The Correct Speed of the Putt

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Most golfers read the greens but don't think about how the speed of the putt affects the breaking putts. Putts with slower speed tend to break more. On the other hand, if the putt has more speed, it will break less. So you need to think about how you want to roll it in the hole.

 

Most amateurs tend to leave the putt short of the hole from 10 feet. Pros don't usually leave it short from this distance. According to Dave Pelz, the correct speed of the putt is the one that goes 17 inches past the hole if it doesn't go in.

 

Ben Crenshaw, Boby Jones and Jack Nicklaus were putting it 4 inches past the hole. Cristie Kerr who led the LPGA Tour in putts per green hit in regulation multiple times said that the putt has the best chance of dropping when it would go a foot by a cup if it doesn't go in.

 

I'm not here to discuss which method is correct. But if you are leaving it short most of the time like other amateurs, you might want to think about the speed of the putt.

The Good Drill to Lean the Pace
Here is the good drill for controlling the pace or speed of the putt.

This drill is used by Cristie Kerr and is very good drill to learn distance control.
1. Lay a club down 1 1/2 feet beyond the hole
2. Hit putts. Try to roll the ball up to the shaft without actually hitting it
 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/short-game/putting-correct-speed.htm

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Ben Crenshaw's Putting Advice

Ben Crenshaw is known as one of the best putters in the history of golf. I don't know anybody who has smoother putting stroke than Ben Crenshaw. He said 9 out of 10 golfers are gripping the putter too strong.

 

If you grip it lighter, you will start to feel the weight of the putter head. And this will let you take smooth putting stroke. The tendency under pressure is to hold it too tightly. So make consious effort to grip it softer.

 

Here are Ben's Crenshaw's two key points for putting.

 

1. Speed is more important than line

Lots of golfers worry too much about how much the putt will break and forget about the speed. If you pay attention to the speed, your putts might start to fall more often.

 

2. Don't try to look like anyone else

Havey Penick who has a Crenshaw's coach for a long time said "you never want to try to look like anyone else when putting."

 

Once you stand on the green, try to forget about all the technical stuff that you learned. Instead, try to focus on the putter face and the weight of your putter head.

 

It's important to learn techniques in putting. But on th e course, feel becomes more important in putting.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/short-game/ben-crenshaw-putting-advice.htm

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How to Hit Fast Downhill Putts

The tendency when putting downhill on fast greens is to hit it too much past the hole. There are many ways to hit this putt. One of those ways is to grip down on the putter.

 

When you grip down on the putter for long putts, you must take much bigger stroke so this won't work so well for so long and middle putts. But for short delicate putts from downhill, gripping down on the club will work well.

 

You can try to grip down a few inches or more. Try to practice it at home and see how it will work for you.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/short-game/fast-downhill-putt.htm

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The Drill to Control Distance with a Putter

Average players seem to struggle with controlling distance on the green. One of the reason is the lack of practice. Hitting a long putt over and over for practice is fine. But there is a better way to practice your distance control. First, start with a middle distance such as 7 feet or so. Next, try to putt to the hole but don't make it.

 

Stop the ball right befire you can putt the ball near the cup. The key is to start from middle distance. If you find it hard from7 feet, try 5 feet or less. As you gain confidence, move further away from the hole and try the drill. This is also good drill to work on right before you tee off.

 

How Women's Best Player Practiced Her Putting

Annika Sorenstam is known as one of the best female golfers in the history of golf. Until the 2000 season, she wasn't paying too  much attention to her putting. Like most amateurs, she said she didn't realize the importance of putting. But after watching Karrie Web win multiple majors and lots of tournaments in 1999 and 2000, Annika finally decided to devote more time practicing her putting to keep up with Karrie Web.

 

The interesting thing is that she didn't change her mechanics much. But instead, she spent lots of time working on speed and distance control. She would hit 50 to 100 putts with her right hand only. And then she would try to lag two dozen 30-footers to within a putter's length to the cup. If she missed one, she would start all over again.

