Major Golf Lesson

The average amateur has made the bunker shot much more difficult than it really is.  They think the stance has to be way open with a club face that is way open.  They are mentally confused on what to really do.  A bunker lesson shouldn’t last more than twenty minutes. That’s because there is not much to it.  When someone asks for a lesson in the bunker, I will first look at the form they use for the regular chip shot.  If the chip/pitch has breakdown in the forward wrist,(left wrist for a right handed golfer), if the weight doesn’t transfer to the left leg, and the body isn’t turning through the finish, then we will first address that.  The reason is that if you chip and pitch with bad form, then the swing you will rely on in the bunker will be the same.  To start with the simplest bunker shot, here are a few things to look at.

1. Place your feet about shoulder width, and the ball just forward of center by an inch or two.

2. For starters, keep the feet square and not open.  And for most players, I would suggest you use a 60 degree or lob wedge, and not the sand wedge.  It will give you more loft, which will get the ball up easier without your help of scooping.

3. Bend the knees, almost as if you were sitting on a bar stool, this will help you hit the ball fat or behind an inch or so.

4. Follow through like a normal golf shot, with the weight on the left leg and the hips, chest, and head facing the target.

5. If you still struggle, draw a line in the sand.  Straddle the line with the line slightly ahead of the center of your chest.  Take practice swings hitting the line without a ball.  Pay attention to see if you are hitting too much behind or forward.  Make adjustments with your swing, not set up, remembering to always finish the golf shot on the front leg with balance.

6. If you are really fearful of the greenside bunker and there isn’t a lip on the edge of the bunker, putt it.

Give these tips a shot and if you need some more help in this area, give me a call and we will take care of it together.

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Tension in my opinion is possibly one of the worst flaws a golfer can include in their swing. Consciously try to stay as supple as you can from your wrists to the forearms, up through the shoulders into the upper-back and chest. You should feel as though all of those upper body parts are soft and tension free.

Tension will destroy any fluidity and smoothness in your swing and make your rhythm, tempo and timing very inconsistent. Remember to “Swing em’ and fling em’. And what I mean by that is to let your arms “swing” and let your shoulder “fling” your arms. They work together. Notice a beginning golfer and how they are all tense in the arms when trying to “hit” a ball. Where as the accomplished player not only “flings” the arms back and up by rotating those larger shoulder, chest and upper back muscles they also swing their supple arms in conjunction with the upper body rotation.

Being tension free has a numerous positive effects for your swing. One benefit is extension. Notice the word “extension”, take away the “ex” and all you have remaining is “tension”. If you “ex” the “tension” you get “extension”.

Imagine hanging soft ship rope from your shoulders. If you rotated your upper body back and through, the ropes would extend as far as possible from the center of the swing. In your back swing don’t try to keep your left arm (right-handed player) straight, however keep it extended instead by being supple in those “ropes”. That extension gives you arc width, which generates swing speed. An effect all long hitters benefit from. Rotating creates centrifugal force. Being tense will reduce any built up centrifugal force your rotation has produced. Too much tension will also inhibit a proper release of the forearms, hands and club head. Let’s go back to that rope analogy. Imagine ropes are hanging from your shoulders and the hanging ends of the rope are tied into a knot. The knot represents your grip. In the forward swing the knot would turn counter clockwise following the rotation of your upper body and your arms swinging down and forward. That counter clockwise turn of the knot would represent your grip. Another words, your right hand would turn over your left hand producing a clubface that went from open (pre-impact) to square (at impact) to closed (post-impact) in the forward swing.

Countless students that I have worked with on this have told me that they feel as though they have no control. That is good because they are now swinging the club instead of hitting at a ball. They are transforming a feeling into their swing that they are now getting out of their own way. Pay attention to your tension and you too will gain control by letting go of your so called control.

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Here are some common drills that you can practice at home without your mind focusing on hitting a ball.

Split Handed Drill

Split Handed Drill: Split your hands apart then swing the arms, hands and club to get the feeling of the proper release of the right wrist (for right-handed players) rolling over the left wrist through impact. Do this enough times and you’ll incorporate this feel when you need it, during your swing on the course.

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall Drill: I can’t over emphasize this enough. Look in a mirror at your set-up, down the line, face on and during your swing. You will see the difference of what you think your doing and what your actually doing.

Rehearsing Impact Drill: Take a mid-iron and find something solid like the corner of a wall and take your set up and press your club head against the wall making sure your club face is square to the direction of the pressure. Be aware of your flat left wrist, left arm against your chest, hips open in respect to your target line and shoulders slightly rotated in the same direction.

Weighted Club Drill

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