Escape from the Bunker with Success

The successful golfer must learn touse the sand iron correctly by usingthe bounce; this is the differencebetween the back edge of the club and theleading edge. This is the forgiving factor;it allows the club to skim through thesand and get the ball onto the green. Theclubface will never touch the ball with acorrect greenside sand shot. The sand willbe met first and the club cuts under theball, allowing the ball to ride out on acushion of sand and onto the green.

Two things get the ball out of thesand: the loft, which gets the ball up,and the bounce, which gets the clubthrough the sand and the ball onto thegreen. The player must learn to use thebounce of the club. The bounce can alsobe described as the angle of differencebetween the back edge and the leadingedge of the club. Bounce allows the playerto make an error with the sand ironand get away with it.

Greenside Bunker Swing

Open the clubface, turn the base toaim the club head to the target, and swingalong your shoulder line, making a fullmotion with a smooth pace. The shouldersand arms swing back, head still. Theleft shoulder and club head start backtogether. The shoulders and hips turnthrough together, head still. Hips turn,legs quiet but not still. Hold finish. Thelength of backswing and the speed theshoulders and hips turn through the shotcontrols the distance.

Board Bounce

This training allows the player toacquire the skimming sensation of theclub working correctly through the sandand to make certain the bounce of theclub is being used properly. Place a boardinto the sand (with a white stripe paintedon the mid-section), address the stripewith your sand wedge, and make smoothswings, hitting the board with the clubthrough impact. Feel the sensation of theclub skimming off the board with a goodtempo. After a few swings, place a scoopof sand on top of the board and thenplace the golf ball on top of the sand.Now make a normal bunker swing andhit the ball off the board. Check the bottomof your sand wedge and you shouldfind a white paint mark on the back edge.If white paint is on the leading edge, youare using an incorrect sand technique. Hitsome shots away from the board and tryto repeat the feeling of skimming throughthe sand with a good tempo.

is a corporate event

professional for Fortune 500 companies

such as American Express,

IBM, and Nike. A current Professional

Golfers' Association (PGA)

tour instructor, Mr. Davies has

coached players on professional tours worldwide

and has coached winners on the PGA, European,

and Nationwide Tours. Contact him at [email protected] or visit www.corporatetiger.com.

Adrian Davies