How To Become An Expert In The Bunker (4)
If you are having trouble hitting your ball out of the bunker with the right direction and control needed, I would be willing to bet that you use the explosion shot just about every time.
Most golfers do, because the other alternative is the splash shot which takes quite a bit of skill and patience to successfully make it work. But the end result of the splash is always a benefit to lowering your score.
Why Are Most Golfers Scared Of The Splash Shot?
So what is it about the splash shot that new and intermediate players are scared of? Why do so many golfers consider every ball that lands in the sand one that needs to have a sloppy explosion shot to get it out of the bunker?
The are basically two reasons why the splash seems more difficult to golfers not currently utilizing it:
1) The first reason is due to the path of the swing.
2) The second is due to the length needed for the follow through.
The swing path issue is not all that different than that used for pitch shots. You just swing your club along the lines of where your body is aiming. In just about every situation where the splash is played, that will be a point to the left of the target.
The second problem with the splash shot, as mentioned above, is dealing with the length of the follow through. This is probably the biggest issue all golfers deal with before becoming a great sand hitter – they are scared to continue with the full speed of the club when hitting through the sand.
This fear is, to some notion, logical. Your instincts are telling you that if you make the swing with too much speed then the ball may move too far. But that will not happen.
Another reason why golfers have trouble with the length of the follow through is because the very nature of the splash is that it is a gentle shot, one where the distance is actually controlled largely by the length of your backswing.
Step Away From The Driving Range
There is only one way to overcome these fears and use the right shot in the game when needed to strategically get your ball out of the sand – Practice!
Take time away from the driving range and practice these splash shots until you are comfortable with the unbalanced swing length and the closeness of the clubhead to the ball during impact.
