At a recent LPGA Tour event, while working with one of my players, Caley McGinty, we spent some time in the short-game area. As often happens when players and coaches wander over there, we started exploring some of the tricky situations we all face.
One such shot was the short-sided bunker shot, one of the trickiest shots in all of golf. Let’s face it, when you hit it here, with only six to 10 feet between the edge of the bunker and the hole, you’ve hit it in the wrong spot. When you do find yourself in these situations, it’s important to know how to get it out — and maybe even how to hit it close.
5 ways to easily control your distance from greenside bunkers
There are plenty of methods people try in this situation: adding excessive spin, getting ultra-delicate or barely moving the ball at all. For most players, though, these approaches can lead to disaster, and then they have to try to hit the same shot again.
After some tinkering with Caley, we figured out a method that worked for her time and time again. And it’s something that can work for recreational golfers, too.
To start, set up like you normally would for a bunker shot. Next, make your typical bunker shot, remembering to stay aggressive with speed through impact. As you make your follow-through, stop the clubhead pointing at the spot on the green where you want the ball to land (i.e., an abbreviated finish).
Think about it this way: for a long bunker shot, you make a full finish. For a short one, simply shorten your finish, directing the clubhead toward your intended landing spot, whether that’s just onto the green or slightly short of it.
In the photo above, you’ll see how Caley controls her finish so the clubhead stops where that pile of balls sits just short of the green. This particular shot landed about two inches beyond it and rolled out to a spot where she had a simple putt to save par.
When you’re short-sided in a bunker, this method lets you keep your natural, aggressive swing without overcomplicating things. All you have to do is stay aggressive and finish your swing pointing right where you want the ball to land. If you can do that, I guarantee short-sided bunker shots won’t be quite so scary anymore.
