How to Get Out of Bunkers, Sand Traps, Golf Tip

Escape from Sand Every Tme, Up and Down and Commit to Shot

Apr 30, 2009
John Hoskison

Stay Positive in Bunkers - john hoskison

To get out of bunkers and traps can be easy if you have the right sand iron. Getting up and down in two from sand more often is possibe with commitment and acceleration.

Many golfers find it difficult to get the golf ball consistently out of bunkers. It should be a relatively easy shot but, more often than not, the golfer is using the wrong sand iron, which makes good trap shots much harder.

Sand Iron to Suit Your Swing

Before you start working on your bunker technique, first of all, you have to select a sand iron that suits your game. The main aspect to look at is the bounce on the club. The bounce relates to the design of the bottom of the club.

If you are a golfer who naturally slices and you have a steep downswing, one that takes big divots, you need a sand iron with lots of bounce on the bottom to stop the leading edge digging in too deeply. If you normally draw the ball, and hardly take a divot, you need a sand iron with little bounce.

If you have a steep swing and use a sand iron with no bounce you will often duff bunker shots and leave the ball in the sand. If you normally hook and come from the inside, if you use a sand iron with bounce you will invariably thin the ball over the back of the green. Selecting the right sand iron is essential for getting out of sand regularly.

Accelerate and Commit to the Shot

Apart from using the wrong club, the most common cause of poor bunker shots is a lack of commitment. Being scared of trap shots makes the golfer decelerate on the downswing, the body stops turning correctly, and the hands weakly flop into the sand.

To get out successfully, you must swing to a full finish and not quit on the shot. If you have the right club, you should attack trap shots with the same energy as you would use for a driver shot.

Bunker Technique Tips

Wiggle your feet into the sand when you take up your stance to give yourself a feel of how much sand there is under the ball.

Make sure you turn your body on the back swing to store up some power.

Hit positively into the sand and trust your sand iron to do the work for you

Make sure you swing to a full finish, where the sole of your right foot faces away from the target in the classic position.

Thousands of articles have been written about bunker technique, but most of it is unnecessary, unless you are a professional who relies on getting up and down in two to pay the mortgage. For the club golfer it’s simple - get te righ club, hit positively into the sand and hit it hard!