I can always see the sweat running down a player’s brow when
they enter a sand trap
I can always see the sweat running down a player’s brow when they enter a sand trap. Just the thought of having to hit from the bunker strikes fear in most players’ ears.
But have no fear, bunkers are only as hard as you make them out to be.
Envision the flag is twice the distance that it is. Take a couple of practice swings — outside the bunker, of course — to get the proper swing in your mind. Enter the bunker and dig your feet in an inch or so to feel the texture of the sand. If the sand is wet, you will want to hit less of it. If it’s dry, you will want to hit more of it.
Open your club face and position the ball so it is played off the front part of the stance. Look at a spot about two inches behind the ball for dry sand and one inch behind the ball for wet sand. Bend your knees and slice under the ball through the sand. Keep your hands “soft,” which means don’t flip your hands into the ball and follow through.
Don’t try to help the ball out of the sand. Keep the knees bent through the entire swing so your club will enter the sand and not hit the center of the ball.
The results, if you follow through each time, will be amazing.
