The bunker is a scary place for many recreational golfers. When players with a bunker phobia find sand, they usually have one thought in mind: “Don’t mess with this.” The problem with that mindset is that it introduces doubt and leads to hesitant swings, which is never a good strategy in the trap.
The reason for his doubt and hesitation is a history of poor play from the sand. When you’ve spent your career, either hitting it long or hitting it in front of your feet, there’s little reason for optimism.
The good news is that with proper technique, the bunker play can become a lot easier. And it starts with avoiding a critical error in the installation, which David Armitage explained in the first episode of Top 100 Master Sessions.
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Don’t make this mistake in the sand
Armitage says one of the biggest mistakes he sees recreational golfers make in their bunker play starts with setup. While it is important to take the weight forward in your posture, it is important that you do not tilt your upper body back while doing so. This moves the low point back and causes inconsistent contact.
“That’s a big no-no,” he says.
Instead, the sternum should be forward, with a little more flex in the lead knee. Armitage says this was something he always noticed in Seve Ballesteros’ setup.
For a standard greenside bunker shot, Armitage puts the ball right in front of the middle of his stance. The point of strike is in the middle, and the sternum is directly above or slightly in front of the ball. This position of the sternum controls the low point of the swing and helps the clubhead enter the sand in the correct place.
“I want a really square stance,” he says. “I opened my face. Then I took my grip, and then I have a wide stance, low handle, moving my chin, my sternum and the belt buckle on the ball or just in front of the ball.”
Once you’ve nailed these setup basics, it becomes much easier to hit consistent bunker shots.
