How far behind the ball should I hit a bunker shot?
Published:
This two-step drill will fix your bunker shots for good
Most golfers understand that when playing a short bunker shot, you normally want to hit the sand behind the ball. Unfortunately, many try to achieve this and help achieve loft by striking down into the sand very steeply. This steep angle of attack is doomed to fail.
You need the back edge of the sole of the club to strike the sand first. This allows the bounce of the clubhead to assist the club forwards through the sand, controlling the amount of sand between the ball and the clubface.
This only works when the angle of attack is shallow. When it gets too steep, the sharper, leading edge of the sole hits the sand and the club digs down. This will rob the club of momentum, cause a poor contact, and likely leave your ball sat in the bunker staring back at you.
Make a footprint in the sand
Make a footprint in the sand. Your goal with the bunker shot should be to remove the entire footprint. You can only achieve this with a shallow angle of attack. If your angle of attack is too steep, you won’t be able to keep the club moving behind halfway through the footprint.
Now add a ball
Add the ball to the middle of the footprint and do the same thing. You’ll be amazed how nicely the ball floats out of the sand. On the course, simply imagine the footprint around the ball and do the same thing.
