Master the Short Game - Sand Shots Made Simple


Downhill Sand / Bunker Shots


Description

Hitting sand shots is a scary thing for most golfers. As you'll see in the video, you need to make a few key changes to your setup on the downhill sand shot. Make sure you stay down through the shot and maintain your balance on the slope. It is important to trust that the loft on the club will send the ball up without you having to hit up on the ball.


Related Articles

How to Hit Downhill Golf Bunker Shots


  • Downhill bunker shots are handled the same as any sand shot, with a couple added features
  • Like any bunker shot, the ball should be a bit up in your stance
  • Match your shoulder angle to the slope of the ground - this goes for either up or downhill
  • Get a nice, wide stance with firm footing, match the slope and swing through
WEBVTT 1 00:00:05.740 --> 00:00:08.339 For most golfers, this downhill bunker 2 00:00:08.339 --> 00:00:11.939 shot is terrifying. So many bad things 3 00:00:11.939 --> 00:00:14.220 can happen. We can get the club entering 4 00:00:14.220 --> 00:00:16.760 the sand too soon. We can get it to not 5 00:00:16.760 --> 00:00:18.800 enter the sand at all and blade it and 6 00:00:18.800 --> 00:00:21.059 launch it across the green, maybe into 7 00:00:21.059 --> 00:00:22.679 our playing partners, into the crowd, 8 00:00:22.739 --> 00:00:24.859 whatever. It's a terrifying shot, but 9 00:00:24.859 --> 00:00:27.079 really it's super simple. I'm going to 10 00:00:27.079 --> 00:00:28.800 remind you of the three keys to bunker 11 00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:30.559 play first. Then I'm going to show you 12 00:00:30.559 --> 00:00:33.039 how to adjust some of those things to 13 00:00:33.039 --> 00:00:34.920 make the shot really, really easy for 14 00:00:34.920 --> 00:00:36.340 you. Now, if you remember, 15 00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:39.000 there's three critical components to 16 00:00:39.000 --> 00:00:42.079 bunker play. The first one, loft. Loft is 17 00:00:42.079 --> 00:00:44.500 your friend. Because you need to get the 18 00:00:44.500 --> 00:00:45.799 ball up in the air and you need to be 19 00:00:45.799 --> 00:00:47.460 able to swing aggressively. Because the 20 00:00:47.460 --> 00:00:49.759 second key is you're going to move about 21 00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:53.159 a shoe's worth of sand. Now, what do I 22 00:00:53.159 --> 00:00:55.859 mean by that? I wear a size 11, take a 23 00:00:55.859 --> 00:00:58.740 size 11 shoe print, draw a couple of 24 00:00:58.740 --> 00:01:01.320 lines here. That's about how much sand 25 00:01:01.320 --> 00:01:03.439 you're going to take out. And if you're 26 00:01:03.439 --> 00:01:05.019 going to swing hard enough to move that 27 00:01:05.019 --> 00:01:06.579 much sand, think about it as a couple 28 00:01:06.579 --> 00:01:08.340 handfuls of sand. It's got a lot of 29 00:01:08.340 --> 00:01:10.239 weight to it. Well, what do you need 30 00:01:10.239 --> 00:01:12.579 third? You need speed. So you put these 31 00:01:12.579 --> 00:01:14.140 three things together. You're going to 32 00:01:14.140 --> 00:01:15.459 take out a lot of sanks. You're never 33 00:01:15.459 --> 00:01:16.060 going to hit the ball. 34 00:01:16.780 --> 00:01:18.439 You need loft. So if you're going to 35 00:01:18.439 --> 00:01:20.340 swing that hard to have the speed, 36 00:01:21.200 --> 00:01:23.019 then you better have some loft. So the 37 00:01:23.019 --> 00:01:24.480 ball's going to not going to go very far. 38 00:01:24.480 --> 00:01:26.640 So as you're practicing, you can draw 39 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:29.140 these lines in the sand and work on 40 00:01:29.140 --> 00:01:31.099 taking out. So you can see the club 41 00:01:31.099 --> 00:01:33.079 entered right there, exited right on the 42 00:01:33.079 --> 00:01:35.219 line. That's a normal bunker shot. That's 