You probably know the situation. You hit a shot that lands just behind the bunker. Your next shot should be easy but it goes straight into the bunker instead of over it. How can you stop dumping those shots into the bunker?
In order to quit dumping those pitch shots directly into the bunker instead of getting over it, you need to practice the shot. That’s the number one tip I can offer is to practice the situation as much as possible. It is usually better to miss this shot long than short. In order to do this, you want to visualize the ball landing in the hole. This will help you overshoot your target rather than undershoot it. Depending on your lie, this may make a bit of difference how you approach the shot. Generally speaking, you will probably find yourself with a pretty good uphill lie if you have a bunker between you and the green. The result of having an uphill lie will naturally give more dynamic loft to your club. This will require you to swing a little bit harder than you normally would with a flat lie. With an uphill lie, you will need to angle your shoulders a little bit more to match the incline of the hill you are hitting on. Take a practice swing before you execute the shot and try to get your divot ahead of the ball. Swing aggressively with the shot and visualize your shot landing in the hole.
What if you have a less than ideal lie? If the ball is positioned in the weeds or deep in the rough, it may be difficult to make contact with the club. I would play this shot a little more like a greenside bunker shot. Instead of trying to hit the ball first and then the ground, I am going to try to make contact with the ground first and carry the turf and have the ball come out with the turf. I am also going to open up my stance a bit just like I would with a greenside bunker shot. When the ball comes out with this kind of shot, it is going to come out a little bit lower and it’s not going to want to stop. In other words, you want to hit this ball fat on purpose. We want to swing aggressively on most of these shots. If you hit it long, chances are, you will be in good shape.
When it comes to trying to get over a bunker or hazard, it’s really important that you practice the shot. Find a place where you can practice the shot at a range or practice facility. Get used to the shot and it will be much easier to execute.
The CutterGolf Cutter Wedge was used in the making of this video. The low center of gravity and wide sole makes these types of shots much easier to execute. You can purchase yours at this link:
https://www.sullivangolf.net/clubs
The link to watch the full video:
https://youtu.be/wuOIh-5y_P0
