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Struggling to get the ball out of the bunker consistently? PGA Golf Coach Sue Shapcott heads to La Grande Mare Golf Course in Guernsey to break down the fundamentals of bunker strike. She explains exactly where the club needs to bottom out in the sand — and why most golfers get it wrong.
Sue Shapcott – Short Game
Sue Shapcott cuts through one of the most common misconceptions in bunker play: that you simply need to hit the sand behind the ball. In this video, she explains why swing low point is the real key to a clean bunker strike, and shares a simple drill you can take straight to the practice bunker.
Key Takeaways
Low point is everything
Low point is everything
The club should reach the lowest point of its arc right underneath the ball — not well behind it — so it slides through the sand rather than digging in too early.
Read the sand divot
A correctly struck bunker shot leaves an equal amount of disturbed sand on both sides of where the ball sat; if your divot is all behind the ball, your low point is too early.
Use the line drill
Draw a line in the sand, set up to it as if it were a ball, and make practice swings to train your club to bottom out directly on the line rather than before or after it.
Next time you have access to a practice bunker, draw that line and spend a few minutes checking where your club is bottoming out — it is a quick and revealing way to sharpen your sand strike. This video is ideal for golfers who regularly leave bunker shots in the sand and want a clear, straightforward explanation of what is actually going wrong.
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