Bunkers · Tip
Move the Ball Forward in Bunkers
Part of our bunkers programs for fat or chunked, thin or bladed, not getting out. Build a program with it
Many bunker troubles start before you swing. Most golfers play the ball too far back. That makes the front edge dig. The ball comes out low, or not at all. Move the ball forward, off your lead heel. Now the club bottoms out behind the ball and glides through. That's what the bounce is for. Open the face a little. Keep your weight slightly forward. Swing through the sand to a high finish.
Step by step
- Play the ball off your lead heel.
- Open the face a little.
- Keep weight slightly forward.
- Swing through the sand.
- Finish high with the face open.
Why it works
With the ball forward, the low point of your swing arc sits behind the ball, so the club enters the sand first and slides under the ball. An open face exposes the bounce, the rounded underside of the sole, which glides through sand instead of digging. A ball too far back makes the leading edge steep and sharp, so it digs, loses speed and sends the ball out low or leaves it in the bunker.
Common mistakes
- Playing the ball in the middle or back of your stance.Set the ball off your lead heel every time, and check it before you settle your feet.
- Closing the face or leaving it square, so the leading edge digs.Open the face a little before you take your grip, so the bounce touches the sand first.
- Leaning back or stopping the swing at impact.Keep your weight slightly forward and swing through the sand to a high finish with the face still open.
How you'll know it's working
- The club enters the sand a few inches behind the ball and leaves a shallow, even scoop of sand.
- The ball comes out higher and lands softly, with no thin low shots.
- Your finish is high and balanced, with the face still pointing up and open.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Draw a line in the sand just behind the ball and practise hitting that line with the ball off your lead heel.
Harder: Play from a slightly downhill or uneven lie in the bunker, or pick a small landing spot on the green and aim for it.
Common questions
Where should the ball be in a greenside bunker?
Play it off your lead heel, which is the left heel for a right-hander. This lets the club bottom out behind the ball and use the bounce.
Why do I keep hitting the ball thin out of bunkers?
Often the ball is too far back, or the face is not open enough, so the leading edge digs or catches the ball. Move the ball forward, open the face a little and swing through the sand.