 

On the next seaon, she quickly got some good results. She won 4 straight tournaments including the major. During the season, she went to earn $2,105,868. I don't say you have to practice as much as she did. But instead of trying hard to work on your mechanics, working on speed and distance control  might give you much better results. Hitting putts with your right hand only is a great putting that is used by lots of tour players including Tiger Woods.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/short-game/distance-control-putter.htm

 

 

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How to Stop Pulling Putts

Pulling putts is one of the commons mistakes you see among average players. Most of the time, players either look up to see the ball rolling or try to guide the ball toward the cup. Even the pros sometimes make this kind of mistake. Payne Stewart said he tried to keep his head down to avoid looking up during the final round of the 1999 U.S. Open. He putted so well on that day and won the tournament.

 

Lots of teachers might tell you to keep your head down. It's important to keep that in your mind. But I think it's much more important that you pay attention to the face angle through impact. The  face angle is much more important than the stroke or swing path in putting. If you can focus on the face angle through impact, you will keep your head down as a result.

 

Right Shoulder Moving toward the Ball

When you pull your putts, your right shoulder moves toward the ball on the downswing. If you can stop your right shoulder from moving toward the ball, you will be able to stop pulling putts.

 

Here is a good drill.

1. Set up to the ball as usual

2. Now, take your left hand off the grip and put it on your right shoulder

3. Hit putts with your right hand only

 

Make sure that your right shoulder does not move forward. By putting with your right hand only, you can't manipulate the stroke with your hands. To hit the putts consistently with your right hand only, you need to use the weight of the putter head and swing with a pendulum motion. This is really good drill to help you achieve more consistent putting stroke.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/short-game/stop-pulling-putts.htm

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Jack Nicklaus: 5 Secrets to Putting

Jack Nicklaus is known as one of the best putters in the history of golf. He seemed to make all the crucial putts to win major tournaments. His putting style is unorthodox, but I think we can learn a lot of things from him. Here are Jack's 5 keys to putting.

 

1. Open Stance

He had the open stance. His feet are open to the target. He felt that he could see the line better this way, The common mistake among average players is to aim too far to the right at address and pull the putt. To avoid this, aim your putter face first before taking your stance. If you set your body first, you will tend to aim your body to the target. So set your putter face first.

 

2. Right Shoulder

Jack's right shoulder was lower than left at address. Because we place our right lower than the left to grip the putter, the right shoulder should also be lower than the left shoulder at address. However, some teachers will tell you to keep your shoulders level with the ground for consistent putting stroke.

 

But if you do this, I think you'll pull lots of putts left of the hole. If you try to avoid pulling putts, you will leave the face open through impact and push the putt. In putting, your right shoulder should be little than your left shoulder at address.

 

3. His Eyes and Head Position

At address, he was setting his head behind the ball. He positioned his ball little forward of center. During the putting stroke, he tried to keep his head behind the ball. His eyes were directly over the target line. I think by positioning his eyes over the target line, he was seeing the line better.

 

4. The Position of His Hands

His hands were in front of his length. This is little more ahead than normal. Most tour pros have their hands more toward the inside of their left thigh. He had his shaft tilted forward. If you feel like you are pulling lots of putts, try to copy Jack's hands position. Make sure to tilt your shaft forward at address. This will help you prevent pulling putts.

 

5. Hit it on the Upswing

He hit the ball just after the lowest point of his putting stroke. This means he was hitting the ball on the upswing. I think he felt he could roll the ball much better that way. The easy way to roll the ball better is to try to hit the top half of the ball at impact. Give it a try. I think you will see the better results.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/short-game/nicklaus-putting-secrets.htm

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How to Control Distance or Pace with Your Putter

Amateurs usually struggle to control distance with their putter. The reason is obviosly lack of practice. But even if you practice long putts over and over, you might still have problems with distance  control. Today, I'd like to share some tips to help you control distance with a putter.

 

Use Your Right Hand for More Feel

Tiger Woods said for right handed player, you have better feel in that hand than you do in your left hand. Therefore, you should control the pace of a putt with your right hand. Controlling distance on the green is like rolling the ball toward the cup with your hand. So I try use my right hand for controlling distance on the grreens because I get the better sense of distance with my right hand. Lots of teachers teach their students to use their shoulders during the puttting stroke for consistency.

