Welcome to Play Smarta regular GOLF.com game-improvement column that will help you play smarter, better golf.
Bunkers are a place of anxiety for most recreational golfers. Whether it’s from a lack of practice or incorrect technique, bunkers hurt most weekend warriors.
David Armitage, a GOLF Top 100 Masterhe knows this fact well – and he sets out to change it. Although he teaches all facets of the game, his favorite topic is the bunker game. In particular, helping his students conquer their fear of sand.
That’s why he wrote a book on the subject (yes, indeed!) and recently joined us here at GOLF to create the most comprehensive guide to the bunker game out there
Check out the full video below, or read on for an excerpt detailing the two drills Armitage recommends to improve your bunker play.
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Rake drill
One of Armitage’s favorite drills features a tool you can find in almost any bunker: a rake. It puts him behind the ball about a foot or so, which means if he wobbles or falls back during the swing, he’s going to hit it. The drill helps golfers understand how vertical the swing should be for a proper bunker shot.
“If I drop the ball on the backswing, I’m going to hit the rake,” says Armitage.
The rake also helps golfers make sure the downswing is steep and gets the low point in the correct spot. Armitage recommends starting slowly (so you don’t accidentally hit the rake) and use the drill to build up the feel of the correct movement.
“Do it slowly,” he says. “Maybe just do it in very slow motion just to get the image and feel.”
Once you get the hang of it, you can build a faster swing.
Line drill
Another drill comes from Ernie Els. Armitage says that Els would draw two lines in the sand, set wide apart, and make swings that focused on contacting the sand between those lines. Then he would take two or three of those swings before hitting a ball.
“That’s what the pros do, and one of the best players in the world,” says Armitage.
The lesson for lovers is to do the same. Rather than immediately hitting the balls, start by practicing the setup and the strike.
“Do the line drills first, get that impact where you want it, and then take that to the ball,” he says.
This drill helps instill feel to control the low point in your swing and get a feel for where the clubhead should enter the sand. If you can contact the clubhead between the lines with consistency, you will not have problems splashing the ball out of the sand when you are on the course.