Successful Strokes from the Sand
Getting a little sand in your shoes isn’t the end of your golf world!

The recently concluded 2008 Memorial Tournament on the PGA Tour had some outstanding golf on the final day! This great golfing occurred even without many of the top players in the world on the leader board. The leaders displayed some quality shot making on a golf course set up with challenging conditions that put a premium on hitting fairways and greens. The rough was long and penal and the greenside sand bunkers were a better place to be when missing the green. Over the last few holes of the tournament, both the winner, Kenny Perry, and Mike Weir successfully got up and in from a greenside bunker to save par.  Virtually every golf publication you pick up and even a series of TV commercials recommends that more time be spent by all golfers on their scoring game; putting, chipping and bunker play.  Yet, we continue to see the practice range full of players searching for 20 more yards with a driver when 30 minutes either on the putting green, or better yet, in a practice sand bunker, would yield lower scores immediately.

The sand bunker seems to put fear into virtually every golfer who are amazed that the tour pros seem to extricate themselves from the sand effortlessly. That may be due to the fact that the pros know that the sand bunker shot is unlike any other stroke in golf. It is the only time that hitting the golf ball itself is not part of the process. The objective is to “throw the sand from the bunker”.  In the first place, the pros don’t address the golf ball in the sand, they focus on a spot behind the golf ball and their club enters the sand at that point.  By “splashing the sand out of the bunker,” the result is the golf ball is carried by that sand onto the green.

Here are three easy steps to playing successful strokes from the greenside sand bunker:

When gripping your sand wedge (important to use a sand wedge with plenty of loft and bounce on the sole) make sure that rather than positioning the clubface square to the target you grip it with the clubface open or rolled in your hands to the right (for right-handed golfers). The impact of the sand will slow the heel of the club, the area near the shaft, and cause the toe of the wedge to turn left. This opening of the club face ensures the loft is maintained and the sand flies upward taking the golf ball with it. Second, as the pros do, address a spot behind the golf ball and have complete focus on that spot. Take the golf ball out of the equation. By concentrating all of your efforts on “splashing the sand” out of the bunker you will be sure to accelerate your motion with enough speed to send the sand and golf ball onto the green. One of the single greatest practice routines is to stand in a practice sand bunker with NO golf balls and simply take swings at a spot and splash the sand out. Lastly and a key point to remember, the length of your stroke in the bunker must be balanced. By that I mean that the length of your backswing and follow through must be the same. All too often I see amateurs in the sand bunker take a long and flowing backswing and then at impact with the sand, cut very short the finish of their swing. The result is the sand goes nowhere and golf ball remains in the bunker.

Remember that the sand leaving the bunker is the key; the golf ball goes along with it. By watching the tour professionals play from the sand, you will appreciate the length of their finish and the way the golf ball gently elevates onto the green. You can enjoy the same result with a little practice in the sand bunker without a golf ball and focusing on sending the sand from the bunker. 

Enjoy the greatest of games,
John W. Boykin, PGA
CEO, Business Golf International
www.businessgolfinternational.com

John W. Boykin is an elite PGA Member Professional and International Golf Instructor.  John brings a wealth of knowledge about the game and industry to Privileged Play members. As the founder and CEO of Business Golf International (BGI), a global firm specializing in helping corporate clients utilize golf as a tool to achieve their business goals. BGI also provides expertise in golf facility design, construction, operations, marketing and management services.