If you’ve watched the pros play on TV, you’ve probably seen them roll into a greenside bunker or two. These bunkers are usually in great shape. There’s usually a nice layer of soft sand to hit from. The bunkers on public and municipal courses aren’t in such great shape. Many are rather “ugly.” It’s more like hitting from concrete than soft sand, so you can’t “float” the ball out on a cushion of sand. You need another approach to escape these bunkers in one.
Below are five keys to this shot:
1. Lean your weight forward
2. Set the face square
3. Hit just behind the ball
4. Drive the leading edge into the ground
5. Finish with your hands low
You can’t hit an explosion shot from an ugly bunker. You’re clubface will carom off the sand and you’ll flub the shot or you’ll skull the ball over the green. You need to square up the clubface and dig the ball out.
Use your sand wedge for the shot. Address the ball with a slightly opened stance and lean your weight forward to create a steeper angle of attack. Set the clubface square. Now make your backswing.
At the top, make a smooth transition to the downswing and hit down just behind the ball. That drives the leading edge down into the sand. But be careful! You don’t want to come down too hard. Otherwise, you’ll drive the clubface too deep into the sand.
Remember, you’re not trying to splash the ball out with a classic explosion shot. You’re trying to get the leading edge in just deep enough to pop the ball out. The feeling you want is that of chunking a pitch shot from the fairway.
The shot comes out softly with a bit more roll than normally, so plan your landing spot carefully. With a little practice, you can easily master this shot.