Page 9

19084PG

Bunker Play Distance Control Techniques More experienced golfers have found that a slight opening of the clubface at address will add loft to the clubface and, as a result, will hit the ball higher and a shorter distance than when the clubface is square. Varying the speed of the swing is a second way to change the height and distance the ball flies. A third way to vary the distance is through a combination of clubface position at address and swing speed. In my experience, this combination is the most effective approach for developing distance control. Difficult Bunker Play Situations With slight changes in the clubface position Short Game Options SHORT GAME continued Eric Alpenfels Director of Golf Instruction / Golf Academy at the Pinehurst Resort Eric Alpenfels is the Director of the Pinehurst Golf Academy and Golf Instruction at Pinehurst Resort. He is a Class A Member of the PGA of America and has been part of the Pinehurst family since 1985. His expertise has earned him recognition from Golf Magazine as one of the “Top 100 Teachers in America,” Golf Digest as one of “America’s 50 Greatest Teachers” and U.S. Kids Golf as one of the “Top 50 Teachers for Kids.” Eric’s activities beyond the fairways of Pinehurst are extensive, and include speaking engagements, contributions to industry publications and participation as an Adjunct Facility of the PGA of America Education Department. �� SHORT GAME continued Part 4 by Eric Alpenfels One of the most challenging short game shots in golf is the greenside bunker shot. For a variety of reasons, most golfers are not comfortable nor confident when this shot is faced. The goal of this final article of the 2016 series is to highlight an easy technique that can be used to execute an effective greenside bunker shot from the variety of lies that can be faced on the course. Definition The game of golf gives you two sand hazards: greenside and fairway. The fairway bunker requires no different a swing than would be required from the fairway. The change in the fundamentals would include a slight choking down on the shaft and the ball being positioned slightly back in your stance. Though it does not require any change in the mechanics, a greenside bunker shot does require a slight change in the fundamentals. No matter the skill level of the golfer, the first goal should be to get the ball out of the bunker onto the putting surface. Fundamentals A proper bunker shot set-up can be achieved by the following four steps: • Utilize the same grip and alignment as the full swing. • Your stance should be shoulder width, with your feet dug into the sand. • The ball should be positioned in the center or slightly forward in your stance with the butt end of the club pointing to the center of your body. • Balance your weight evenly between your left and right side. Mechanics The proper execution of a bunker shot is identical to the motion of the full swing and pitching motion. Slight variations in the overall length of the swing will determine the distance the ball carries. The backswing is a combination of arm swing and wrist hinge with the length of swing dependent on the distance the ball needs to carry. at address and length of swing, the greenside bunker shot can be used in the following difficult situations: 1. Buried Lie—Use the standard fundamentals and mechanics for a bunker shot with a closed clubface at the address. This will force the toe of the club to be the leading edge which helps dig the ball out of the sand. 2. Wet Sand—Your feet should be dug into the sand as much as possible to ensure that sand is taken during the swing. Keep the clubface square at address to help the club dig into the sand at impact. 3. Hardpan—Your feet should be dug into the sand as much as possible to ensure that sand is taken during the swing. A slight shift of your weight to your left side (right handed golfer) at address will help the club dig into the sand at impact. Practice Suggestions The following two practice strategies are suggested when working on the greenside bunker shots. Skill Practice—In this practice environment, the golfer hits shots from a level lie to a variety of pin positions with focus being placed on the correct fundamentals and mechanics of the shot. Once comfortable with the set up and motion, attention should be placed on how high the ball flies and resulting roll of the ball with the clubface square at SHORT GAME con't. next column SHORT GAME con't. next column address and then opened slightly at address. For example, a square clubface at address will have a lower trajectory and greater amount of roll when compared to a clubface that is slightly open at address. The goal is to determine how much swing is needed to carry the ball to the target and how high each clubface position will hit the ball with different amounts of swing. Transfer Practice—In this practice environment, the golfer adapts the set up and technique rehearsed in Skills Practice and applies it to a variety of shots that could be faced on the course. In this setting, shots from different types (firm or soft) of sand, uneven lies and distances from the pin should be attempted while incorporating the fundamentals and mechanics. Challenges such as playing a single ball for score from a variety of situations is suggested. Or, playing out the worst of two shots hit from a situation to see if an up and down is possible. The list of games or challenges are endless and simply at the discretion of the golfer. In either case, Transfer Practice is a very effective way to not only work on the fundamentals and mechanics of this shot but also helps the golfer experience shots in practice that most likely have been or will be faced on the course. �� No. 124 The Pinehurst Gazette, Inc. p.9


19084PG
To see the actual publication please follow the link above