In this issue we continue the countdown to #11 of the 20 Toughest Shots In Golf. There is a corresponding drill afterwards.
Toughest Shot #11 – 40 Yard Bunker Shot
Bunker shots from about 40 yards out are tough. If you mishit the shot, you could end up in the rough near the bunker, in another bunker short of the green, or back in the same bunker with an even harder shot. Even if you make solid contact, you could still land well short of the green, requiring you to hit a short chip shot.
Here are five keys to hitting this shot:
1. Assume your normal wedge setup
2. Move the ball back an inch or two
3. Set the clubface square to the target line
4. Use your normal wedge shot swing
5. Keep your sand wedge in the bag
The key to pulling this shot off is making ball first contact. You can encourage this by making minor adjustments at address:
Take your normal wedge shot setup with your feet shoulder width apart. But move the ball back an inch or two from center and set the clubface square to the target line. These two changes facilitate ball first contact by encouraging a downward strike of the ball, which is exactly what you want here. Now swing away.
Make sure you don’t alter your tempo or shoulder turn when swinging. You don’t have to make a bigger shoulder turn and/or use a faster swing with this shot. Your normal synchronized shoulder turn and swing shot tempo will work here.
Club selection is also a consideration. The slightly descending blow adds backspin to the ball, cutting your normal shot distance by 10 yards. Using either a slightly longer backswing or the next longer club overrides this.
At 40 yards out, use a 9-iron for the shot. At 30 yards out, use your pitching wedge. At 50 yards out, use your 8-iron. Above all, keep your sand wedge in your bag. You won’t need it here.
A bunker shot from 40 yards out is among the game’s toughest shots. But if you follow the golf tips discussed above, you’ll hit the green more often than not.
