The 2 Biggest Mistakes You're Making on Bunker Shots

Back out in the bunker, I have selected a 56 degree sand wedge which has a nice amount of bounce. This one, in particular, has 10 degrees of bounce and it will bounce right out of the sand. I want to talk about a couple of really basic things that you want to understand about a bunker shot.

1. This club, or whichever one you select, should contact the ball.

What you are trying to do is have the club enter the sand behind the ball, get a cushion of sand in between the club and the ball, and let that sand ride that ball onto the green. That little amount of sand that is on the face, I want it there. I don't want to hear the click of this club hitting the ball. That is an indication that you got to handsy or to shallow and flipped through that bunker shot. You are not going to like that one, it is going to go sailing over the green.

2. The problem when people get into a bunker shot is they take a very similar stance to their full swing.

They will get up in here, I see them leaning back to the left. Now keep in mind, the more your spine angle is to the right the more you will hit behind the ball and you tend to come in too far behind it. Instead of two to four inches behind you are now eight to 10 inches behind.

The other thing that I see is you start pretty well where your spine is centered over the ball and you come on in and you fall backwards. Simple tip there, just try to be with the ball, stay on top of it and let that angle of approach come in right there at the two to four inches mark.

Pretty straight forward, two big tips, let's go over them. Don't let the club touch the ball, let the sand cushion the shot. Number two, keep your spine angle more on top of that shot and let that club ride right through the sand. Good luck.