How to Escape Any Bunker, Any Time

How to Escape Any Bunker, Any Time

Focus on your weight shift — not your swing — to blast sand shots close

By Bill Forrest
Top 100 Teacher

This story is for you if...

• You've been playing the game for years and still don't know how to get out of bunkers.

• You don't know whether you should open your club or your stance in the sand.

The Problem

You struggle with sand shots, despite hours spent learning and practicing different techniques.

Why It's Happening

The problem is information overload. Over the years you've been told to open your stance, stand square to the ball, weaken your grip, keep your normal grip, open the face, keep the leading edge square, etc. The truth is, you can execute successful bunker shots doing any of these things.

The Solution

Regardless of any move you make in your bunker swing, you must start with your weight left, and rotate more weight to the left. When you swing like this your club automatically bottoms out in the center of your stance. Now you can adjust the ball position based on the sand. If you're in soft, heavy sand, move the ball forward in your stance four inches to splash out a lot of sand with the ball. But if you're on wet, hard sand, keep the ball in the center and hit it and the ground at the same time. Always hit the sand first with the bounce of the club, not the leading edge.

ADDRESS Start with about 55 percent of your weight on your left side.