 

By using your shoulders and moving them back and forth to hit the putt, you will get consistent putting stroke. But when you focus on your shoulders or the movement of your shoulders too much, you will lose the sense of distance or the feel.

 

For a better sense of distance, I think you should focus more on your right hand or fingers in your right hand. When you hit a putt, try to focus on your right hand and the fingers of your right hand. Hitting putts with your right hand only is good practice to help you do that.

 

Start from a Short Distance

When you think about practicing distance control, you probably start hitting long putts. But I think you should start with a short distance instead. Start with 3 feet from the cup. Usually, you will putt the ball with good speed from this distance. But I want you to putt it so that the ball just barely drops in the hole.

 

When you become confident from 3 feet, you should try from 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet and so on. But don't move on the next until you become confident with the distance you are practicing. This is good practice before you tee off as well. Before you tee off, you should go to the practice green and hit putts from 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet and so on. This will give you much better results than hitting long putts over and over.

 

Feel the Weight of the Ball

Some teachers might tell you to control distance by changing the length of your putting stroke. For longer putts, you need to take a longer stroke. For short putts. you need much shorter stroke. With this method, you control distance by adjusting the length of your stroke. This may work for some players, but the problem with this method is that the speed of the putter head may change depending on how fast you swing your putter head. So I think that adjusting the length of your stroke to control distance with your putter is difficult for most players. Try to feel the weight of the golf ball as you strike the ball. It is more important in putting than mechanics.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/short-game/how-to-control-distance.htm

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Hook and Weak Grip in Putting Grip

I think there should be a hook grip or weak grip in putting. The putter grip has a flat part that is designed to rest your thumbs when gripping the putter. But this flat putter grip is telling everyone to hold the putter the same way. However, this grip may be too strong or too weak for some players.

 

When I was in college, I was pulling or pushing putts once in a while and couldn't prevent it from happening no matter how hard I tried. So I thought I should grip my putter little stronger than before. Instead of resting my thumbs right on top of the flat part, I rested my thumbs littlle right of center on the grip. I soon started to hold  more putts.

 

I did better with stronger putting grip because I eliminated the excess movement of the putter faca during the stroke. So my left hand gri is little strong ever since. At one day, I asked the golf shop to cut my putter shaft because I thought it was too long for me. I told them that I will replace the grip myself and came home with the putter and the new grip.

 

The Technique for Replacing Your Putter Grip

When I was about to replace my putter grip, I stopped and thought about something. I put my thumbs little right of center. So I thought I should insert the new putter grip in the shaft little stronger than usual. I still replace my putter grip like that today.

 

If you think your putter face tends to open at impact, you might want to try the stronger grip.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/short-game/putting-grip-hook-weak.htm

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How to Hit the Belly Putter

To hit your belly putter, you need to anchor the end of the shaft (grip) against your belly.

 

 

The advantage of a belly putter is that is eliminates any excess movement of  your hands, wrists and arms during the putting stroke. So if you need more stable putting stroke, a belly putter might help you achieve that. On the PGA Tour, there ar elots of pros using the belly putter because it's so effective. If you feel like you need more confidence on the putting green, you should try a belly putter.

 

5 Keys

Here are 5 important keys to hit your belly putter.

 

1. Anchor the end of your shaft or grip against your belly. You can put it just above your navel or left of that spot. I would suggest you to put it little left of your navel or just above the spot.

 

2. Make sure to align your feet and shoulders parallel to the target line.

 

3. The ball position is important when hitting a belly putter. If you anchor your shaft in the middle of your stomach, position your ball in the middle of your stance. If you anchor your shaft little left of center, move your ball little left of center as well.

 

4. Position your hands little forward of your ball. If your hands are positioned in line with your ball, you will tend to pull the putt. So move your hands little forward of your ball to putt is straight. Because the shaft is anchored against your stomach, you will tend to hit up on the ball too much if the ball is positioned too far forward. So make sure to position your hands little forward of the ball.

