Focus on the Sand, not the Ball

The good thing about bunker play is that you don’t have to be as precise with your contact as you do when hitting from the fairway. In fact, you can prove it to yourself by dropping four or five balls into the sand. Hit each one in quick succession, focusing on a spot a couple of inches behind the ball. Just swing away, listening for the familiar ‘thump’. Then, step back and examine the divot holes. You’ll notice they vary.

Because of the margin of error the sand allows, as long as you accelerate the club through the sand, you’ll still get good results. By making impact closer to the ball, it will travel further in the air, but have a lot of spin. If you hit it further away from the ball, it won’t travel as far, but it will run more once it lands.

The key to remember is that the bunker shot is the one shot in golf in which you don’t hit the ball directly. Therefore, focus on the sand, not the ball, and let your club do the work.