This video is a bit different than my more serious instructionals, as it is demonstrating two tricky shots that you probably won’t use on the course, and I don’t provide any verbal instruction as usual. However, I believe learning these shots will provide true value for the rest of your game.
The 4-iron bunker slice shot reinforces fundamental bunker techniques. To make this shot work, you need to apply rules to your technique that are more difficult to adhere to when using a 4-iron, compared to using a sand wedge. You have to open the clubface way more than you would with a sand wedge. You’ll need the face to be open about 45 degrees, instead of only 5-10 degrees as with a wedge. This will give the club the dynamic loft you need to get the ball up quickly. However, it will cause the clubface to point significantly to the right of your target. It will also greatly reduce the horizontal length of the hitting area. You must mentally and physically overcome both of these factors.
Standing at the appropriate distance from the ball (determined by club choice), and staying connected to your chest with your arms, are both critically important for utilizing the small surface area created by the extreme face angle. These two factors will help you avoid a shank or toe-miss.
You’ll need to swing slightly out-to-in as with other greenside bunker shots, as necessitated by the open clubface— if you were to swing in-to-out, you’d push the ball right of you target. However, as with a wedge, don’t get too extreme with your out-to-in path. You’ll need to fight the instinct to swing across the line, and try to swing directly away from, and directly back toward, the intended target.
Stand so the ball is ahead of your left foot (i.e. very far forward). Open your stance about 25-30 degrees to point the open clubface more towards your target than it otherwise would be. But since you have to open the 4-iron so much to achieve the needed loft, the face will have to point somewhat right of your target. That’s okay though, because due to your stance being more open than normal, along with the forward ball position, you’ll create a lot of slice action to start the ball to the left. Try your best to swing along the line, but through impact the club will start heading back to the left because of your open stance and forward ball position. And thanks to the speed provided by the long club, you’ll be able to put enough energy into the ball to fly it to the target, even though the club path through the ball will be well to the left.
Make a big backswing, and try to hit about 1.5″ behind the ball. Keep your right hand underneath your left through impact, to maintain the needed dynamic loft. Be sure to hit down fairly heavily, because the sole of your club will be angled in such a manner as to make it harder to get into the sand.
All of these factors make practicing this slice-explosion shot a valuable exercise in bunker fundamentals.
The 4-iron punch shot will help you hit punch recovery shots, and also fairway-seeking stingers. The main factor to punches and stingers is delofting the club, and maintaining that delofting through impact.
To hit the 4-iron punch from the bunker, you’ll need to be in a bunker with a lip that is only slightly jutting outwards. Completely deloft the club to get the ball rolling end-over-end before it reaches the lip. If the ball has backspin when it reaches the lip, it will probably fall right back into the bunker. It needs to start rolling so it has the opposite spin, which will allow it to climb over the lip and jump forward onto the green.
Deloft the club by positioning the ball off of the big toe of your right foot, and leaning the shaft forward. Although positioning the ball further back would assist more in delofting the club, you would find it very difficult to get far enough behind the ball in your backswing. Cup your right wrist, and bow your left wrist, while taking your grip on the club, then maintain these wrist angles as you swing. Leaning the shaft forward will tend to open the clubface, so make sure you square it up and then grip the club.
You’ll need ball-first contact, to avoid lifting the ball, and to ensure that you hit it hard enough to get out of the bunker. Keep your eyes fixed on the ball through impact, and avoid the temptation to look up, which can be caused by anticipating the action of this cool shot.
Have fun and rock and roll! Thanks for watching! Please share my channel, and subscribe to stay up to date with the latest videos.
Intro music: Pantera “Cowboys from Hell” cover, by Joe Bender (guitar) and Matt Bender (drums)
Outro bluesy guitar: original music by Joe Bender
