Pete Finch – PGA Teaching Pro
When golfers get into bunkers, it can seem like a massive problem. And then when you start hitting the shank of the club, it becomes an even bigger problem. And that's what we're going to be looking at, and that is, hopefully, what we're going to be helping you guys out with. Now first of all, we need to understand what a bunker shank is. Now, if you've ever hit a shank shot, then you'll know it travels very quickly out to the right-hand side if you're a right-handed golfer. That's because the ball contacts the hosel of the club. And it goes to such an extreme angle in between the shaft and the club head where the actual loft is set back from the leading edge. Any shot which is hit from this area of the club is going to have a lot of spin on it, and it is just simply going to shoot off to the right-hand side.
Now, what that means in a bunker shot, is if you get it very much out of the heel, the likelihood is it's not going to go anywhere near your target, but it's also not really got a chance of getting out of the bunker. Unless you manage to get a little bit of the actual club face, the club will not have enough loft to lift the ball up and out. And that is why it becomes so much of an issue. When you're getting in a bunker, when you're within this hazard, you need to try and at least get the ball out, if not nestling next to your target. And if you are catching it from the heel, you have no chance of making that happen. So what we're going to be doing within these video series, now you know what a bunker shank shot is, hopefully, we can give you the advice to help you move this ball out of the sand, near your target without bringing in that terrible ball flight. 2016-10-05When golfers get into bunkers, it can seem like a massive problem. And then when you start hitting the shank of the club, it becomes an even bigger problem. And that's what we're going to be looking at, and that is, hopefully, what we're going to be helping you guys out with. Now first of all, we need to understand what a bunker shank is. Now, if you've ever hit a shank shot, then you'll know it travels very quickly out to the right-hand side if you're a right-handed golfer. That's because the ball contacts the hosel of the club. And it goes to such an extreme angle in between the shaft and the club head where the actual loft is set back from the leading edge. Any shot which is hit from this area of the club is going to have a lot of spin on it, and it is just simply going to shoot off to the right-hand side.
Now, what that means in a bunker shot, is if you get it very much out of the heel, the likelihood is it's not going to go anywhere near your target, but it's also not really got a chance of getting out of the bunker. Unless you manage to get a little bit of the actual club face, the club will not have enough loft to lift the ball up and out. And that is why it becomes so much of an issue. When you're getting in a bunker, when you're within this hazard, you need to try and at least get the ball out, if not nestling next to your target. And if you are catching it from the heel, you have no chance of making that happen.
So what we're going to be doing within these video series, now you know what a bunker shank shot is, hopefully, we can give you the advice to help you move this ball out of the sand, near your target without bringing in that terrible ball flight.