 

5. Among the tour pros who use the belly putter, some players prefer to grip down on the putter when hitting a short putt.

 

When hitting a long putt, you need a bigger stroke. So you want your hands higher on the shaft. But with a short putt, you don't need a bigger stroke. So with a short putt, you might want to grip down on the putter for more stable stroke.

 

With a belly putter, you want to pay attention to the ball position and the hands positions. Especially with a belly putter, those are the important keys. The advantage of a belly putter is that it gives you more stable stroke. But this means that it could take away the feel. If you are feel putter, you may do better with a conventional type of a putter. But under the pressure, a bellt putter should give you more stable putting stroke.

 

I would recommend a belly putter for golfers who are fighting the yips, golfers with handsy putting stroke and golfers who are lacking confidence on the greens.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/short-game/how-to-hit-belly-putter.htm

 

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Retief Goosen's Secret to Putting

Retief Goosen won U.S.  in 2001 and 2004. He has been known as a great putter who has a smooth putting stroke. Players with smooth putting stroke have the advantage on fast greens. That may be the reason whey he won the U.S. Open twice. One day, Jim Flick teacher of Jack Nicklaus, asked Retief Goosen if there is a secret to his smooth putting action. Retief Goosen showed Jim Flick his special putter that he practices with it. This putter had the normal putter head but also had a very whippy shaft.

 

If you take this putter back quickly, the sahft bends dramatically and makes  it very hard to hit the putt on your intended line. To hit the putt with this putter, you have to make a smooth putting stroke with a consistent pace back and through. Even if you don't have this kind of special putter, you can pretend your putter shaft is very flexible. This image will help you putt better.

 

The Clubface Angle is more Important than the Path

The clubface angle is much more important than the path of your clubhead when it comes to putting. You can have a wrong path but can still make the putt if the clubface angle is square. (There was a research done to prove this). So you have to pay attention to the clubface during the stroke. If you do this, your putting stroke naturally becomes slower because you can control your putter much better with slower stroke than a quick stroke. When you feel like you are missing lots of putts, try to slow down your stroke and pay more attention to the putter face.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/short-game/putt-goosen.htm

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How to Get a Pure Roll on Your Putts

Putts that have a pure roll seem to fall in rather than spin out when it hit the edge of the cup.

 

The advantages of putts with a good roll are:

1. It seems to roll in more often

2. It tends to stay on the line

3. It tends to go straight even on a bumpy green

 

Here are the ways to get a pure roll on your putts.

1. Reduce the side spin

Putts with a good roll tend to have less side spin. But if your putter face is either open or close at impact, it can add side spin on the ball. Pay attention to your putting stroke. Some players swing the putter back outside and cut across the ball on the downswing. Ideally, you want to take the putter slightly inside on the backswing, swing from inside on the backswing and hit the ball with a square putter face. Check your alignment. It can cause side spin as well.

 

2. How Tiger Woods Get such a Pure Roll

Tiger's putt seems to roll with a pure roll. His putt seems to fall in rather than spit out more often than other players. When Jim Flick asked Tiger how he gets such a pure roll, Tiger answered "I think of hitting a high draw on my putts, and I control the putter with my right hand like Jack Nicklaus."

 

Tiger once mentioned that his ideal putting stroke is 1 degree inside-out. That's why he was trying to putt as if he was hitting a high draw. He tries to take the putter swing back slightly to the inside on the backswing, and as he swing the putter down the line, he feels the putter face closing. This could add draw type of spin, but for  him, this gives him a good roll.

 

3. Hit the Top Half of the Ball

Davis LoveIII had the teacher. That was his father who died from a plane crash. His father was one of the best teaching professional. One of the best advices he gave his son was to hit the top half of the ball to promote a smooth roll. If you feel like your putts are not rolling straight, you may want to try his advice.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/short-game/putter-roll.htm

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How to Hit the Bunker Shot

Amateurs have a hard time getting out of the sand. But pros don't. Pros know how to hit it correctly. If you understand how to hit your bunker shots, bunker shots might just become your favorite.

