Golf Bunker Shots, How Can I Create Spin (Video) - by Pete Styles
Golf Bunker Shots, How Can I Create Spin (Video) - by Pete Styles

Now creating spin on a golf bunker shot -- this is difficult guys; this is not an easy thing to do, because generally when we’re playing a bunker shot we want to take a decent amount of sand, before we hit the golf ball, so we’re trying to hit two inches of sand, but hitting two inches of sand puts a large layer of sand between the club and the ball. Therefore having so much sand between the club and the ball reduces the balls ability to see the club head effectively. Therefore how does it create any spin? All the ball sees is big shovel full of sand following it through.

So if I can hit this ball out, I’m going to try and knock it out this way. I’m going to try and create a little bit of spin. This is a risky shot! This could end up over there in that field. Because what I’m going to try and do is set out to ball with a very open face and then try and play half an inch of sand with a fairly gentle swing. And that ball lands with quite a lot of spin, it doesn’t land in shoe turn and roll too far. And my divot there was quite shallow; I didn’t really dig on beneath the ball very much. I didn’t have a very big swing. So, when you’re trying to create spin, understand that a lot of sand between the club face and the ball kills the spin. The ball will come out maybe and it will come up but it won’t have a lot of back spin hence a plugged bunker shot, you know that ball where it’s been sort of plugged down into the sand like a fried egg in a bad lie; that’s not really going to have a lot of spin. But if you’ve got a good lie, nice soft fluffy sand and a decent green that’s quite receptive to work on, you could try and play a bunker shot with less sand. The club meets the ball a little bit more cleanly, imparts a little back spin on the golf ball; when it comes down it will land more softly. But beware, trying to create back spins has it’s own risks. 2014-11-11

Now creating spin on a golf bunker shot — this is difficult guys; this is not an easy thing to do, because generally when we’re playing a bunker shot we want to take a decent amount of sand, before we hit the golf ball, so we’re trying to hit two inches of sand, but hitting two inches of sand puts a large layer of sand between the club and the ball. Therefore having so much sand between the club and the ball reduces the balls ability to see the club head effectively. Therefore how does it create any spin? All the ball sees is big shovel full of sand following it through.

So if I can hit this ball out, I’m going to try and knock it out this way. I’m going to try and create a little bit of spin. This is a risky shot! This could end up over there in that field. Because what I’m going to try and do is set out to ball with a very open face and then try and play half an inch of sand with a fairly gentle swing.

And that ball lands with quite a lot of spin, it doesn’t land in shoe turn and roll too far. And my divot there was quite shallow; I didn’t really dig on beneath the ball very much. I didn’t have a very big swing. So, when you’re trying to create spin, understand that a lot of sand between the club face and the ball kills the spin. The ball will come out maybe and it will come up but it won’t have a lot of back spin hence a plugged bunker shot, you know that ball where it’s been sort of plugged down into the sand like a fried egg in a bad lie; that’s not really going to have a lot of spin.

But if you’ve got a good lie, nice soft fluffy sand and a decent green that’s quite receptive to work on, you could try and play a bunker shot with less sand. The club meets the ball a little bit more cleanly, imparts a little back spin on the golf ball; when it comes down it will land more softly. But beware, trying to create back spins has it’s own risks.