Getting over the fear of the bunker

The bunker shot is a very interesting part of golf. Until you learn how to correctly get out of a bunker, finding yourself in one is a petrifying experience!

However, once you learn how to escape properly, bunker shots suddenly seem very easy. Hopefully some of the following points will help you enjoy your time in the sand.

The set-up:
In order to get the ball out of the bunker every time, it is important that we set-up to the shot in the correct way. We set up to the ball in the following way in order to encourage an athletic swing and a descending blow at impact:

• Ball position forward in the stance
• Weight significantly favouring the front foot
• Feet shoulder-width apart
• Aim as normal (opening the clubface is optional)

The swing:
In a bunker shot, we deliberately try to miss the ball. Our goal is to use one of our lofted wedges to hit down into the sand approximately two inches behind the ball with enough energy to push the ball towards the target. In reality, the ball is carried up and out of the bunker by a cushion of sand, not by the club hitting the ball.

Due to the fact that our golf club does not come into contact with the ball, the ball will travel wherever we send the sand. We want to have a controlled back swing and controlled follow through. Our goal is to send the sand towards the hole and then the ball will follow!

One of the most common faults that club golfers make in the bunker is to trust their instincts as opposed to science. Unfortunately in golf, our instincts are 100 per cent incorrect. In order to get the ball up in the air for a short shot, our brain tells us that we need a short swing and to lean backwards. In reality, we need a long swing and our weight to be on our front foot at impact.

Practice drill:
Draw a line in the sand, address this line as you would a standard greenside bunker shot and trick your brain to believe that you are simply trying to hit that sand as far as you physically can.

Your next job is to place a golf ball two inches in front of this line and to repeat the task with the same goal of hitting the sand just as far. If you think about playing golf, your instincts will have you lean back and decelerate the club into the sand.
 
If you can trick your brain into believing that you are simply trying to hit the sand as far as you can (and contact the line correctly), your ball will come out the bunker every time.

Naturally, it will not always be next to the hole, however, it will get you out of the bunker and hopefully reduce your fear of ending up in one!