Protip with Louis Melanson

Blasting out of the sand

Watching PGA tour pros hit sand shots from around the green looks pretty easy, but for most golfers the sand shot is dreaded - a nightmare waiting to happen ! With the newly designed golf courses, bunkers are starting to be more in play for most golfers.

Hopefully, with a few basic steps, we will help you sleep better at night and enjoy those nice shots landing and sticking close to the pin.

For starters, a Sand Wedge, Lob Wedge or Pitching Wedge would be the clubs of choice. The body should be aimed a little left of the target, for right-handed golfers. The clubface should be open. Most times golfers don’t have the clubface open far enough. When the clubface is too square at set up you will tend to dig too deep into the sand. The ball position should be in line with the heel of your left foot (right handed golfer), the same as for a driver.

In your forward swing the club should enter the sand 2 to 4 inches behind the ball and slide underneath the ball at 1 to 2 inches deep. I like to tell my students that you are trying to slice “Texas Toast”, not a 4-inch block of cheese.
The bunker shot is a movement of body and arms, much like a pitch shot. When your swing has been completed, 95% of your weight should be on your left foot, with your body and arms in a full finish position. The big key here is to make sure you have constant and accelerating speed on the swing’s descent. By slowing down your descent, you will only set yourself up for another bunker shot !

For more info, visit your local CPGA professional.

Have fun and blast away!