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I landed in the bunker. I hit it once but it won't come out. It won't come out the second time either.
I barely made it out on the third shot, but it went over the green. That hole was already over.
There is only one reason why bunkers are difficult. It is because they are the only shots in golf where you do not hit the ball.
01A bunker shot isn't about hitting the ball.
Normally, we practice trying to hit the ball accurately. In the bunker, it is the exact opposite.
| Regular shot | Bunker shot | |
|---|---|---|
| What are you hitting? | ball | Sand behind the ball |
| Where the club reaches | Ball → Grass | 5cm of sand behind the ball |
| The principle of how a ball flies | The club face pushes out | The sand pushes the ball up. |
| strength | To suit the distance | Harder than usual |
If you try to hit the ball, it won't come out. If you hit the ball directly, it will just get stuck in the bunker wall.
It flies to the other side. You have to hit the sand for the sand to lift the ball.
02Things to do in the bunker, in order
- Bury your feet in the sandRub your feet side to side to sink them into the sand. This prevents slipping and allows you to gauge the depth of the sand.
- Open the face first and grip.The order is important. If you hold it and then rotate it, it will return during the swing.
- Look 5cm behind the ballLook at that spot, not the ball. I'm going to hit there.
- Swing it to the very endThe sand offers a lot of resistance, so push harder than usual. If you stop, you won't be able to get out.
03There are two reasons why I bury my feet.
One reason is to avoid slipping. If my foot slips in the bunker, I won't be able to get out that day.
The other reason is to measure the depth of the sand. When you put your foot in
If the sand is shallow (hard), you should dig less, and if it is deep (soft), you should dig more.
According to the rules, I can't put the club against the sand, so I measure it with my foot.
04The order of opening the face
Many people get the order wrong.
- Grip → Rotate wrist to open the face → Return to original position during the swing
- ⭕ Open the face first → Grip in that state → It remains open throughout the swing
When you open the face, the bottom of the club (bounce) bounces off the sand as it passes.
This bounce is a device that floats the ball.
05If you are afraid of being told to hit hard
When I hear people say "hit it hard," I get scared it might go over the green. So I hit it gently.
And you can't get out.
Even if you hit it hard in a bunker, it won't go far. That is because the sand absorbs most of the power.
To send it 20 meters, you need a 50-meter swing on flat ground.
Distance is controlled by the amount of sand, not by force.
- To send it close → Dig deep in the sand (7~8cm behind the ball)
- To send it far → Dig less sand (3~4cm behind the ball)
Keep the force similarly strong on either side.
06Even when I can't come out
If it doesn't come out even after hitting it twice, then give up on being greedy.
- Give up on the greenThe priority is to get it out of the bunker, even if it's just to the side.
- Choose the lowest jaw.It doesn't have to be the green direction. Coming out comes first.
- Certainly rather than opening one more clubI tried to get close to the hole at a difficult angle, but ended up hitting the third shot from the bunker.
If you hit it three times from the bunker, that hole is a triple bogey. It's better to get it out in one shot and save it a bogey.
It's much better.
07It is best not to go into the bunker.
It might sound obvious, but I mean it. On holes with a bunker in front of the green...
It is better to either take a longer club to clear the bunker or cut short.
If you try to get the ball close to the edge of the green and end up in a bunker, you spend two extra strokes.
The principle I mentioned in [[LINK:L03]], "don't force yourself to aim for the green," applies here as well.
If there is a bunker at the driving range, try hitting it just once. The sensation of hitting the sand
Once you experience it, things change dramatically. If you don't have one, just trying to dig in the grass instead of the sand without a ball can be helpful.
I get the feeling.
In the next part, I will cover how to retrieve a ball stuck in the rough.
