You're Correct!

Bunker shots are not the easiest shots to play so it would seem bizarre if we did not try to make them as easy as possible.

We can do this by surveying the shot correctly and choosing the most appropriate action to take. Reading the green before a bunker shot lets us take in all the information we need to make an informed decision about what shot to play and where to play it.

Here are some examples:

1. You have a bunker shot where the flag is positioned towards the back of the green with trouble behind. However, you have read the green and there is an uphill slope in-between the flag and the back of the green. With this information, it is possible to play an aggressive low running bunker shot, knowing that if you play the shot too hard, the uphill slope will stop the ball from running into trouble at the back of the green.

2. Looking at your bunker shot, you read the green as sloping from right to left. It would be silly to aim straight at the flag as a good bunker shot would be punished as you watch it roll towards the flag at first and then away down the slope to the left. The sensible option would be to play the shot slightly to the right and let the ball feed back down to the flag.

3. The bunker shot in front of you is a long one with the flag at the back of the green. You have read the green and it is all downhill towards the flag. Many golfers are worried about a longer bunker shot but with the green sloping in this way you can play a softer shot and land the ball short, in the middle of the green, letting the slope do the work for you and take the ball to the hole. By reading the green you have just made the shot much easier than hitting a high and long shot to the hole.

Read the green, even on a bunker shot to make the game simpler and get the ball closer to the hole.

It is true that getting the ball out is the first priority, however, looking at the green beforehand can determine how easy the shot may be. You do not have to go straight at the flag and sometimes it may be easier and give you more confidence if you decided to play to a bigger, safer area of the green leaving yourself a simple putt.

Why not? If you needed a bulls-eye in darts you wouldnt aim at the board. Narrow your focus, give your brain specific instructions and get the ball closer to the hole.

Greens generally always slope to some degree and affect the golf ball more than you may think. Very rarely does the ball go in if you hit it straight at the hole. Likewise, the ball will roll across the green to some extent after a bunker shot and therefore will also roll down any slopes that may be part of the green.