Bunker Fundamentals

In my opinion, having sound bunker fundamentals are one of the keys to playing well in golf. At most tournaments the pins are always tucked behind bunkers, and if you are a good bunker player you can fire at the pins without worry. A normal lie bunker shot is usually easier than any pitch shot from the rough, so you can use the bunkers to your advantage because of this fact, and fire away! Good bunker skills increase the "feel" you have around the green, due to their nature, so more practice only means better feel!

There are five fundamentals of good bunker play: set-up, face angle, attack angle, tempo, and clubhead acceleration.

Bunker Fundamentals #1: Set-Up

Your set-up is the most important factor in determining the proper depth of sand taken and allowing you not to hit it too fat or too thin! If you do not get set-up correctly, stop and do it again, because there is not one good bunker player in the world set-up incorrectly.

1) Stance is almost shoulder width and your body is aligned left of your target

2) Wiggle your feet into the sand slightly

3) Ball is played normally off the left side of the sternum; this insures a slightly descending blow

4) Hands are sightless ahead of the ball (1-3 inches)

5) Clubhead is aligned at target

Bunker Fundamentals #2: Face Angle

The angle of the clubface at address helps trajectory, distance, and us to control depth of sand taken. If the face is open or laid-back then the club will slide through the sand with a very shallow divot. If the clubface is normal, it will dig into the sand very steeply.

Face Angle Drills

1) Open

Hit the sand with an open clubface and you will see how the club skips through very shallowly.

2) Square

Hit the sand with a closed clubface and you will see how the club digs in

Bunker Fundamentals #3: Attack Angle

A steep, abrupt (wood chopping) type of stroke will cause the ball to do one thing, but if you have a shallow, low type of stroke you will hit a much different shot. Attack angle will control your divots and trajectories mostly.

Attack Angle Drills

1) Steep

Pick the clubhead up quickly and drop it down the same way- this will result in a deep divot and a steep swing.

2) Shallow

Keep the club relatively low to the ground on the way back and return it the same way- this will offer you a shallow divot and a shallow swing. This is the most used type of attack angle for "normal" shots.

Bunker Fundamentals #4: Tempo

Your tempo (coordinated with your Attack Angle,) will allow you to hit hard or soft velocity type of bunker shots. This velocity is the speed at which the ball leaves the face of the club and flies through the air. There are times you need a soft velocity on a long bunker shot and vice versa; the only way to control this enigma is to vary your tempo. Tempo is defined as your overall swing rhythm- relatively slow or relatively quick, and it will adversely affect your ball control.

Tempo Drill

Using a normal bunker shot of about 25 feet, use a quick overall tempo, and use a very slow tempo- you will notice a big difference in your ball's velocity.

Bunker Fundamentals #5: Acceleration

Your clubhead must be accelerating and staying low between the time it enters the sand and reaches the ball! If it slows down during this time your shots will lack authority and consistency! Remember if you are set-up correctly and have the other four fundamentals already pre-determined then the sand will be a piece of cake!

Acceleration Drills

1) Spot Drill

Paint a hole size spot on the sand and set-up to it correctly, try to eradicate the entire spot relatively shallowly.

2) Board Drill

Place 2 inches of sand over the top of a 2 X 4, and hit balls off of it, what you will find is what the proper depth and acceleration feels like.

3) Hit the Snake

Draw a 3-foot line in the bunker, and set-up to it correctly. Try to hit the very edge of your line (or snake) and keep accelerating through the shot; what you will find is how to properly determine the correct attack angle to enter the sand without becoming too steep or shallow.

Tom F. Stickney is a contributing author at golf-short-game-guide.com and is the director of instruction at Tom Stickney Golf ( www.tomstickneygolf.com ). Tom has published over 100 Articles in publications such as Golf Digest, Japan Golf Digest, Golf Magazine, Senior Golfer Magazine, Golf Illustrated, Golf Tips, Golf for Women, Executive Golfer, Mid-South Golfer, Southern Golfer Magazine, and Colorado Golfer Magazine. He is one of Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers in America and was recently ranked by Golf Digest as one of the Top 20 Instructors Under 40.

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SBI!