John Phillips Tuition Series: Green Side Bunker Shots
Swing / Plugged Shots / Practice Drill

Golfers tend to find green side bunker shots hard to control, resulting in either leaving the ball in the bunker or not getting it very close to the pin, whereas the tour pro is very disappointed if they do not get up and down out of a green side bunker shot.

Here's how you take the fear out of green side bunker shots.

Swing

Stand in the bunker. Shuffle your feet slightly to get a feel for the texture of the sand and to promote a firm base. Aim your feet, hips and shoulders left of the target, play the ball slightly forward in your stance, opening your club face about 40% before taking your grip. Make your swing out-to-in, along your line of your feet, keeping the club in the same position as at the set-up, trying to hit the sand 2 inches before the ball. Imagine that the ball is lying on a £5 note.

Make sure the club accelerates through the ball when you make your swing and the club head does not slow down. Also make a good length follow through. Most golfers don't make enough backswing or follow through, resulting the club stopping as soon as they make contact with the sand.

Green Side Bunker Shots: Swing / Plugged Shots / Practice Drill