THE CHALLENGE!
The purpose of The Challenge is to track your progress in the bunker and to create an objective when you practice. Most golfers do not practice bunker shots but this is the thing…if you land in a bunker without any practice or knowledge of how to get it out, you are going to try to “help” or scoop it out and have a disastrous result.
I suggest al golfers start at Level 1 and work your way up. Here is your challenge for the BUNKER SHOT:
Level 1: No ball. Take 5 practice swings and get the sand to fly out of the bunker. Challenge is 5 in a row.
Level 2: Draw a line in the sand from the ball to between your feet. Have the line slightly in front of center. Hit 5 balls and notice where the club enters the sand relative to the line. The more inconsistent the entry to the sand the more inconsistent your result. Challenge 3 of 5 near line.
Level 3: Hit 10 balls.
- High Handicapper – get 5 out of bunker.
- Mid Handicapper – get 5 on the green.
- Low Handicapper – get 5 within 10 feet.
Level 4: Do the same drill above but vary the distance you are from hole.
- Short bunker shot
- Medium length shot
- Long Shot
Good Luck!
You CAN do this!
Links
FAQs
I feel like I take sand and set up properly but the ball doesn't get out of the bunker. What am I doing wrong?
If you are struggling to hit your ball far enough or you leave a lot of balls in the bunker it may be that your club face is too open. While it is important to use the bounce of the club in this shot by opening your club face at address, some players may open the face in their swing. If this is the case, the face would be SUPER open, like a spatula, and there is no loft on the club left. If you suspect this is your situation, I suggest you do not open the club at address. See if that helps. The other reason that players struggle to get the ball out of the bunker is not enough swing. Make sure you are swinging to 10:00 with your arms and finishing your swing.
How do I hit a really long bunker shot?
Long bunker shots can be tricky. I think it is key to know how far is too far with your sand wedge. In other words, the bigger or harder you swing at a shot you may notice that you get less consistent and struggle with distance control. Experiment with your other wedges and check out LONG BUNKER SHOTS in TRICKY SHOTS (Available on Day 7)