Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Bunkers...? Just the thought of them is negative for most amateur golfers. You know the feeling.
You might be having a great round, then all of a sudden you find yourself in a bunker and all that confidence you had is suddenly gone, replaced by self doubt. How am I going to get up and down from here? What if I hit it flat? What if I catch the lip?
Well, although bunkers are challenging for amateur golfers, the pros love them. They make bunker play look so easy, and the reason for this is simple: technique.
So what are the secrets to good bunker play? If you follow the 3 tips below, you can also learn how to play them, and become a better golfer in the process.
But a word of caution! They won't make you a bunker star overnight. You will need to practice - it's a good idea to practice these tips and perfect them before attempting them in a competition.
Tip 1: Aim to hit the sand, not your ball. This is crucial. The theory is that you allow the sand to take the ball with it. Depending on how far you need to hit your shot, you will need to aim between one and four inches behind the ball.
Now focus on the point in the sand that you want to hit. Don't look at the back of the ball as you would if taking a shot from somewhere else on the course.
Tip 2: Align yourself slightly to the left of your target (if you're a right-hander). Open the face of the club. When you do this you will gain extra height and ensure that your ball clears the lip of the bunker.
Tip 3: Swing through the ball. Don't worry about distance too much at this stage. Practice a nice smooth swing and imagine that the sand is taking the ball with it. Whatever you do, don't stab at the ball. Follow through with your swing. Once you are comfortable with your swing you can then practice varying its length to refine the distance of your shot.