 

How to Set Up for the Shot

 

1. Rotate the face open first before taking your grip

2. Grip your sand wedge. The face should be facing right

3. Align your shoulders and feet left of the flag until the face of the sand wedge points at the flat of your target

4. Position your ball left of center

5. Dig your feet a little into the sand so that you won't slip

6. Flex your knees little more than usual pitch shots lower your center of gravity

 

The more you open your face, the higher the ball will go up in the air. So you need to experiment how much you rotate your face open. Dave Pelz said to rotate your face 45 degrees to the right. Most golfers grip the club first and then open the face. If you do this, the face will close at impact causing you to dig too mcuh or hit it left. So make sure you open the face first and then grip it.

 

The Swing from a Bunker

Backswing: Set your wrist early on the backswing. Make sure to take the club back along your feet or shoulder line.

Impact: You don't want to hit the ball. Aim at the spot 2 inches behind the ball and try to slide your sand wedge under the ball.

 

From a bunker, try to feel like you are hitting sand instead of a golf ball to the target. So practice hitting sand without a ball. Try to splash the sand out of the bunker. Also, you are aligning left of the flag. So try to cut across the ball. Swing along your feet line.

 

Follow through: You need to swing left of the flag because you are aligning left. Make sure you don't turn your face over for a bunker shot.

 

How much Sand to Take

Basically for bunker shots, you should try to slide your clubhead under the ball. You never want to dig your clubhead deep into the sand. I said to aim the spot 2 inches behind the ball. But if you want the ball to roll after it hits the green, you might want to take more sand. In this case, aim for a spot that is about 3 inches behind the ball.

 

If you take more sand, the ball won't spin as much. So it rolls more. On the other hand, if you want the ball to stop quickly, aim 1 inch behind the ball and take less sand. The shot will fly higher with more spin.

 

Accelerate through Impact

The sand provides resistance as a clubhead slides through the sand. That's why you need to take bigger swing from the sand. The common mistake among average players is to decelerate through impact. So make sure you accelerate through impact.

 

2 Ways to Control Distance

There are 2 ways to control distance from sand.

 

1. Take bigger swing

This should be easy. Take bigger backswing. Just make sure to accelerate through impact. Some golfers take a big backswing and accelerate through impact to adjust distance. This won't work well.

 

2. Change your set-up

 

Lots of green to work with

When you have lots of green to work with, you might want the ball to roll more after if hits the green. Rolling the ball is much easier than flying it all the way to the flat with more spin. If you plan on rolling the ball more, you don't want to open the face as much as you do for normal bunker shots. If you open your face less than normal, you don't have to open your shoulders and feet so much as well. This will make you to hit it lower than normla with less spin.

 

Less green to work with

If you don't have much green to work with, you want to hit it high with more spin so that it stops quickly once it hits the green. For this shot, open your face more before gripping the club and then grip it. You need to open your body as well. This will add loft at impact casing the ball to fly higher with more spin.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/short-game/how-to-hit-the-bunker-shot.htm

 

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How to Use Your Bounce on Your Sand Wedge

Because the sand wedge has the bounce, the clubhead won't dig too much into the sand. But unfortunately, lots of golfers fail to use the bounce correctly. They either dig too much with the leading edge of the sand wedge or use bounce too much and actually hit the ball. To your bounce correctly, you need to pay attention to your grip, first. When you grip the club (for bunker shot), you need to open the face first and then grip the club.

 

But if you grip the club and open the face, the face will close at impact. You will have hard time getting the ball out of the sand with closed face. With bunker shots, the clubhead will go underneath the ball. So it is like hitting the ball below your feet. (You don't hit the ball with bunker shot, though). When hitting the ball below your feet, you need to swing more vertical than usual.

 

So with bunker shot, same thing applies. You need to swing more vertical (upright) than regular shots to get the clubhead underneath the ball. Tiger Woods once said that in order to swing more vertival on bunker shots, he tries to hinge his wrists early on the backswing.

