See the detailed notes on the content of this video, below the timecodes.
Timecodes:
00:00 Intro
00:56 Open Clubface
02:27 Open Stance
03:20 Ball Position
04:49 Stance Width
06:12 Swing Down the Line
08:10 Diggin’ In
08:39 Don’t Choke Down
09:18 Right Hand Under
09:51 Weight Forward, Head Still, Eyes on the Sand
Tip #1: Clubface how open?— Only open the clubface about 5-10 degrees in normal/standard bunker conditions: i.e. fairly level lie, ball not plugged, a couple inches of soft sand with a harder layer beneath, and not an extremely high lip to clear. In such conditions, this will expose enough of the flange for good bounce, while allowing for reliable directional control. Retake your normal grip as you twist the club open. Do not grip the club and turn your hands, because they will return to square when you swing, thus squaring the face. Your hands should be in their normal position relative to your arms and body, with the club twisted open within them.
#2: Open your stance (turn to the left) until the clubface is aimed at the target. The clubface direction and the direction you swing the club will determine the direction the ball flies. Opening your stance also pre- ‘clears your hips’ and gets your left thigh out of the way, allowing a proper release of the club through the finish. It additionally gives you better balance.
#3: Ball location— Stand with the ball off of your left heel or left instep. Any further forward would encourage fat shots with too much slice action, and cause your ball to come up short. Any further back would make catching too much ball more likely, leading to a long flier. The club should hang vertically (no forward shaft lean), about 1.5″ behind the ball, where you want to hit the sand. The vertical shaft will cause the club to bottom out just behind the ball, so it can “bounce” upwards into impact. Unlike standard shots, you want the clubhead to begin to pass your hands as it bounces up into the ball. Notice how well I’m able to hit a bunker shot under my leg in the intro of the video. This is because my leg stops my arms and forces the clubhead to pass my hands right after hitting the sand. The clubhead passing your hands imparts more backspin which provides lift, and the upward impact angle provides even more lift.
#4: Stance Width— set up with your feet a little more than shoulder width apart, for stability. Don’t make your stance too wide, because it will lower your hands too close to the ground, and thereby raise the toe of the clubhead. You need the clubhead to hit the sand with a level lie angle so that it will pass through smoothly, without twisting. A level clubhead is also easier to aim, while a toe-high club will pull the ball left.
#5: Swing along the target line— The two factors that determine the direction your ball flies are the club path, and the direction of clubface. You need to swing along the target line for an accurate shot. But you also will have a very hard time putting enough energy into the ball to get out of the bunker, if your club path is too far to the left. A very slight out-to-in path is needed with an open club face, but it can easily get too extreme. Tuck your right elbow into your body, as if you were trying to hit a draw. Make a few practice waggles to see if you’re lined up and able to swing down the target line.
#6: Digging your feet in— this provides stability/traction in what would otherwise be a slippery footing, but also allows you to check the depth of the sand. Be careful however, to only do this in your address position, because otherwise you’ll be penalized for testing the sand. If the soft sand is too deep, or if the sand is hard-packed, you’ll need a more open clubface with less stock loft, or a square clubface with more stock loft, respectively. See my video Hard vs Soft Sand.
#7: Don’t choke down— choking down will cause you to lose clubhead speed, which you need a lot of in the bunker. Also, using the full length of the club will give you better awareness/feel of the clubhead, and better tempo. Clubhead awareness will allow you to make the right size backswing to set you up for a steadily accelerating downswing.
#8: Keep your right hand underneath your left hand as you release the club through impact, so that you don’t deloft the club. When the club is starting to pass its lowest point, your right palm should begin to face the sky.
#9: Keep 60+% of your weight on your left foot, to prevent sway and help you hit the sand in the desired spot.
#10: Your head needs to stay as still as possible throughout this shot, to get proper contact with the sand then ball.
#11: Fix your eyes on the spot on the sand where you want the club to dig in. Don’t look at the ball, because you’ll be likely to hit too much ball and not enough sand. I think you’ll find this last tip very helpful.
Intro music: Pantera “Cowboys from Hell” cover by Joe Bender (guitar) and Matt Bender (drums)
Outro guitar original blues: Joe Bender