Can you name the only shot in golf that you don’t want to make
contact with the ball?
Can you name the only shot in the game of golf that you don’t want to make contact with the ball?
Believe it or not, there is a shot that you don’t. It’s the sand trap shot.
It’s an easy shot because you don’t want to make contact with the ball. Instead, the ball should ride on a cushion of sand between it and the club.
Always aim a couple of inches behind the ball because that is where you need to strike the sand. The bounce, or back of the club, should contact the sand first. The club should then slide under the ball while following through, lifting the ball out of the bunker without the club head and ball ever making contact with each other.
Make sure you don’t touch the sand on a practice swing, though, because it’s a penalty stroke.
If you use these concepts, it should be easier for you to hit a bunker shot in the future.
Don DeLorenzo is a PGA-certified instructor at Gilroy Golf Course. To schedule a lesson with Don, call Gilroy GC at (408) 848-0490.