 

Another point he mentioned is to keep the face open  through impact. If the face is open through impact, the bounce will be correctly used for the shot so that the clubhead won't did too much into the sand. Also, don't forget to accelerate clubhead through impact. If you decelerate, the ball won't come out of the sand.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/short-game/how-to-use-bounce-sand-wedge.htm

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Hitting the Ball or Over the Green on Bunker Shots

Most golfers understand that you don't hit the ball for a bunkers shot. From sand, the biggest mistake you can make is to hit the ball. The ball will go too far past the green. Sometimes, it ends up in OB. If this happens, you start to fear bunker shots.

 

There are basically two causes for this.

 

1. Trying to hit it high

If you try to scoop the ball in the air, you will end up hitting the ball. If the sand is little harder, the cluhead will bounce off the sand and hit the ball causing you to hit over the green. With bunkers shots, don't try to lift the ball in the air. The loft will do it for you. You need to trust your loft and slide your clubhead under the ball. When your clubhead touches the sand, the clubhead must be descending not ascending.

 

2. Lower your center of gravity

One of the most important aspects of the bunkers shot is to lower the center of gravity. To do that, you need to flex your knees more than normal pitch shots from similar distance. As you know, you don't hit the ball from a bunker. The clubhead slides under the ball. This means that the lowest point of the swing is below the ball. The point that you want your clubhead to slide through is below your feet. So you need to set up for it. If you watch tour pros, they flex their knees more and lower the center of gravity.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/short-game/bunker-shot-hitting-over-green.htm

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How to Put more Spin on a Bunker Shot

To put more backspin on the ball for your bunker shots, you simply need to change your set-up.

1. Open your face more

2. Open your body line

3. Accelerate your clubhead through impact

4. Keep the face open through impact

5. Take less sand

 

To add more backspin, you need to open your face more and grip the club. Some golfers grip the club and then open the face. But if you do this, the face will close through impact. So make sure to open the face first and then grip it. If you want to get more backspin, you need to take less sand. So aim at about 1 inch behind the ball. If you take too much sand, the ball will have less spin and roll more.

 

When opening your face more, remember as you open the face more, you will increase the bounce angle of the sand wedge. This will make it easier to prevent your clubhead from digging. But if you do it too much, the clubhead will bounce off the bunker and hit the ball. If the sand is heavy or hard, you might not want to open the face too much. As you swing your sand wedge, make sure to swing along your feet line.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/short-game/put-more-spin-on-bunker-shot.htm

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Controlling Distance from the Bunker

Lots of golfers struggle from the bunker. The clubhead has to be accelerating through the sand to get the ball out. But lots of players decelerate coming into the impact. If you decelerate through impact, it will be hard to control distance as well. to avoid decelerating through impact, take full follow-through. But with short bunker shot, the ball will go too far with full follow-through. to control distance with short bunker shot, you might want to abbreviate your finish. You still need to accelerate through the sand but cut your finish to control distance.

 

As you practice your bunker shots, try taking the same backswing but cut you finish to waist height, chest height and so on. You might find it easier to control distance that way. There are 2 more ways to control distance from the sand. They are:

1. Vary the length of the backswing

2. Change your setup

 

Avoid Handsy Swing from the Greenside Bunker

You don't want to take handsy or armsy swing from the bunker. To control distance from the sand, you want your lower body turning through the shot. Most amateurs unconciously keep their lower bpdy quiet during the swing because they are standing on the sand. But if you try to keep your lower body still, your swing becomes handsy and your swing becomes inconsistent.

 

Tiger Woods once said the key to control distance from the sand is "quite lower body on the backswing, active lower body on the through-swing. He said that you should try to turn your belt buckle to the target on your downsswing to keep your lower body turning through the shot. Keeping your lower body turning will help you connect your upper body and lower body.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/short-game/controlling-distance-from-bunker.htm

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How to Hit a Bunker Shot from a Downhill Lie

Bunker shots are difficult enough for most average golfers. But the bunkers shot from a downhill lie is even harder shot to hit. From this lie, it's easy to hit the ball thin and over the green. Or you can take too much sand and the ball won't get out of the bunker. The reason why you can't hit it well drom a downhill lie is because you are playing against the slope and gravity.

