TOUR TECHNIQUE
Wipe It Out Use this bunker feel from the European Ryder Cup captain (who just happens to be one of the best sand
Players who struggle in greenside bunkers typically make one of two mistakes: 1)
To let the club release through the sand, you have to keep grip pressure lighter than you might think. through the sand like windshield wip- ers. Feel the hinge and unhinge of the wrists,” Donald says. “You want a short stroke with speed and have the feeling like you’re throwing the clubhead into the sand behind the ball. That will en- gage the bounce of the club, allowing it to glide through the sand.” The clubhead should appear to pass your hands as it moves through the sand, with the face pointing back at you after impact. Do that, and you might pick up a little sandy side action.
They chop down too steeply into the sand, and the digging action can’t gener- ate enough power to get the ball out; 2) they either miss it entirely or barely skim the sand, and the ball gets bladed way long or into the lip. The key is to find the sweet spot be- tween a swing that’s too steep or too shallow. If you need help in greenside sand, one of the all-time best bunker players, Luke Donald, has a key feel for you. Donald, who led the PGA Tour in sand saves in three separate seasons, says you should practice hitting bunker
players of all time) BY LUKE KERR-DINEEN
shots by focusing on what your wrists are doing. “Your wrists should feel like you’re moving the club
KEEP IT MOVING Don’t stop the swing with the clubhead down by the sand.
44 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025
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