43 00:01:35.219 --> 00:01:36.340 how you know how to take the right amount 44 00:01:36.340 --> 00:01:39.280 of sand. So when you're doing this in a 45 00:01:39.280 --> 00:01:41.379 downhill bunker shot, what adjustments do 46 00:01:41.379 --> 00:01:43.700 you need to make to make this shot work? 47 00:01:44.140 --> 00:01:46.680 There's one critical adjustment that's 48 00:01:46.680 --> 00:01:47.719 going to make this shot really, really 49 00:01:47.719 --> 00:01:50.180 simple. The biggest thing is your spine 50 00:01:50.180 --> 00:01:51.640 angle. Now, you'll know that I've talked 51 00:01:51.640 --> 00:01:53.299 a lot about your spine. I'm very 52 00:01:53.299 --> 00:01:55.439 protective of your spine. And so when we 53 00:01:55.439 --> 00:01:57.939 talk about how we swing the club, we talk 54 00:01:57.939 --> 00:02:00.040 about how that spine's got to be set up 55 00:02:00.040 --> 00:02:02.099 and how it's got to rotate. In the 56 00:02:02.099 --> 00:02:05.340 bunker, setup is everything. We need to 57 00:02:05.340 --> 00:02:08.780 make sure that our spine is set close to 58 00:02:08.780 --> 00:02:10.919 perpendicular with that slope. So you can 59 00:02:10.919 --> 00:02:13.099 see that the slope I'm on is about like 60 00:02:13.099 --> 00:02:16.800 this. My spine needs to be about 90 61 00:02:16.800 --> 00:02:19.060 degrees to that slope. Where people make 62 00:02:19.060 --> 00:02:21.900 the mistake is they set up normally so 63 00:02:21.900 --> 00:02:23.699 their spine might be set up like this. 64 00:02:24.219 --> 00:02:25.400 And now what that's going to do? When 65 00:02:25.400 --> 00:02:27.599 you're on a downhill slope like this is, 66 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:29.199 you're going to tend to hang back and 67 00:02:29.199 --> 00:02:31.819 enter the sand way behind that line. Now, 68 00:02:31.860 --> 00:02:33.400 I know what you're thinking, in case you 69 00:02:33.400 --> 00:02:35.120 forgot this already, where does this 70 00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:38.319 line, this box all start? Well, the 71 00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:40.479 middle of the box, about where the ball 72 00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:41.479 is going to be, the ball is going to be 73 00:02:41.479 --> 00:02:43.460 just behind the center of the box, or 74 00:02:43.460 --> 00:02:46.259 center of the line of the box, should be 75 00:02:46.259 --> 00:02:48.560 about off the left instep. Now, you can 76 00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:51.080 play with this to start taking out a 77 00:02:51.080 --> 00:02:52.300 certain amount of sand that you want to 78 00:02:52.300 --> 00:02:53.759 take. I like to take out very little 79 00:02:53.759 --> 00:02:56.319 sand. I want to take a nice, clean, crisp 80 00:02:56.319 --> 00:02:57.699 divot because that's going to allow me to 81 00:02:57.699 --> 00:02:59.000 put the most spin on the ball. 82 00:02:59.740 --> 00:03:01.939 But in this case, we need to make sure 83 00:03:01.939 --> 00:03:04.780 that our, the ball, excuse me, the line 84 00:03:04.780 --> 00:03:07.240 is about off the instep. And once I'm set 85 00:03:07.240 --> 00:03:08.439 up there, I need to make sure that my 86 00:03:08.439 --> 00:03:11.659 spine is more or less perpendicular 87 00:03:13.259 --> 00:03:15.740 to the slope, which is going to make me 88 00:03:15.740 --> 00:03:18.219 feel pretty heavy on the left side. 89 00:03:18.520 --> 00:03:21.539 That's normal. If you feel kind of 50-50 90 00:03:21.539 --> 00:03:23.080 on a downhill bunker shot, you're 91 00:03:23.080 --> 00:03:25.120 probably going to enter the sand too 92 00:03:25.120 --> 00:03:28.240 soon. The club's either going to dig too 93 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:29.280 much and the ball's not going to come out 94 00:03:29.280 --> 00:03:30.719 at all, or it's going to bounce out of 95 