|
Suzy’s Cues
by Suzy Whaley
PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHARLES BUBB
False expectation is your worse enemy in a bunker. So if you don’t practice bunker shots regularly, you’re not allowed to be angry when your bunkered ball doesn’t finish four feet from the hole or even hit the green. If your ball is sitting on top of the sand, in an even lie with an even stance, you should expect, however, to get your ball out of every greenside bunker. Unlike the pros, you don’t devote two to three hours a week to practicing bunker shots, so replace your false hopes with a workable plan that gets your ball up and out of every bunker and onto the green.
The plan details:
Use a regular swing, regular posture and regular aim.
Make no ball contact. Hit the sand behind the ball
Take your normal stance, feet shoulder-width apart, and position the ball between your feet, in the middle.
Dig your toes in after you’ve lowered your feet into the sand to ensure you will hit sand and not ball.
Place your weight on the foot closest to the pin. If you play right-handed, your weight moves to the left.
Dial the tip of your clubface to fit your lie:
With a good lie – the ball sitting on top of the sand, even lie and even stance – open the face, by dialing the tip of your wedge to one o’clock. If you play left-handed, you would dial the tip of your wedge to eleven o’clock to achieve an open face.
With a fair lie – the ball sitting down in the sand, with an uneven lie, or an irregular stance – use a square face setting the clubface to noon.
With a buried lie, close the tip of the clubface to eleven o’clock. If you play left-handed, you would dial the tip of your wedge to one o’clock to achieve a closed face.
After you’ve dialed in your clubface, set your hands on the grip. Do not grip the club first and mistakenly dial in your hands.
Swing to at least 10 o’clock on your backswing because sand is heavy to move. Then make a smooth swing through the sand. Do not use your body to help the ball out. No scooping!
Center your attention. Move sand to the green.
Work on your plan and you won’t have to wonder why you can’t clear the sand!
Suzy Whaley was the first woman to qualify and participate in a PGA Tour event in 58 years and was the first woman to win a PGA individual professional tournament 2003. She is currently recognized by Golf for Women as a top 50 female instructor and is a Board Member and Advisor for numerous organizations including Golfer Girl Magazine.
www.suzywhaleygolf.com
|
