Bunkers · Lesson
A Wide, Low Base for Bunker Shots
Part of our bunkers programs. Build a program with it
A good bunker shot starts from a strong base. Take a wider stance than usual. Work your feet into the sand. Put your weight on your lead leg, leaning toward the target. Get low. The wide stance helps lower your center. In the swing, set the club up early going back. That helps the ball climb out quickly. Then swing aggressively through the sand. Finish with a full follow-through.
Step by step
- Widen your stance.
- Dig in your feet.
- Lean onto your lead leg.
- Get low.
- Swing hard through to a full finish.
Why it works
A wide stance lowers your center of mass and keeps your body steady while the club moves through sand. Digging in your feet gives you a firm footing on a loose surface. Leaning toward the target puts your weight on your lead leg, so the club bottoms out in the sand just behind the ball and the shot launches up quickly. Setting the club up early going back and swinging hard through to a full finish keeps the club moving through the sand instead of stopping.
Common mistakes
- Standing with a normal or narrow stance, so you sway or slip in the sand.Widen your feet until you feel steady, then wiggle them down into the sand.
- Leaning back on your trail leg to help the ball up.Keep your weight on your lead leg for the whole swing and let the club's loft lift the ball.
- Swinging gently and stopping after impact because the shot feels delicate.Swing hard through the sand and hold a full follow-through.
How you'll know it's working
- Your feet feel solid and do not slide during the swing.
- The club enters the sand behind the ball and leaves a shallow, even scoop of sand.
- The ball comes out on a fairly high flight and lands softly on the green.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Practice with no ball first, drawing a line in the sand and hitting the sand just behind it with your wide, low base.
Harder: Hit shots from a lie that is slightly below your feet or from a bunker with a taller lip, while keeping the same base and a full finish.
Common questions
Why should I stand wider in a bunker?
A wider stance lowers your center and gives you a steadier base on loose sand. That helps you hit the same spot behind the ball each time.
Should my weight be forward or back in a bunker shot?
Put your weight on your lead leg, leaning toward the target. This helps the club hit the sand behind the ball and lets the loft lift the ball out.
