Problem and Cure How to Handle Golf Bunker Shot Near Back Lip - Senior Golf Tip (Video) - by Dean Butler
Problem and Cure How to Handle Golf Bunker Shot Near Back Lip - Senior Golf Tip (Video) - by Dean Butler

When we’re on the golf course there are many hazards and the hazards are basically bunkers and they’re there to catch the wayward sort of shot into the green and when the ball goes to the bunker, well, most of the times you think, yeah, you can handle that, there is no problem, but what if the ball is right here and is at the back of the bunker and the lip is high. What are you going to do? Are you going to feel comfortable? Well, if you do your normal swing, they’re going to cath the lip, so that’s a non-starter. So, what are your options? Is it a better option to kind of think, well, let me take my punishment and let me just play out sideways or even backwards. There are options to consider, especially if you’ve got a good score going, you know, why gamble?

It’s bugging enough in the bunkers it is for most people. But let’s show you what to do if the ball is out in the back of the bunker, the lip is there, we can’t do our normal swing, so how we’re going to actually go about the bunker shot. Here we go. Let me set up to the ball. We now want to put the ball back in the stance because the one thing we need to do here is we need to get that club traveling very, very quickly. So, by putting the ball back in the stance, that’s the back foot, the right foot, that will actually encourage the arc to come up much, much quicker than normal. We also want you to put your weight distribution 70-30 on your front side, so I’m leaning on the left-hand side, here’s the weight, I’ve got the ball with my back foot and by leaning on the left-hand side, that’s another factor for the club to be actually going straight up and, again, that’s what we want.

We need that club to go straight up. We don’t want to go back in a sort of shallow sort of swing path cause we’re going to catch that lip and if we catch that lip on the way back, that’s going to cost us a penalty cause we’ve actually touched the sand, so keep that on the back of your mind. Sideways, backwards or let’s play the shot. Weight on the left side, 70-30, ball position back, hands well forward and from this position here what you’re trying to do is you’re trying to basically just pick the club straight up and then hit down, down into the sand, a good couple of inches behind, hitting down and through and the sound, the cushion of sound, that’s what’s going to take that ball forward. Let’s do a demonstration.

There is the ball positioned back, key; weight 70-30, key; hands forward, key. There are three keys there. Remember those keys. They’re from here. There is the club hovering in the air, cause we’re not allowed to ground the club in the bunker, don’t forget. Now, from here let’s break these writs. Let’s have a little practice. Let’s break that wrist. Break that wrist very, very quickly. So, on the shot, pick it up and there we go. Straight out of the bunker. Nice and high. The cushion of sound has lifted that ball up and that is the only way to play that shot if you don’t take you punishment by going sideways or backwards, that’s the way to play it. Enjoy.

 2013-08-07

When we’re on the golf course there are many hazards and the hazards are basically bunkers and they’re there to catch the wayward sort of shot into the green and when the ball goes to the bunker, well, most of the times you think, yeah, you can handle that, there is no problem, but what if the ball is right here and is at the back of the bunker and the lip is high. What are you going to do? Are you going to feel comfortable? Well, if you do your normal swing, they’re going to cath the lip, so that’s a non-starter. So, what are your options? Is it a better option to kind of think, well, let me take my punishment and let me just play out sideways or even backwards. There are options to consider, especially if you’ve got a good score going, you know, why gamble?

It’s bugging enough in the bunkers it is for most people. But let’s show you what to do if the ball is out in the back of the bunker, the lip is there, we can’t do our normal swing, so how we’re going to actually go about the bunker shot. Here we go. Let me set up to the ball. We now want to put the ball back in the stance because the one thing we need to do here is we need to get that club traveling very, very quickly. So, by putting the ball back in the stance, that’s the back foot, the right foot, that will actually encourage the arc to come up much, much quicker than normal. We also want you to put your weight distribution 70-30 on your front side, so I’m leaning on the left-hand side, here’s the weight, I’ve got the ball with my back foot and by leaning on the left-hand side, that’s another factor for the club to be actually going straight up and, again, that’s what we want.

We need that club to go straight up. We don’t want to go back in a sort of shallow sort of swing path cause we’re going to catch that lip and if we catch that lip on the way back, that’s going to cost us a penalty cause we’ve actually touched the sand, so keep that on the back of your mind. Sideways, backwards or let’s play the shot. Weight on the left side, 70-30, ball position back, hands well forward and from this position here what you’re trying to do is you’re trying to basically just pick the club straight up and then hit down, down into the sand, a good couple of inches behind, hitting down and through and the sound, the cushion of sound, that’s what’s going to take that ball forward. Let’s do a demonstration.

There is the ball positioned back, key; weight 70-30, key; hands forward, key. There are three keys there. Remember those keys. They’re from here. There is the club hovering in the air, cause we’re not allowed to ground the club in the bunker, don’t forget. Now, from here let’s break these writs. Let’s have a little practice. Let’s break that wrist. Break that wrist very, very quickly. So, on the shot, pick it up and there we go. Straight out of the bunker. Nice and high. The cushion of sound has lifted that ball up and that is the only way to play that shot if you don’t take you punishment by going sideways or backwards, that’s the way to play it. Enjoy.