00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:32.960 the sand, catch the ball on the upswing, 96 00:03:32.979 --> 00:03:35.360 and just blade it a mile off the planet 97 00:03:35.360 --> 00:03:37.379 here. So what we're going to do is we're 98 00:03:37.379 --> 00:03:38.659 going to take a couple practice swings 99 00:03:38.659 --> 00:03:41.360 with our box that we've drawn here. And 100 00:03:41.360 --> 00:03:43.319 I'm going to work on getting my spine and 101 00:03:43.319 --> 00:03:44.780 getting comfortable with this feeling of 102 00:03:44.780 --> 00:03:46.759 having much more weight on my left side. 103 00:03:46.939 --> 00:03:48.259 And now I'm just going to make a couple 104 00:03:48.259 --> 00:03:50.120 practice swings, with my spine feeling 105 00:03:50.120 --> 00:03:52.460 much more leaned toward the left, toward 106 00:03:52.460 --> 00:03:52.939 the target, 107 00:03:53.780 --> 00:03:56.680 and see where my divot starts and stops. 108 00:03:56.860 --> 00:03:58.460 That was pretty good there. I'm going to 109 00:03:58.460 --> 00:04:00.979 make, make sure my spine is leaned more 110 00:04:00.979 --> 00:04:01.759 toward this way. 111 00:04:02.460 --> 00:04:04.620 Here, a nice little thump there. Another 112 00:04:04.620 --> 00:04:06.219 thing that you'll feel, another way to 113 00:04:06.219 --> 00:04:08.340 think about this, is that your shoulders 114 00:04:08.340 --> 00:04:10.400 will more or less match the slope. It's 115 00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:11.719 not going to be exact because obviously 116 00:04:11.719 --> 00:04:12.900 the right arm's a little bit lower, but 117 00:04:12.900 --> 00:04:14.639 that's a good way to think about it. So 118 00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:16.199 after you've made a few practice swings, 119 00:04:16.680 --> 00:04:19.000 work on getting your spine, again, more 120 00:04:19.000 --> 00:04:21.879 toward, leaned toward the target, and 121 00:04:21.879 --> 00:04:22.939 make a nice little swing, 122 00:04:23.779 --> 00:04:26.639 ball comes out no problem. So as you work 123 00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:28.579 on these shots, The big thing that you 124 00:04:28.579 --> 00:04:29.759 want to get comfortable with is your 125 00:04:29.759 --> 00:04:32.680 shoulders leaned, more or less matching 126 00:04:32.680 --> 00:04:35.120 the slope, your spine feeling more, lean 127 00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:36.759 toward the target, and then just make 128 00:04:36.759 --> 00:04:38.300 your normal bunker swing, and this will 129 00:04:38.300 --> 00:04:38.899 be a piece of cake.
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Lee
Hi, I notice that when playing a bunker shot no matter how much I sit down I keep hitting them thin, sometimes hitting past the green by 50 yards! The feeling I have is just before impact I'm lifting my arms up as if I'm frightened to hit the sand. It tends to happen more when I'm playing in a competition and I'm scared of embarrassing myself. I also feel myself doing this in pitch and chip shots where I'll end up hitting them thin or off the toe. I have been concentrating on the tush line so I don't think that's the problem. Is this common when players get nervous?. Lee.
April 26, 2021, 5:40 pm
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor) in reply to Lee
Hello Lee. Players can tend to flinch, or get nervous in tournaments. They also try to help the ball in the air. Take a look at Moving the Fulcrum Video. The lead shoulder must remain stable to help you work through impact. Also, the bunker shot is just a chuck. You have to let the sand get the ball out. Much better than the 50 yard leading edge blade.
April 27, 2021, 3:44 pm
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Tony
Like the video.
March 22, 2020, 3:42 pm
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor) in reply to Tony
Hello Tony. Much thanks.
