Common Misconception

There is a myth that we have been passing around for years with reference to how a bunker shot should be played. I stumbled upon this myth in the late 1990s when I was working for the John Jacobs Golf Schools.

The information that Jacobs schools was giving to their students would create pure frustration when it came to trying to extract the ball from the bunker. They taught the conventional method of open stance, open club face. The V-shape was something that was tattooed on students gloves as they left the school and headed home for disaster at their home course. The method seems sound with these exceptions that can change the whole picture for anyone with fear of the sand.

When setting up to the ball for a bunker shot you must look at the biggest game improvement in golf for almost a 100 years -- the club itself, your sand wedge. It has a bounce on it and to use the bounce you should not open the club face, you should add loft. To do that you should play the ball forward and move the handle or grip end so that the tilt of the shaft is back behind the ball.

This may seem a bit awkward at first, the whole idea is to use your wrists in a dorso flexion. Picture the flip of your wrist instead of a wrist rotation occurring down in the sand.

I think there is another big misconception in the bunker. This business of hitting a certain distance behind the ball is unclear to most golfers. You should take a closer look at the sand wedge. When you add loft the trailing side of the wedge would touch the sand first when swinging to the ball. This gives the appearance that you hit several inches behind the ball. It is often said that it should be the easiest shot in golf, because you're not trying to hit the ball. This information is incorrect. The closer you can get to the ball the more spin you put on it. The angle of attack is not steep either, like some teachers suggest. It is really quite shallow, at least it is for the finest bunker players in the game.

Come and check out the other myths at 7mythsofgolf.com.

Bill Bondaruk is a PGA Class A member. After traveling the mini tours Bondaruk taught for a few world-renowned golf schools such as John Jacobs, Jim McLean and Scott Sackett's Resort Golf. He was Director of Instruction at Arizona National and swing instructor for the University of Arizona men's and women's golf teams. He has worked with a list of tour pros as well as collegiate stars.