| The long green side bunker shot is one of the | | | | The pitching wedge when used in this |
| hardest in all of golf. | | | | situation will release and roll further than |
| | | | your sand wedge and your 9 iron will release |
| Having said that if you'll practice the | | | | and travel farther than your pitching wedge. |
| following technique, the next time you're | | | | |
| faced with this shot you just might find it a | | | | 2. Take your normal stance in the bunker with |
| little bit easier. | | | | your feet pointing approximately 20 - 30 |
| | | | degrees left of the target. Note: If you play |
| Here is the typical scenario: | | | | left handed reverse the verbiage and the |
| | | | technique will work for you as well. |
| You find yourself with a good lie in a green | | | | |
| side bunker but this is no ordinary shot. The | | | | 3. Open the face of the pitching wedge or 9 |
| pin is a good 20 - 30 yards from your | | | | iron relative to your target. This will |
| location. Now, normally, you would take out | | | | expose the back edge of the club effectively |
| your sand wedge and try to take a mighty | | | | applying bounce to the club. The "bounce" |
| swing that nips the ball cleanly. Sometimes | | | | will prevent the club face from digging into |
| this shot comes off and the ball flies out of | | | | the sand which would leave your golf ball in |
| the bunker and lands somewhere near the flag | | | | the bunker or well short of the hole. |
| stick, making you one of the proudest golfers | | | | |
| of all time but most times, however, the | | | | 4. Take a nice smooth swing and hit 1 to 2 |
| result is far less desirable. Most likely an | | | | inches behind the golf ball just as you would |
| ugly thin shot that flies over the flag, over | | | | with a normal green side bunker shot. |
| the green, and into the bunker or worse that | | | | |
| lies just beyond the green or worse yet, you | | | | 5. Accelerate to a full finish and watch the |
| flinch and hit the shot fat leaving your golf | | | | ball fly toward the hole and release after |
| ball in the bunker and your golf club in | | | | hitting the green. The ball will roll out and |
| jeopardy of being broken, tossed in the | | | | finish somewhere near the hole |
| water, or being left for some other | | | | |
| unsuspecting duffer. | | | | 6. Practice with each club a bit to get a |
| | | | feel for how far the ball will fly and how |
| Never fear, here is the answer that will help | | | | far it will roll once it hits the green when |
| you when confronted with this situation. | | | | you use this technique and I guarantee you'll |
| | | | save yourself some shots. |
| 1. Do not take out your sand wedge. Instead | | | | |
| choose your pitching wedge or even 9 iron. | | | | Enjoy your golf. |