Bunker Shots?

Question

When hitting a bunker shot, what are the necessary steps in order to hit a good shot (open the club face, open the stance)? Also, why must you do these things?

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Depending on what type of bunker shot:

Greenside bunker: open up the clubface, aim about 5-10 yards left of your target, open your stance, dig your feet in, and swing the club in a steep motion so that the club head hits the sand behind the ball about a length of a credit card.  This allows you to use the sand to sweep the ball up and out of the bunker so that it lands softly on the green.

Fairway bunker:  take a normal stance, choke down on the club about a half inch, don't dig your feet in, and swing a normal swing.  The goal is to be able to hit the ball pure without digging into the sand and losing distance on the shot.

Answer 2

Take a normal stance but dig your fit in the sand to stay stable. Now pretend your ball is really a dollar bill. You want to sweep under the bill not hit it.

Answer 3

You open the face to increase the bounce on your sand wedge.  You thus have to open your stance to counter your face being open.  Dont get the ball back in your stance like you would with a normal pitch shot because you're trying to get the bounce hitting the sand first, not the leading edge.

Answer 4

There are two different types of bunker shots.  Fairway bunkers where you need to get distance, and greenside bunkers where you just need to get close to the hole.

For fairway bunkers (where you need distance), play the ball slightly back from your normal ball position.  This is necessary because you need to strike the ball on the down stroke and not the sand.  If you strike the sand first, the ball may not even get out of the bunker

Line the club face up normally for these shots.  Bury your feet slightly but firmly in the sand to ensure good balance throughout the swing.  Try to limit your lower body movement during the swing.  This is pretty much an "arm swing".

As you practice this shot, you may find you need one more club than you'd normally hit from that distance.

For a greenside bunker shot, open your stance.  For a RH golfer, this means aim your feet well left of the target.  The club face should be "open" and aiming toward the target.  

Once again, bury your feet firmly enough in the sand to maintain good balance.  Play the ball forward from your normal ball position.  In contrast to the fairway bunker shot, now you want to hit sand first.  

Your club should strike the sand several inches BEHIND the ball, and your swing should "scoop" out sand about the length of a dollar bill.

Your club may never even contact the ball.  The shot basically is "splashing" sand out of the bunker along with the ball.

It's important to make a full swing and accelerate through the sand.  A common error is to try to decelerate and the ball won't make it out of the bunker.

If you practice these swings and and theories, you'll learn why pros sometimes yell "Get in the bunker" on some of their bad shots.  Cuz with practice, they're very simple shots.  Much easier than being in deep rough.