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Bunkers And Sand Traps - How To Play Them

By Lee MacRae

Sand play does not have to be life threatening! But that is how many golfers feel when they land a shot into a bunker or sand trap. Follow along as we explain some things you can do to improve in this area of your golf game

When your ball is sitting up in sand on a rise that is caused by someone's footprints, don't be fooled into thinking this is an easy shot. Players tend to try to get the ball off the surface of the sand, or take too much sand in an effort not to hit it too far. Do the former and you may blade the ball. Do the latter and you may hit it fat. This is an instance where you want to hit not under the ball, but down and through it. Take your spot, about two inches behind the ball and slightly below it [because of the rise] and swing as you would for a normal chip shot. If you're still worried about getting it too far, move your weight back to your right foot. This will force you to swing more with your arms and will take some power out of the shot.

Keep in mind that the average sand wedge is designed to hit a ball 40 feet at most. If you have a sand shot that is farther than that, then you will be better off using a pitching wedge to get on the green. A pitching wedge is designed differently, it doesn't have the curve [the bounce] on the bottom of the head. This allows the ball to travel the 10 or 20 extra feet you need on the shot. Just remember to use the right tool for the particular job at hand.

Visual imagery is commom in bunker play. Some instructors tell students to imagine that the face of the club is the palm of their hands, which they "slap" under the ball in the hitting zone. We prefer to think of money. A dollar bill is slightly more than six inches long. That means that if the bill is laid under a golf ball, about two inches of the ball would protrude back from the bill. As the ideal "explosion shot" demands that you hit into the sand roughly two inches behind the ball, you should pretend that you're hitting the dollar ball out of the bunker. This is an especially useful image because in order to hit the ball right out of the bunker, you'll need to complete your follow-through, and that's another important element of just about every sand shot.

The average golfer usually fears the shot from a sand bunker and is defeated before they even attempt one. With practice, keeping in mind the proper technique and a few tips and hints, sand play will be a lot easier than you imagined. And your golf game will be better for it.

Practice anytime and anywhere with a good golf cage today!

More Thoughts On Golf

Come to the Golf Course with Strategy in the Bag
Every good golfer knows that golf is not all about mechanics. There is a strategy to playing the game, and the golfer who develops the best strategy has a much better chance of coming out on top. There are ways to prepare yourself before you get to the course�and ways to react to conditions within a round�that will save you trouble and give you an advantage most golfers fail to seize.
...by T.J. Tomasi, Ph.D.
Hitting behind the ball or too high on the ball.
This is often caused by swaying during the swing. Any side-to-side or up and down head movement should be avoided. To get the right feel, hit some practice shots with feet together. During your weight shift, concentrate on keeping the weight On your right foot on the inside of your foot. Check your progress by taking practice swings with sun behind you and watching your shadow. Don't let the clubface get ahead of your hands at impact. To avoid hitting chips and pitches fat: Don't sole the club at address. Use an open, narrow stance. Keep arms connected to chest and rotate body rather than sliding hips laterally and jabbing at the ball with your hands. Focus eyes on front of ball, with weight on front foot and wrists ahead of ball at address and through impact. Be sure to make a complete follow-through.
...Tom's golf tips

Golf Clubs - Fairway Woods



Course conditions can influence the specifications of a golfer's equipment. This isn't a secret. We often hear of Tour players choosing wedges with more or less bounce, from week to week, to meet changing conditions in bunkers, for example.
Carry your golf clubs with distinction with a new Callaway golf stand bag!

To develop the best possible grip for you. Every golfer swings and grips the club differently. Over 90 percent of golfers use the Vardon or overlapping grip. Players with smaller hands sometimes find the interlocking grip, with the little finger of the right hand interlocked with the index finger of the left hand, works best for them. Players with smaller should use a baseball type grip.
...PGA of America

The off-season is also a good time to renew your equipment, in particular your clubs. If you start practicing with your new clubs during winter you have more time to get used to them, rather than having to struggle in spring when the 'serious' golf season starts again. Another reason to stock up during winter is that prices are usually at their lowest, with many merchants offering off-season and (post-)holiday specials.
...PGA Tour

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