5 common mistakes recreational golfers make on bunker shots

These mistakes can kill your bunker game.Getty Images

Golfers tend to fall into one of two camps: They either love the sand, or they avoid it at all costs.

I’ve been on both sides.

In college – and for years before that – I really struggled out of bunkers. I didn’t understand how to match bunker technique to my game. I listened to everyone, and everyone told me something different. I could get most of those methods to work on the practice green, but they rarely held up in competition.

That changed when I started teaching and worked with Mike Adams at PGA National. I began to understand the true cause-and-effect relationship in bunker play – how each setup or technique adjustment affects contact, and more importantly, the flight of the ball.

Today, bunker play is one of the stronger parts of my game. That improvement came from understanding core concepts and learning how to personalize them to my own swing.

Because I’ve experienced both sides of the struggle, I genuinely love teaching bunker play. You can be a good – and even great – sand player, but only if the technique matches your motion.

Below are the most common mistakes I see when teaching bunker shots.

1. Poor ball position

If you want to hit the sand before the golf ball with a natural motion, the ball must be positioned forward in your stance. I often see golfers play the ball in the center, or even back, which almost guarantees ball-first contact.

When that happens, the shot usually flies over the green or smacks into the lip and comes right back.

The most basic fundamental of greenside bunker play is forward ball position.

2. Too much shaft lean

On a greenside bunker shot, the club needs to glide through the sand. Your lob, sand and gap wedges are designed to do this thanks to the rounded sole, or bounce, which typically ranges from 8 to 14 degrees.

If you lean the shaft forward beyond that amount (which doesn’t take much), the leading edge digs and the club can no longer glide.

Unless the ball is buried, avoid forward shaft lean. With a proper forward ball position, the handle should point roughly toward your center – meaning the shaft may even lean slightly back. This increases loft and allows the bounce to do its job.

3. Mindlessly opening the face

This may be the most common bunker mistake I see. Many golfers were told they have to open the clubface in the sand. Opening the face adds loft and makes the ball fly higher and shorter. That can work for players with plenty of speed, but it’s often terrible advice for the average golfer.

For most players, this leads to a frustrating cycle: a big swing, lots of sand and a ball that travels three yards.

Here’s the rule: Open the face only if your most lofted club is sending the ball too far while taking proper sand. Until then, keep the face square.

4. Falling back

Understanding how the golf ball gets into the air can be confusing, especially when a high bunker lip is in front of you.

I often see golfers fall back onto their trail foot and try to “help” the ball up by swinging upward. That’s not how bunker shots work.

The club enters the sand before the ball, then stays low and scrapes through the sand after impact. You should finish with your weight over your lead foot, not falling backward.

5. Being afraid to take a big swing

On a greenside bunker shot, the clubface never actually strikes the ball. The sand acts as a buffer. Because of that, a real swing with speed is usually required.

If you’re afraid to swing, you’ll rarely take enough sand.

A great practice method is to remove the ball entirely and simply practice swinging and throwing sand out of the bunker onto the grass. This trains the correct motion and teaches you how much energy is required. When you add the ball back in, the swing is already there.

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