With the Presidents Cup coming up Medinah Country Club and the recent greenside bunkering redesign, we are likely to see the world’s best players face longer and more challenging bunker shots. Most golfers have an easier time master a short bunker shot 10-15 yards from the pin, but struggle when faced with a longer bunker shot.
The good news is that these longer bunker shots don’t have to be complicated. You generally have enough distance to launch the ball with some carry without having to hit a high, soft shot like you would on a shorter bunker shot.
Start with your sand wedge and if you need more carry, try a lower wedge like a gap wedge or pitching wedge. Swing is more like a pitch shot rather than the soft, high swing you might use from a greenside bunker. Consider taking a wider, slightly slower takeaway and allowing the club to enter the sand closer to the ball. This will create more ball contact and less sand contact.
“>
One of my favorite ways to practice this shot is to start the grass. Get comfortable with the pitch-like motion and lower trajectory, then take the same motion into the bunker. You’ll quickly find that the ball doesn’t travel as far on sand as it does on grass, so give it some time to adjust.
It takes some practice to trust a longer bunker shot, but once you do, it can become a valuable option around the green. Instead of trying to craft a high, low shot from every bunker, you can use a lower club and a familiar swing to take some of the guesswork out of the shot.
If you’re an experienced golfer, especially a single-digit player, experiment with an even lower wedge, keeping the same 10-15 yard greenside bunker setup and swing. You may find that changing the loft gives you another useful option when the pin is further away.
My advice: watch the Presidents Cup players closely this week when they hit this shot. You can learn a lot by watching how they execute these longer and more difficult bunker shots.
