Bunkers · Lesson
A Bunker Setup You Can Trust
Part of our bunkers programs for fat or chunked, not getting out. Build a program with it
A good bunker shot is mostly decided at address. Get the setup right and a simple swing does the job. Open the face first, then take your grip. Play the ball forward. Aim your body a little left of the target. Swing along your body line. Release the club all the way through the sand. The club will enter behind the ball and carry it out.
Step by step
- Open the face, then grip.
- Ball forward.
- Body aimed slightly left.
- Swing along your body line.
- Release fully through the sand.
Why it works
Opening the face adds loft and uses the bounce of the club, so it glides through the sand instead of digging. Playing the ball forward and aiming your body slightly left (for a right-hander) sets the low point behind the ball, where the club enters. Swinging along your body line with the open face sends the ball up and toward the target, and a full release keeps the club moving so the sand carries the ball out.
Common mistakes
- You grip the club first and then open the face, so the face closes again as you take your grip.Open the face first, then take your grip with the face held open.
- You play the ball too far back, so the club digs in or hits the ball directly.Move the ball forward in your stance so the club enters the sand behind it.
- You stop the club after impact, so it stalls in the sand and the ball stays in.Release the club fully through the sand and finish with the club moving past the ball.
How you'll know it's working
- The club enters the sand behind the ball and leaves a shallow, even scar that ends after the ball's position.
- The ball rises quickly, lands softly, and starts slightly right of your body line with the open face.
- The club keeps moving to a full finish and does not feel stuck in the sand.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Practice with the ball sitting up on top of the sand and draw a line in the sand behind the ball to enter on.
Harder: Practice from a slightly downhill or plugged lie, or pick a landing spot and try to land the ball on it.
Common questions
Why do I open the clubface in a bunker?
An open face adds loft and exposes the bounce, which helps the club slide through the sand. This lifts the ball out instead of digging.
Where should the ball be in a bunker shot?
Play it forward in your stance. This puts the low point of the swing behind the ball, so the club enters the sand first and carries the ball out.
