left leg, the right foot up on the toe, and the upper body arching back slightly. The trick is that the hips are now “tucked under” the upper body or the stomach is pushed forward. Many beginners, or players who don’t have good core strength, will finish with their hips pushed out behind their upper body. Learn to correct the finish by tucking the hips under or pushing your belt buckle forward in order to feel the correct position. Good leg work will assist in correct hip positioning as well.

For many seasonal golfers who play northern courses in the summer, this may be especially true. But a lot of amateurs simply hit too far behind the ball where all of the clubhead speed is absorbed by the extra sand. They think they’re hitting two inches behind the ball, but unfortunately are entering more like four to five inches instead.

Many times I’ve coached golfers to try to feel like they are going to hit right behind the ball on a downward blow. Their eyes should pick a spot perhaps even at the back end of the ball. The reality is that even though they’re trying to hit that visual spot, the club really enters the sand one to two inches behind the ball.

In practice, make a mark near the ball’s posi tion in the sand and compare where your club really hit relative to that mark. When you can consistently hit two to three inches behind the mark, you’re bunker game will dramatically improve!

When I work with a lot of beginning to intermediate players, the finish position requires extra attention. The body is contorting into an unusual position and needs to be balanced to be effective. Advanced players take the finish position for granted, especially when it comes to the small arch in the lower back.