Controlling Your Distance On Bunker Shots
Most golfers make an effort to control the distance they would like to hit the ball with their length of backswing and swing speed. This is not the correct way to control distance of your bunker shots. Your speed may differ a little with each shot.
You control the distance of your shot with the amount of loft you have on your own sand wedge at impact. Notice I said at impact.
Greenside bunker shots can be split into three lengths, short, medium, and long. For longer greenside bunker shots you should keep your clubface square to your target. For medium length bunker shots you need to open your club face 5 degrees. For short greenside shots you need to open your club face 10 degrees. When I make reference to opening the club face you should turn the club open 5 or 10 degrees and grip the club. Usually do not try to twist the clubface open after you grip the club.
As for the swing, no matter how long the greenside bunker shot is, you should always make a full golf swing. Again, the club face will control the distance of your shots. Usually do not decelerate your swing as you approach the sand. It is a problem many weekend golfers have. If you slow down or decelerate your swing you lessen your chances of getting away from the bunker. You need to accelerate all the way through to your follow-through.
I will tell now that you need to practice these shots. You won't be able to go out on the course and knock down these greenside shots. Once you practice these shots you will end up amazed at just how much control you will have.
Set your feet about 45 degrees open to the target depending on how high you have to launch the ball.
-Make sure your club face continues to be square to the target line.
-"Wiggle" your feet into the sand for support, also to test the softness of the sand.
-Your backswing should be very upright to promote a descending blow in to the sand. Make sure to cock your wrists early in the backswing to allow for a far more vertical swing path.
-You want your club check out enter the sand about 2 inches behind the ball. If golf bunker shots is damp make sure the club head enters the sand nearer to the golf ball (about 1 inch).This is also why you should test the sand together with your feet before you swing, as the dampness of the sand will severely impact the speed of the club head through impact.
-Allow the club head to "splash" the sand out of the bunker, do not try to pick the ball clean, as the ball will come out of your sand low and will not need enough height to create it on the lip of the bunker. This a common problem experienced by golfers.
-Your hands should finish high making sure your right hand will not roll over your left which would close the club face through impact. With your hands high, the ball will elevate early after contact.
The key to hitting a good high bunker shot is to swing aggressively with a full finish as the sand will slow down your club head. An excellent bunker shot usually happens once the club head only makes connection with the sand and never the golf ball.
