Not the greenside bunker... put me down for a double bogey! Why do greenside bunker shots fill most club golfers with such fear? The answer is because a lot of weekend golfers have poor technique, which typically results in fat or thin strikes.
Instead of focusing too much on the correct bunker technique in this article - although we will touch on how to play a bunker shot - Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach Alistair Davies offers four of his favorite drills.
If you can work on one or all of the following greenside bunker drills, you'll learn what's required to make a decent strike, one that doesn't leave you in the sand or send you through the back of the green.
THE BEST GREENSIDE BUNKER DRILLS
1. Ladder drill
This concept is one that’s frequently applied in golf chipping, and it helps you focus on your landing area and how the ball runs out. This isn’t about aiming for the pin, rather focusing on different landing areas.
This bunker drill will help you develop your distance control as well as your feel and touch from the sand. Start as short as possible, then aim to land each ball past the previous one (see below). Use a club or golf tee to mark your landing zones, then see how many you can string together.
2. Gate drill
When I’m assessing someone’s bunker shots, I’m looking at spin, distance control, strike and line – this is the line test. This drill, using two alignment sticks to form a ‘gate’, is going to help you judge whether you’re hitting it straight.
From a coaching perspective, I watch out for swing direction and swing path. Aim to hit as many balls as possible through the gate.
3. Right hand only drill
The bunker shot is controlled by the right hand, and this is an excellent drill to help you understand exactly what that means. Grip the club with your right hand, keeping your left hand on your stomach all the way through the swing.
Your right hand should be set in the backswing and releasing in the through-swing, which means keeping loft on the club as you hit through the golf ball in the sand.
This drill will encourage the right release and get the bounce doing the job it was designed to do when it makes contact with the sand. You don’t have to hit the ball, but once you move on to doing so, you’ll be surprised by how well you can play the shot without your left hand.
4. Half-colored ball drill
Many of the old-fashioned ways of teaching how to play a greenside bunker shot centered around opening the clubface and then swinging out to in, across the ball. As well as imparting left-to-right sidespin, this method brings a number of destructive shots into play, including fat and thin strikes.
I prefer the more modern way of teaching, where we’re looking to hit the ball with zero side spin. I use a Sharpie to color half the ball in, leaving the other half white. Visually, you’ll be able to gain a better idea of the spin you’re putting on the ball and then make adjustments to create neutral spin.
FAQs
What club should I use from a greenside bunker?
For a standard shot, you'll want one of the best sand wedges. However, it's worthwhile experimenting with lower lofts, such as a pitching wedge or 9-iron. If the lip of the bunker isn't a concern, sometimes the better option, especially for club golfers, will be a lower-flighted shot.
What's the correct ball position for a greenside bunker shot?
Position the ball just inside the lead heel while making sure the shaft line is neutral - so the hands don’t get ahead of the ball. It's also a good idea to stand a little further away from the ball, too, which will allow your hands to drop nice and low at address.
How do I play from a compact lie in the sand?
Keep the nice wide stance, with the weight forward on the lead side - but get your lead shoulder more over your lead foot. What this does is steepen your angle of attack, so you come more downward into the sand with the leading edge.