March 23, 2020, 10:31 am
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James
Hi Craig- sorry for not being more specific. Unfortunately for me it can happen with all lies but especially flat and uphill ones. Thank you! James
October 28, 2019, 2:53 pm
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor) in reply to James
Hello James. Sounds like weight may be hanging back and you need to take more sand! Try the box drill in How to a Hit Sand Shot Like a Pro Video.
October 28, 2019, 5:30 pm
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James
My biggest problem with bunker shots is skulling the ball. What causes this and what can I do to correct it? Thank you! James
October 26, 2019, 10:40 pm
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor) in reply to James
Hello James. For all shots, or the particular one talked about above (downhill)?
October 28, 2019, 1:32 pm
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Arnie
Chuck said to use a 60 for height. Mine as less bounce than my 56; does this make any difference in club selection for a high bunker shot? Also, in what situation would you ever use a 56 for a bunker shot, as opposed to a 60?
July 22, 2018, 8:48 am
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor) in reply to Arnie
Hello Arnie. If you need a little more distance the 56 would be easier to allow carry without too many swing adjustments. Better players tend to like a little less bounce and more speed when hitting the 60 out of the bunker. This means you have to be a little more precise because the bounce angle will help less from hitting a chunk. If only a few degrees less you should be fine.
July 22, 2018, 11:35 am
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Jesse in reply to Craig
Craig, What is the bounce degree for the 60* wedge you are hitting? In the flop shot video I noted that Chuck recommend no more that 6 degrees. I just bought a new 58* wedge as my 60*W has 8*of bounce and the new 58 has 6*. I'm guessing that I should be using the new 58 W for both bunker and flop shots?
December 16, 2022, 9:35 am
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor) in reply to Jesse
Hello Jesse. I only have 3 degrees on my 60 degree wedge. You can still use the 60 with 8 degrees, but it may be a touch harder to slide underneath the ball for the flop. Also, some added bounce may help in certain thick sand conditions and may be preferable as a side note.
December 16, 2022, 9:50 am
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Jesse in reply to Craig
Hmm, is there a reason you didn't suggest just using the new 58* with 6* of bounce and remove the 60* with 8* from the bag? I bought it new 58W after thinking about your videos on wedge bounce.
December 17, 2022, 11:54 am
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor) in reply to Jesse
Hello Jesse. Using the 58 with 6 degrees is perfectly fine. From your note I didn't know you were contemplating just taking the 60 out all together. You certainly don't need both the 58 and 60. Nevertheless, most players keep an assortment of wedges on hand to carry in the bag depending on course and conditions. For Ex: Playing on a course after multiple days of rain. Typically this will make the sand wet and thick (compact). In this scenario a little bounce will help dig the ball out of the muck. It can also help with the soggy conditions on grass.
December 19, 2022, 8:55 am
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Arnie
There are so many variations on bunker shots based on type of sand (hard-packed to fluffy) and lie (good lie to very plugged, or lump of sand behind the ball), that can make the set up and execution so different from the stock shot, that I recommend more videos on those. For example, a plugged lie in the lip face is, unfortunately, a very common situation.
July 20, 2018, 12:30 pm
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor) in reply to Arnie
Hello Arnie. Thanks for the suggestion. I will relay to the team.
July 20, 2018, 3:08 pm
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Lawrence
Craig On green side bunkers I am opening the face but when coming through the ball the club bounces and then I get a thinner strike. The sand is softer on top than the base. Any suggestions Larry Green
July 1, 2018, 9:30 am
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor) in reply to Lawrence
Hello Larry. Don't completely square the club face, but don't leave it as open. Sounds like the club is bouncing. You need the leading edge to help dig the ball out for you.
July 1, 2018, 7:20 pm
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Romie
It looked like on the down hill shot in the sand you where standing open. Is this correct on all shots when the cub face is open? Thanks,Sonny
November 9, 2017, 8:47 am
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor) in reply to Romie
Hello Sonny. Take a fairly open stance with the ball on bunker shots. You don't need anything crazy. The majority of the time with the open face shots on short game you will need a slightly open position.
November 9, 2017, 5:05 pm
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david
So, if I set up with my shoulders parallel to the slope for a downhill bunker shot, do I need to match the slope (with my shoulders) for an uphill bunker shot?
