Golf Trouble Shots - How to Get it Close From a Sand Trap For Duffers
Golfers know it as the "beach", the "desert" or the "sand box". Most of us are not very confident about our sand game. Whether it's from a fairway or greenside bunker, when we find ourselves facing a sand shot we grow tense and hope for the best.
Double D says it doesn't have to be that way. He is my frequent playing partner and he knows the struggle the average golfer has with sand shots. He has been there, taking shot after shot and still finding himself in the bunker or having bladed the ball clear across to the other side of the green and beyond.
Then he heard a TV analyst say that sometimes tour players will deliberately hit their shots into a trap. The analyst said that tour players find a bunker shot easier that a chip from the grass around the green. That shocked him considering all the trouble he had with bunker shots.
He decided that he needed to know what the pros know about sand play. He did the research, learned the techniques and practiced until he felt confident. He now plays the sand shots with ease, landing the ball on the green every time. His attitude about the sand has changed for sure.
If you are looking to play better from the sand, Double D says that with a few tips bunker play can be made easy. He suggests you do the following for greenside bunkers:
Take a Solid Stance:
Wiggle your feet at least and inch down into the sand.
Widen your stance a bit from normal.
Open Your Stance:
Align your feet about 10 to 15 degrees open
Align your knees, hips and shoulders square to your feet.
Ball Position:
Play the ball off forward - just ahead of the left heel.
Open the Club Face:
Set the club about 10 to 15 degrees open.
The shaft handle should point toward your belt buckle, behind the ball.
Shorten Your Swing:
Cock the wrist early in the backswing to steepen your approach into the ball
Take the club head back to about shoulder height on the backswing.
Swing with about 70% power to better control the clubface.
Strike the Sand
The goal here is not to hit the ball but the sand behind the ball.
Enter the sand about an inch or two behind the ball.
The club face should pass through the sand under the ball and emerge from the sand in front of where the ball was located.
Swing Through to a Full Finish
Keep the lower body quiet during the swing.
Turn the upper body back and through.
The follow through is the most important aspect of this shot. Swing the clubface through to shoulder height.
When the club face passes underneath the ball it will force the sand above it and the ball up and onto the green. Follow these tips to conquer the sand on your next round.
Double D says it doesn't have to be that way. He is my frequent playing partner and he knows the struggle the average golfer has with sand shots. He has been there, taking shot after shot and still finding himself in the bunker or having bladed the ball clear across to the other side of the green and beyond.
Then he heard a TV analyst say that sometimes tour players will deliberately hit their shots into a trap. The analyst said that tour players find a bunker shot easier that a chip from the grass around the green. That shocked him considering all the trouble he had with bunker shots.
He decided that he needed to know what the pros know about sand play. He did the research, learned the techniques and practiced until he felt confident. He now plays the sand shots with ease, landing the ball on the green every time. His attitude about the sand has changed for sure.
If you are looking to play better from the sand, Double D says that with a few tips bunker play can be made easy. He suggests you do the following for greenside bunkers:
Take a Solid Stance:
Wiggle your feet at least and inch down into the sand.
Widen your stance a bit from normal.
Open Your Stance:
Align your feet about 10 to 15 degrees open
Align your knees, hips and shoulders square to your feet.
Ball Position:
Play the ball off forward - just ahead of the left heel.
Open the Club Face:
Set the club about 10 to 15 degrees open.
The shaft handle should point toward your belt buckle, behind the ball.
Shorten Your Swing:
Cock the wrist early in the backswing to steepen your approach into the ball
Take the club head back to about shoulder height on the backswing.
Swing with about 70% power to better control the clubface.
Strike the Sand
The goal here is not to hit the ball but the sand behind the ball.
Enter the sand about an inch or two behind the ball.
The club face should pass through the sand under the ball and emerge from the sand in front of where the ball was located.
Swing Through to a Full Finish
Keep the lower body quiet during the swing.
Turn the upper body back and through.
The follow through is the most important aspect of this shot. Swing the clubface through to shoulder height.
When the club face passes underneath the ball it will force the sand above it and the ball up and onto the green. Follow these tips to conquer the sand on your next round.
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