Sand can be a scary place on the links. It can make grown golfers cry like frustrated babies. The pros on TV make it look easy to get out of bunkers, but even they struggle with these three difficult sand situations.
Fried Egg
Tom Sialiano, head pro at Pleasantville Country Club, says even advanced players have difficulty when their ball is plugged in the sand. Take off your hero hat, he says, and plan to hit to the fat part of the green since your ball will have no spin when it comes out of the bunker and will run like an aggressive chip. Then follow these suggestions:
- Put 60% of your weight on your left side and take a strong, closed grip with your left hand to enable digging your clubface into the sand.
- Hit well behind the ball with the force of the entire left side of your body.
- Follow through the impact zone and finish your swing high.
Deep in Trouble
When you’re in a greenside bunker so deep that the only thing you can see is the sky, it’s time to take heart and swing like you mean it, according to Siwanoy Country Club’s Director of Golf Brian Giordano. The first thing to do, he says, is to choose the most lofted club in your bag, then climb down into the pit and keep these things in mind:
- Where the club hits the sand is critical. You must never hit the ball first.
- Use as much of your club’s bounce as you can. More is better.
- Take a full swing that goes all the way through the sand with the clubface open.
- Finish with hands high.
Far in the Fairway
Not every bunker is next to the green. There are plenty of them along and even running across fairways—almost always at the exact distance from the tee that your ball carries. Michael Davis, head pro at The Summit Club in Armonk says to approach the fairway bunker shot with confidence.
- Use more club than normal for the distance you face to the target. Just make sure it has enough loft to clear the edge of the bunker.
- Keep a solid base with a steady head, then swing easy. The longer club will give you the distance you need.
- Keep the clubface open a bit and hit the ball first, not the sand. Yes, that’s just the opposite of a greenside bunker shot.
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