Practice & Drills: Building Confidence from the Sand
Confidence in the bunker comes directly from consistent practice.
1. The “Line in the Sand” Drill: • In a practice bunker, draw a clear line in the sand. Without a ball, make swings where you aim to strike the sand directly on the line and splash it forward towards your target. This drill is excellent for developing the feel of hitting the sand first, without the pressure of the ball. (A demo picture will show a clean sand splash). • Extend your drawn line a little. The point where your club enters the sand in relation to this line will provide immediate feedback. If you’re hitting too far behind the line, you’re taking too much sand; if you’re hitting ahead, you might be hitting too close to the ball. (Pictures illustrating correct and incorrect entry points are highly beneficial here).
2. The “Circle Drill”: • Draw a small circle around where the ball would sit (or place a ball in the
center of a drawn circle). Your objective with each swing is to splash out the entire circle of sand from the bunker. This drill encourages you to take a sufficient amount of sand and ensures a full, committed follow- through, leading to more consistent ball exits.
Keep practicing these fundamental principles, and soon, those bunkers will become opportunities to showcase your elegant and effective bunker play!
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