November 9, 2017, 6:59 am
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor) in reply to david
Hello David. Yes, your shoulder angle should match the slope for an uphill shot.
November 9, 2017, 7:45 am
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Wilson
Sorry! My comment was meant to go with the How to Hit a Sand Shot Like a Pro video.
February 8, 2016, 7:46 am
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor) in reply to Wilson
Hello Wilson. Take a look below.
February 8, 2016, 11:34 am
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Wilson
Hello. How much wrist cock or hinging do you want in the backswing? I have noticed that my wrists tend to cock a fair amount and when I do that I get a lot of good spin and hit a better shot. When I try to prevent this from happening the results aren't so good. Please advise, and thank you!
February 8, 2016, 7:39 am
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor) in reply to Wilson
Hello Wilson. (With regard to the Hit a Sand Shot Like a Pro). You don't need to create a max wrist set in the backswing. However, you do want to allow for some cocking. It will help the club get vertical a little quicker and release more of the pop into the sand.
February 8, 2016, 11:34 am
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Robert
When Chuck opens the face, is the clubface aiming at his target? And, is his body aiming left of the target?
January 24, 2016, 5:55 pm
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor) in reply to Robert
Hello Robert. Club face is at the target. No need to have a wide open body. You can slightly for comfort if you would prefer. But, not necessary.
January 25, 2016, 3:35 pm
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Joaquin
How do you hit on a bunker without sand? Do we hit the same way except hit weaker?
March 28, 2015, 9:45 pm
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Patrick (Certified RST Instructor) in reply to Joaquin
Assuming there is grass, no. You do not want to purposely hit behind the ball since there is no sand to propel the ball out. In this case, you are trying to pitch the ball, so there will be club-to-ball contact.
March 29, 2015, 6:59 pm
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Brandon in reply to Patrick
What about in waste areas? Do you put more weight on your left side to come steeper into the ball?
January 22, 2016, 9:24 pm
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor) in reply to Brandon
Hello Brandon. Waste area Fairway or Greenside?
January 25, 2016, 3:33 pm
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Brandon in reply to Craig
Waste area greenside.
January 25, 2016, 3:41 pm
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor) in reply to Brandon
If the waste area is like hard pan you don't want to catch a lot of sand. The attack will be pretty standard and more ball-club contact. Too steep may end up bouncing of the ground.
January 25, 2016, 4:53 pm
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Chad
Should we be using a less lofted club for a green-side downhill lie bunker short than a similarly situated flat bunker shot?
January 4, 2015, 6:20 am
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R.J. (Certified RST Instructor) in reply to Chad
Chad, No, actually, the opposite. When we strike he ball on a downhill lie, it already de-lofts the club. Not to mention that our spine angle for a downhill lie shot will give us a steeper angle of attack. A lower lofted club combined with these other attributes of the shot is a recipe for blasting it over the green. R.J.
January 4, 2015, 7:45 am
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Grant
Somewhere there's a reference to the basic "how to hit a bunker shot". I can't find that video. Help...??? Thanks
December 19, 2014, 1:21 am
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor) in reply to Grant
Hello Grant. The Video is in this section. How to Hit a Sand Shot Like a Pro. http://www.rotaryswing.com/videos/short-game/bunker-shots/how-to-a-hit-sand-shot-like-a-pro
December 19, 2014, 3:04 am
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JAMES
I struggle in hard\firm sand.... What do you suggest.? I try chipping it out with varied results.... thanks, James
June 1, 2014, 8:34 pm
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor) in reply to JAMES
Hey James. You need to let the club do more of the work for you. If its hard sand allow the face to be slightly open and use your most lofted wedge. You don't want to dig the club into the ground too much with the leading edge. Allow the ground to slow down the swinging motion of the club through impact to have the ball pop out for you. Make sure you keep pulling through, (don't stop) allow the ground to slow the momentum of you pulling through the shot.
June 3, 2014, 12:53 am
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JAMES in reply to Craig
Thanks Craig. Will the high loft ( bounce ) cause the club head bounce off the sand in ball?
June 3, 2014, 6:01 am

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