Dig it out for better bunker play!
Dig it out for better bunker play!
Monthly Golf Tips by the Mel Sole Golf School.
Hi, I’m Mel Sole, Director of Instruction at the Mel Sole Golf School, headquartered at Pawleys Plantation Golf and Country Club in Pawleys Island, SC. We conduct 1, 2, and 3-day golf schools, hourly golf lessons, and senior golf schools—any golf instruction program your heart desires. Give us a call at 800-624-4653 or 843-237-4993. We will be happy to book a commuter school or a package that contains accommodations, golf, and golf school.
This month's golf tip comes from working with a student in school last week. Ellen Harrell told me she had never been able to get out of a bunker in one shot—EVER!! I have had success with this drill before, so I told her first to practice buried bunker shots. This method makes the student hit down on the ball, and the sand between the clubface and the ball forces the ball up and out!
The Method.
Bury half the ball in the sand and then address the ball. Now hood the clubface slightly as shown in picture #1.
Go ahead and play the shot with a sharp downward blow, ensuring you follow through at least to hip height. Do not try and "lift" the ball out—it must be a downward "digging" motion to "pop" the ball out.
Once you can get the ball out of a buried lie consistently (it is an easier shot than you think), then go ahead and set up with the clubface square as if for a regular bunker shot. Play the shot with the same downward blow action you have just been doing.
In the title Dig it out of the dirt for better bunker play, the keyword is DIG! Don't be afraid to hit down on this shot for good results. Again, stay down on the shot. Do not try and lift the ball—hit down on the ball, and it will sail up easily onto the green.
After only a few minutes, Ellen hit bunker shots fairly consistently onto the green with her first attempt.
Spend a little time in the sand trap working on this, and I promise: you WILL be a better bunker player!
Source: Mel Sole Golf School
Thanks for reading - Dig it out for better bunker play! Practice this first before you use it in play!
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