Bunker Play

  • Achieve a consistent entry point in bunkers

    Written by Gareth Johnston on Thursday 15 December 2011

    The key to consistent bunker play is to have the club enter the sand at the same point, two inches behind the ball, correctly every time. TG Elite Pro Gareth Johnston explains in this golf video tip how a small adjustment to your set-up will help achieve this.

  • Controlling distance in sand

    Written by Gareth Johnston on Thursday 15 December 2011

    Once you’ve perfected your strike in a bunker, controlling the distance becomes the easy part as TG Elite Pro Gareth Johnston explains in this golf video tip. A longer backswing naturally builds momentum in the clubhead, which will cause the ball to travel further. The three checkpoints highlighted in this video are a good starting point for any golfer that struggles...

  • Play the high, soft-landing bunker shot

    Written by Gareth Johnston on Thursday 15 December 2011

    When we’ve short-sided our self in a greenside trap, we need to be able to launch the ball high with plenty of spin to stop the ball close to the flag. TG Elite Pro Gareth Johnston explains in this golf video tip that cupping your left wrist will add loft to the clubface, increasing the launch angle and utilizing the bounce...

  • Escape from plugged lies

    Written by Richard Ellis on Thursday 29 September 2011

    From a plugged lie, the main thing we need to appreciate is how much more sand there is between your club and the ball. In bunker shots, the club doesn’t actually make contact with the sand, the sand provides resistance. So if there’s more resistance, this means you need to provide more clubhead speed into the sand for the ball to...

  • No more upslope nightmares

    Written by Richard Ellis on Thursday 29 September 2011

    You thought you’d hit that perfect approach shot only for your ball to fall short of carrying the greenside trap by a yard and rest in the upslope of the bunker. A certain bogey yes? Not if TG Elite Pro Rich Ellis has anything to do with it. In this golf video tip, he gives you some simple swing essentials to...

  • Splash shot success drill

    Written by Richard Ellis on Thursday 29 September 2011

    In bunker play, all golf coaches ever talk about is the bounce of the sand wedge. Why is this? Well the bounce is what allows the clubhead to glide through the sand and not dig down into it. As TG Elite Pro Rich Ellis explains in this golf video tip, a good drill to keep the clubface open and maintain that...

  • Bunker instruction with Retief Goosen

    Written by Retief Goosen on Monday 5 September 2011

    Retief Goosen is renowned for having one of the finest short games in the business, and has done since joining the European Tour in 1992. His short game was instrumental in notching up two US Open wins and two Order of Merit triumphs. The South African’s touch around the greens has propelled him to second place on the European Tour’s 2011...

  • How to beat Bunkers

    Written by Tom Denby on Friday 15 July 2011

    Not only will your free tees and ball marker with this month’s copy of Today’s Golfer come in handy on the course, they can also help you play better golf! We’ve compiled a series of exclusive video tips and drills using your free gifts to fix common faults and help you hit the ball longer and straighter, as well as sharpening...

  • Keep the sternum still in sand

    Written by Kristian Baker on Friday 1 July 2011

    The key to getting the club entering the sand at the same point consistently is to keep the position of your sternum throughout the swing the same, explains Wentworth Head Pro and TG Elite Pro Kristian Baker in this golf video tip. When the upper body sways either side of the ball during the swing, it’s almost impossible to bring the...

  • Wrist hinge bunker tip

    Written by Rob Watts on Friday 11 February 2011

    In bunkers, the angle of attack is crucial in obtaining a consistent strike. The club needs to be coming into the ball steep enough to take the right amount of sand before the ball, allowing us to utilize the bounce on the golf club. As TG Elite Teaching Pro Rob Watts explains in this golf video tip, the correct hinging of...

  • Pause at the top sand drill

    Written by Rob Watts on Thursday 13 January 2011

    If you watch some of the best bunker players in the game such as Ernie Els and Fred Couples, you’ll notice how long and lucid their motion is. Many amateur golfers do the opposite in their downswings, chopping down sharply on the back of the ball with a steep action from outside the line. This will lead to inconsistent strikes and...

  • Two keys for fairway bunker success

    Written by Rob Watts on Thursday 13 January 2011

    The fairway bunker shot differs from a standard greenside trap shot in that you need to strike the ball first rather than the sand. To do this consistently, you should alter your set up in two crucial ways, as TG Elite Pro Rob Watts explains in this golf video tip. One change involves the level of your feet and the other...

  • Bunker ball position tip

    Written by Chris Ryan on Wednesday 12 January 2011

    Getting ball position right is crucial every time you play a greenside bunker shot. Constant ball position means the club will enter the sand at the same point every time, leading to consistent results. As TG Elite Pro Chris Ryan explains in this golf video tip, ball position should always be taken from 90 degrees to the toe line. Often, when...

  • Success from greenside bunkers

    Written by Richard Ellis on Friday 24 September 2010

    Many amateur golfers struggle to get to grips with the concept of correct bunker technique. In golf, the goal is to hit the ball with the exception of greenside bunker play, where you need to strike the sand before the ball. A great way to practice this method is to draw circles in your practice bunker, as TG Elite Teaching Pro...

  • Downslope bunker shot

    Written by Rob Watts on Friday 17 September 2010

    When your ball just trickles in to the back edge or side of a bunker, the chances are you’re going to be faced with a tricky sand shot off a nasty downslope. The key to executing this shot successfully is to position the body weight correctly and pick the club up steeply in the backswing, as TG Elite Teaching Pro Rob...

  • Gain control from bunkers

    Written by Rob Watts on Friday 17 September 2010

    To achieve maximum amounts of spin from sand, your backswing length should always be much longer than the throughswing. As TG Elite Teaching Pro Rob Watts explains in this video tip, the goal should be to leave the club in nice and low to the ground through impact. Just like in football where if you where trying to chip the ball over...

  • Keep the tempo on long bunker shots

    Written by Lee Scarbrow on Friday 27 August 2010

    When faced with a long bunker shot from a greenside trap, it’s easy for us to get quick and jabby through impact in a last-ditch attempt to achieve the required distance. But when we do this, we often lose our rhythm and collect either too much or too little sand. In this video tip from TG Elite Teaching Pro Lee Scarbrow,...

  • 30-yard bunker shot

    Written by Andy Lavers on Tuesday 17 August 2010

    Touted as the one of the toughest shots in golf, the 30-yard trap shot is a tricky shot to master. But should you manage it, you could be getting up and down from the unlikeliest of places to save par or even make a birdie. In this golf video tip from Burghley Park Head Pro Andy Lavers, you can discover the...

  • Get out of greenside traps

    Written by Nick Clemens on Friday 16 July 2010

    Getting up and down from bunkers is what keeps the momentum of our round going. There’s nothing more satisfying than expelling any fear of bogey with a solid bunker shot and moving on to the next hole like you do it every time! But now you can pull this shot off every time, thanks to this golf video tip from Scoring Zone...

  • Plugged Bunker Lie

    Written by Adrian Bishop on Friday 25 June 2010

    Most people like a fried egg before they get to the golf courses but no one wants to find one in a bunker on the course. The normal shot from a plugged bunker lie would produce a low running shot, but what do you do if the pins close and you don’t have much green to work with? In this video...

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