5 common mistakes recreational golfers make with bunker shots

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

I’ve been on both sides.

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

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

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

Having experienced both sides of the battle, I really enjoy learning bunker play. You can be a good – and even great – sandplayer, but only if the technique matches your movement.

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

1. Bad ball position

If you want to hit the sand in front of the golf ball with a natural movement, your stance should be to position the ball forward. I often see golfers play the ball in the middle or even behind, which almost guarantees ball-first contact.

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

The most fundamental foundation of bunker play on the green is forward ball position.

2. Too much ash lean

With a bunker shot on the green, the club must do this slide through the sand. Your lob, sand and gap wedges are designed for this thanks to the rounded sole, or bounce, which typically ranges from 8 to 14 degrees.

If you lean the shaft further forward (which doesn’t cost much), the leading edge digs and the club can no longer slide.

Unless the ball is buried, avoid leaning the forward shaft. With proper forward ball position, the lever should point approximately toward the center, meaning the shaft may even lean back slightly. This increases the loft and allows the bounce to do its work.

3. Opening the face mindlessly

This is perhaps the most common bunkering mistake I see. Many golfers heard from them to have to open the club face in the sand. Opening the clubface adds loft and makes the ball fly higher and shorter. That may work for players with a lot of speed, but it’s often bad advice for the average golfer.

For most players, this leads to a frustrating cycle: a big swing, a lot of sand, and a ball that can travel ten feet.

Here’s the rule: Only open the clubface if your highest-lofted club sends the ball too far while taking the right sand. Until then, keep the face square.

4. Relapse

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

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

The club enters the sand in front of the ball, then stays low and scrapes through the sand after a collision. You should end up with your weight on your lead foot and not fall backwards.

5. Being afraid of taking a big swing

With a bunker shot on the green, the clubface never actually touches the ball. The sand acts as a buffer. Therefore, a real swing with speed is usually required.

If you’re afraid of swinging, you’ll rarely bring enough sand.

A good practice method is to remove the ball completely and simply practice swinging and throwing sand from the bunker onto the grass. This allows you to train the correct movement and learn how much energy is required for this. When you put the ball back in, the swing is already there.

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