bunker term

Bunker(aka Sand Trap): A hazard filled with sand. There is no penalty for hitting a ball into a bunker; however, specific rules govern play from these hazards.

Bunkers are as integral to golf as the cup itself. They punish poor shots and serve as strategic guideposts from tee to green.

The very first bunkers on the ancient links of the British Isles weren’t man made, but were formed by livestock sleeping and grazing in natural hollows. Early golf course architects took a cue from these sheep-warming shelters, building ever deeper and more elaborate pits alongside fairways and greens.

Indeed, bunkers come in a dazzling array of shapes and sizes. Small, steep-sided pot bunkers pock the seaside links of Great Britain and Ireland, as well as links-style courses in the U.S. and beyond. Other courses feature sprawling, multi-fingered craters, deep, flat-bottomed crevasses and shallow, innocuous-looking slivers sliced into the earth.

No matter their style, all bunkers are designed to signal strategic options, penalize poorly planned or wayward shots, and beautify the golf environment. To the everyday player, though, bunkers exist strictly to inflict fear and pain.

The golfers of yore struggled mightily to escape these nasty torture chambers. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, golf clubs were ill-suited to the purpose of blasting a ball from the sand. Then the great Gene Sarazen, winner of seven major championships from 1922-35, added “bounce” to the sole of a lofted club and called it a “sand iron.” Instead of burying in the dirt, Sarazen’s magic invention blasted sand and ball up, out and over the lip.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Of course, the best sand wedge in the world can’t save a golfer whose bunker technique is poor. And that’s where we come in.

The articles below offer a range of tips covering the very basics of bunker play – stance, alignment, ball position – to more advanced topics, like hitting a wood from a fairway bunker or adding backspin to your sand shots. You’ll also find stories that make sense of the oft-confusing rules governing bunker play.

Check this page often as Golf-Info-Guide.com is constantly updated with new material – all provided free – to help you become a better golfer and enjoy the game more.

1.5 Common Golf Bunker Mistakes
2.Always Select a Landing Spot For Greenside Bunker Shot
3.Bunker Play Tips, Drill Never Hit Another Bunker Shot Fat
4.Bunker Play, Never Leave A Bunker Shot In The Bunker Again!
5.Bunker Shots Exceptions for Open Club Face
6.Bunker Tips – Making Smart Sand Decisions
7.Can I Use A Golf Fairway Wood From A Fairway Bunker
8.Clean Contact Fairway Bunker Shots
9.Committing to a Plan For Long Bunker Shots
10.Correct Aim for Greenside Bunker Shots
11.Cure Your Golf Bunker Shot Shanks
12.Golf Bunker Practice Drill For Perfect Strikes Every Time
13.Golf Bunker Practice Drill For The Correct Amount Of Sand
14.Golf Bunker Practice Drill, Never Quit On Another Bunker Shot
15.Golf Bunker Rules, You Don’t Have To Play Your Bunker Shot As It Lies
16.Golf Bunker Rules And Etiquette, Raking The Sand
17.Golf Bunker Rules, No Touching The Sand Before The Shot
18.Greenside Bunker Shots, How To Vary The Distance
19.How Do I Spin The Golf Ball From The Bunker
20.How Much Sand Should I Take For The Perfect Golf Bunker Shot
21.How To Decide Which Golf Club To Hit From A Fairway Bunker
22.How To Escape From A Deep, Steep Sided Golf Bunker
23.How to Execute the Proper Swing for Greenside Bunkers
24.How To Hit A Bunker Shot, Open Club Face By How Much?
25.How To Play A Golf Bunker Shot If You Have No Follow Through
26.How to Play Varying Sand Conditions
27.How to Stay Out of Bunkers
28.Letting It Roll, Running Bunker Shot
29.Making Smart Greenside Bunker Decisions
30.Practice Bunker Shot Advice
31.Practice is Essential Before Trying On Course Shots
32.Sand Wedge, Why Use It In A Green Side Bunker
33.The Matter of Fairway Bunkers Vs Greenside Bunkers
34.Top 10 Bunker Tips Ever!
35.Using Your Putter Effectively in a Bunker
36.What Is A Blast Golf Bunker Shot?
37.What Is A Splash Golf Bunker Shot?
38.What You Should Look For In A Perfect Sand Wedge
39.When Should You Avoid The Sand Wedge In The Bunker
40.When To Use A Golf Hybrid Club From A Fairway Bunker
41.Why Can’t I Spin The Golf Ball From The Bunker
42.Why Do Golf Pros Bury Their Feet In The Bunker?