Bet You Didn’t Think Bunker Shots Could Be Made Easy. Wait Until You Try This.

Let’s get you out of that greenside bunker. It’s easier than you think.

I know you’ve probably got plenty of evidence to the contrary. Soft sand, wet sand, fried egg, high lip, huge bunker… there is no version of a greenside bunker that doesn’t come with seemingly insurmountable challenges.

But today, you’re going to learn five greenside bunker tips that will completely change the way you approach this shot.

Do these five things, and you’ll get the ball out every time.

Bunker Shots Made Easy: Key Points

• Take a wide stance in the bunker for more stability on the sand. It’ll also help to flare your toes and sit nice and low.
• Shift your weight into your lead thigh and leave it there throughout your swing.
• Put more distance between yourself and the ball than you would for a full swing. That distance will help you get a shallow strike.
• Rotate the clubface open for better bounce and more loft. Don’t worry about aim; the clubface doesn’t make contact with the ball in a good bunker shot.
• Don’t hesitate—swing with speed to make sure you get over that lip and onto the green.

Bunker Shot Tip #1: Take a Wide Stance

Stability is everything in this shot. You’re not on solid ground anymore.

So go ahead and take a wider stance than usual. I usually recommend getting your heels about shoulder-width apart, but do what feels most comfortable for you. 

Then flare your toes for even more stability and bend your knees so you’re sitting nice and low. You want to feel like you’re sitting on a low stool.

Bunker Shot Tip #2: Move Your Weight Forward

In a full golf shot, you’d want to pivot in your swing, shifting your weight between your lead and trail foot.

That’s not what you want in the bunker. The key to a great greenside bunker shot is to lean into your lead thigh and stay there throughout the entire motion. No shifting. Your swing motion should be all arms and hands—no body.

This steadiness and stability allows you to control where the ball enters the sand.

Bunker Shot Tip #3: Move Away from the Ball

If this were a chip shot, you’d want to get in close to the ball.

But it’s not a chip shot. It’s a bunker shot, and you’ll see a lot more success if you put a little extra distance between yourself and the ball when you get set up. If you feel like your arms are extended but your elbows still aren’t locked, you’ve found the sweet spot.

From this distance, it’ll be easier to ensure you get a shallow strike.

By that, I mean the club will move through the sand at a shallow angle instead of digging down into it. (Digging is the last thing you want.) 

Bunker Shot Tip #4: Rotate the Clubface Open

When you set up your greenside bunker shot, rotate the clubface open. This does two important things to help you:

First, it adds bounce, which helps the clubhead glide through the sand better.

Second, it adds loft, which helps you get the ball up in the air and over that lip.

It’s the epitome of bunker shots made easy.

Don’t worry; this won’t mess up your aim. This is the one shot where you’re not trying to hit the ball. You’re trying to hit the sand so that the sand carries the ball up out of the bunker. Face orientation won’t really impact the direction of your ball flight.

So go ahead and get that clubface nice and open.

Bunker Shot Tip #5: Pick Up the Speed

This is a nerve-wracking shot for most amateur golfers, and as a result, they tend to hesitate in their swing—yet another reason they can’t get out of the bunker.

You can’t go soft on this shot. You’ve got to be aggressive. Go ahead and give it some speed.

Bunker Shots Made Easy: A Checklist

Here it is in one easy little checklist:

1. Widen your stance, flare your toes, sit nice and low
2. Shift your weight into your lead thigh and leave it there
3. Move back from the ball so your arms are extended but not locked
4. Rotate the clubface open at setup
5. Pick up the speed

You might have trouble believing it could really be that easy. Try it anyway. I guarantee you’ll be blown away by the progress you make.

Want to Learn How to Conquer the Toughest Bunker Shots?

Soft sand, hardpan, fried egg, high lip… I cover it all in my bestselling short game book, The Easy Break. The secrets to mastering these tricky situations are as simple and straightforward as the five tips you just learned.

You’ll also get great practice drills for every short-game shot, learn how to diagnose and cure your most destructive errors, and more. 

Grab your copy of The Easy Break and get ready for a serious short-game breakthrough.

About the Author

I’m PGA Teaching Professional Todd Kolb—a four-time Golf Digest Best-in-State Instructor, Amazon Best-selling Author, and Minnesota PGA Teacher of the Year. I’ve worked with students of all ages and skill levels in my 30 years of coaching, from first-timers to an LPGA major champion. I’m also the Director of Instruction for VLS Golf and USGolfTV.

My work with VLS Golf and USGolfTV revolves around helping the everyday golfer cut through overcomplicated traditional instruction to find solutions that actually work for them.