Bunkers · Drill
Hit a Line in the Sand
Part of our bunkers programs for fat or chunked, thin or bladed, not getting out. Build a program with it
In a greenside bunker, you're hitting sand, not the ball. So practice where the club enters. Draw a straight line in the sand, across your target line. Set up with the line in the middle of your stance. Swing and hit the line. The club should go in at the line and come out a few inches past it. Once you can do that, set a ball a couple of inches in front of the line.
The drill
- Draw a line across your target line.
- Center it in your stance.
- Enter the sand at the line.
- Check that the mark starts at the line.
- Add a ball two inches ahead.
Why it works
In a greenside bunker the ball rides out on a layer of sand, so the club must enter the sand behind the ball, not touch the ball first. A line gives you a fixed spot to aim the low point of your swing at. When the club enters at the line and exits a few inches past it, the sand under the ball is pushed forward and carries the ball out. This fixes thin shots because you stop looking at the ball and start controlling where the club meets the sand.
Common mistakes
- You look at the ball instead of the line once the ball is added.Keep your eyes on the line, and treat the ball as something that just happens to sit ahead of it.
- You lean back or lift your chest on the way down, so the club enters past the line.Keep your weight slightly toward the front foot and hold your chest angle through the swing.
- You stop the club at the line and do not swing through.Finish the swing so the club exits a few inches past the line and you reach a full follow-through.
How you'll know it's working
- The mark in the sand starts at the line, not behind it or past it.
- The ball comes out softly on a rising path and lands on the green.
- Your divot is a shallow, even scoop that ends a few inches past the line.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Start with no ball and make several swings in a row until the mark starts at the line each time.
Harder: Move the ball two inches ahead, then try different lines and lies, such as a slightly softer or firmer patch of sand, while still entering at the line.
Common questions
Where should the club enter the sand in a bunker shot?
It should enter the sand a couple of inches behind the ball. The sand then carries the ball out, so you do not need to hit the ball itself.
Why do I hit bunker shots thin?
Usually the club bottoms out too late or the body rises, so the club hits the ball or skims the sand. Practicing entry at a line behind the ball helps you find the right low point.
