Dec 15 2011
A Number of Uncomplicated Points to Make your Golf Sand Shot Relaxed
The sand shot in golf is one of those shots which strikes fear into almost every high-handicap person playing the game. It’s ironic how the more skilled and professional golfer doesn’t view the shot with any nervousness. Actually, professionals will much rather hit a golf ball from the bunker than deep rough, because they have better control with the golf ball whenever it’s in sand. But it really is critical to know how to play this shot to have a complete Golf Short Game.
So let’s study why the difference. To start with we should mention that although professionals are quite comfortable executing the shot, statistically only a few can get up and down in two more than 60% of the time. In other words, you shouldn’t established your expectations too high. Getting the golf ball out in a single shot and two putting should be thought a success.
Next, remember the biggest difference with the sand shot versus every other shot: inside a green side bunker you can by no means hit the golf ball first. That will go contrary to all of the thoughts on golf ball striking, and until you really feel sure of yourself hitting sand shots that way of thinking will probably work against you. Therefore your target must be as great as two inches behind the golf ball, drive the club all the way through the sand and let the sand take the golf ball onto the green.
Everything sounds pretty simple, and there in fact is a lot (in relation to a normal shot) of margin for error. The next step can get dicey, and that’s blasting the golf ball out. It certainly shouldn’t be thought of as finesse shot, since if you try to finesse the golf ball out you will not have the power of your club head necessary for getting through all that sand. Most high-handicap golfers start the club head to the sand, feel its resistance and stop. And of course the sand stays where it was, and so will the golf ball.
To be able to make certain this never happens, ensure you stay balanced with your stance (that is why you dig your feet into the sand when setting up), and then speed up through the sand, {always|at all times{} finishing high|ending the swing with your hands high}. Although various teaching is going to say to maintain a square stance to the golf ball, speaking for myself particularly on shorter shots I open my stance. This makes it a lot easier to speed up all the way through the golf ball, as you won’t lock the hips with an open stance.
One last thing to be careful of in the sand shot and you will be good to go. Which is, keep the hands leading throughout the golf ball, or in other words you shouldn’t make an effort to flip your ball out with a wrist motion. If you look at the Sand Wedge Loft, you will see that it is highly lofted. When you stop your arm movement and flip the clubface, the loft of your golf club gets even more, almost at the point of being level to the ground. Instead of the club face grabbing the sand in addition to the golf ball and launching the whole lot to the green, the face of the golf club knifes beneath the ball, leaving the ball still in the sand.
This is merely a starter’s program on sand play. In a different article I will elaborate on the different types of sand shots and how they all will be played somewhat differently. But if you are able to grasp these factors, you should have the positive mindset for getting out from the sand every time.
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