Check Your Set Up

You need to check the following when hitting this shot.

1. Set your shoulders and hips parallel to the slope

2. Position your ball in the middle of the middle of your stance

3. Put yout weight on your front foot

4. Open your face but not too much

5. Flex your knees to keep balance.

The key is not to fight against the slope but to play with it.

Your Swing

We have talked about this before. But important thing is to swing down your club along the slope. Too much golfers try to hit the ball in the air. From this lie, the ball won't go high. So expect the ball to come out lower than usual. You also need to trust the loft and swing down along the slope. That's the best way to get out of the bunker.

One more tip. This is what Annika Sorenstam talked about in her book "Golf Annika's Way". She said "after making contact, I let myself go. My right foot walks through the shot, just as a baseball pitcher strides after releasing the ball. " (P.174 Golf Annika's Way).

By taking the extra step forward, you can avoid trying to lift the club up in an effort lift the ball into the air. Also, this will let you swing down along the slope. So move your back foot forward after impact as if you are walking toward the target. You don't have to hurry, though. Thinking that you will take the extra step after impact will keep you down through impact. This should help you play with the slope and gravity instead of fighting against them.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/short-game/downhill-bunker-shot.htm

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How to Hit a Long Bunker Shot

Lots people say long bunkers shots are the hardest shot in golf. From somewhere around 40 yards, it is too far hit it like a regular bunker shots. But it's too close to pick the ball cleanly. However, I don't think this shot doesn't have to be so hard. Some golfers try to hit it cleanly, but I never do that from this distance from sand.

 

Here is the easy way to hit it.

1. Use 9 iron instead of sand wedge

2. Open the face of 9 iron slightly

3. Open your feet and shoulders slightly at address

4. Aim 2 inches behind the ball and hit it like a regular bunker shots

5. Take bigger swing and accelerate through impact

 

By using 9 iron instead of sand wedge, you can add distance. But remember that this shot isn't easy for most people. So aim at the center of the greean and be happy if you land it on the green. If there is a trouble off the green, try to aim away from the trouble.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/short-game/how-to-hit-long-bunker-shot.htm

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Hitting from Hard (or Wet) Bunker

If the bunker is little wet after rain or has hard or heavy sand, it makes bunker shots harder to hit. Because the sand wedge bounces off the hard sand, you tend to hit the ball and shot it over the green. Sand wedge has a bounce on the sole. This bounce will prevent the clubhead to dig too much into the sand. So it helps you get the ball out of the sand. But if the sand is too heavy or wet, the clubhead will bounce off the hard sand. Because wet sand or hard sand has lots of resistance, you don't want to use too much of your bounce on your sand wedge. To do that, try not to open your face too much at address. If you usually open your face 45 degrees, try something like 20 degrees or so. Or you can set up square to the target. Try not to take too much sand. Aim 1 inch behind the ball and try to slide your clubhead under the ball.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/short-game/wet-hard-bunker-shot.htm

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Hitting from Soft Bunker (Sand)

If the bunker has soft sand, the clubhead tends to dig much into the sand causing you to leave the shot short. To prevent the clubhead to dig too much into the sand, you need to take advantage of the bounce that is designed on the sole of your clubhead. The bounce on the sole will prevent the clubhead to dig too much into the sand.

 

To use your bounce correctly, you need to open the face of your sand wedge first before gripping the club. Open the face and then grip it. This will help clubhead to slide through the sand. Just remember that if you open your face more, the ball will go higher and fly shorter. So you need to swing harder to compensate.

 

The Angle of Approach into the sand

For bunker shots, the clubhead enters into the sand and then slide under the ball. To hit consistent bunker shots, you want to pay attention to the incidence angle of clubhead as it enters the sand. You don't want to hit down into the sand. You want the clubhead to enter the sand with a slight desscending angle. So you want to take a shallow divot in the sand.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/short-game/soft-bunker-shot.htm

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