[PHOTOS: J.D. Cuban]
I see all kinds of setups in greenside bunkers. Some amateurs turn the clubface wide open and then stand open. Others are afraid to open the face, so they set it square, then stand closed. These players struggle because they either have too much loft or the club digs too deep. Here’s an easy way to get the face and your body aimed correctly.
As you step into a bunker, rotate the clubface open about 10 degrees, and then take your grip. Walk up to the ball and set your trail foot down with your body open to the target. (On the shot I’m hitting here, my target is the flagstick, but that’s not always the case. If the green were sloping hard from left to right, I might aim several paces left of the flag.) Place your front foot, and then aim the clubface directly at your target. But keep in mind, the clubface is still open to your stance, because you’ve shifted your alignment [above].
That’s it. Set your body slightly open, aim the clubface at your target, and then swing along your stance line [above]. If you get your body and the club properly aligned at address, your chances of sticking the ball on the green from the sand will improve substantially. – with Dave Allen
Jordan Dempsey teaches at the PGA Tour Performance Center at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
