How to Overcome the Fear of Your Bunker Golf Shots

By Bill Maitland

Most of us, especially if we are beginners, dread landing in a bunker.

Often the first thought is (or second after the swear word thought) is:- Goodness I hope I can get out and put the ball near the hole. I hope I don’t leave the ball in the bunker. I am not very good at bunker shots. I hope I don’ skull the ball over the green into that bunker opposite.

Here are some ideas that will help you develop a mental attitude to attack your problem.

Firstly, go into slow mode and think about what you are going to do.

Set up etc. has been mentioned in another article, so will not be repeated here.

So, just have the mind set that if you hit the ball one or two inches behind the ball, and hit some of this sand onto the green, the ball will explode out with enough force to get it onto the green.

Hitting the sand onto the green will make sure that you follow through and so you do not have to think of this aspect of your swing.

Take the club outside and then hit with an out to in swing.

The second thing to concentrate on is that you are not going to close your club face.

So do not let your right forearm cross over your left.

Do not let your wrists flip the club face closed. You want to be able to balance a glass of water on the open club face after you have completed the swing. OK, you may have swung beyond the horizontal, but you know what I mean.

Bill Maitland is a thinking, inventive golf guru. He thought out and developed simple techniques and tips which enabled him to lower his handicap from 25 to 18, then from 18 to 15, and finally from 15 to 12. He is a passionate golfer, and delights in helping others with their game through his website, Online Golfers Handbook.

HumanGolf: Golf for REAL People!