Editor's Note: Every Monday Kevin Hinton, Director of
Instruction at Piping Rock Club in Locust Valley, N.Y. and one of Golf
Digest's Best Young Teachers, tells you how a tour player hits a key
shot. This week Kevin focuses on the immaculate bunker play of Rory McIlroy, who won the Honda Classic while withstanding a tremendous final-round 62 by Tiger Woods. Rory got up and down from greenside bunkers 77 percent of the time for the tournament to win by two strokes. It helps to have your own backyard bunkers (click on the video link at the end to see Rory's free-flowing bunker swing).
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Twitter @RogerSchiffman
Here's Kevin: When you think of Rory's game, most people's first image is his fearless, free-flowing swing. While as beautiful and technically sound as it is, Rory has his short game to thank this week for his win at the Honda Classic and his new No. 1 ranking. Rory's ball-striking was actually quite mortal this week, hitting only 11 of 18 greens in regulation in the final round, and nine of 14 fairways. The often-maligned ball-striking of Tiger Woods out-matched Rory for the week, as Tiger hit more fairways and greens, as well as an impressive 14 greens in the final round. Tiger even led the field in total driving, something he's done only once (the 2009 BMW) since 2000. However, as often is the case in golf, the player who masters the wedge and putter normally comes out on top. Rory led the entire field in Scrambling Percentage and was an impressive 7 for 9 in bunker saves. This week we will look at Rory's bunker basics. I have a pretty good feeling it won't be the last time this season we get to analyze an aspect of Rory's short game that was a key to victory . . . and here's a hint: Think Georgia in April!
Rory's naturally long, rhythmic backswing is one key to his excellent bunker play. This is a great thing for the amateur player to copy. While the size of your swing varies based on the distance of the shot (especially your finish), nothing good comes from a short backswing in the bunker. One absolute in golf is that small backswings produce low shots. You simple can't produce the speed required to get the ball high into the air with a short backswing. With golf courses being designed and renovated with deeper and more penal bunkering, being able to hit a lofted bunker shot is crucial. The only way to produce height in golf is speed. Short, timid backswings don't cut it in the bunker. That's lesson No. 1 we can learn from Rory, and he demonstrates it in the video at the end of this post.
Here are the other keys to being a good bunker player:
1. Ball Position: Somewhere in front of middle is the basic rule. The higher you want to hit it, the farther forward you should play the ball
2. Stance Width: Here is another solid statement: Narrow stances produce low shots. At address, place your feet at least at shoulder width. If you really need to hit it high, stand farther from the ball, get even wider and lower yourself. Tom Gillis took this exact stance from the greenside bunker on No. 12 Sunday. He hit a beautiful high-spinning shot to tap-in distance that helped secure a tie-for-second finish. I hope you saw it!
3. Set the clubface open at address. The degree to which you do this should vary on the length of the shot and the sand conditions. Open the face on shorter shots when height is essential. Keep it more square on longer shots. Open the face in softer sand conditions to use more of the bounce of the club. Keep the face fairly square in firmer sand conditions, or when there isn't much sand in the bunker. Remember, opening the face adds bounce, turning the club into more of a skimmer and less of a digger.
4. A normal swing is preferred. If you're enrolled in Bunkers 101, simply make your normal swing, aim two to four inches behind the ball and be sure to get the
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Results in bunker
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How He Hit That: Wilson's holed bunker shot
Editor's Note: Regular readers of the Instruction Blog have
come to appreciate the weekly analysis provided by Kevin Hinton, the
Director of Instruction at Piping Rock Club in Locust Valley, N.Y. and
one of Golf Digest's Best Young Teachers. This week, Hinton examines the bunker shot Mark Wilson holed in the final round, leading to his two-stroke win in the Humana Challenge.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Twitter @RogerSchiffman
Kevin Hinton: Mark Wilson's holed bunker shot on the 12th hole of Sunday's final round was the catalyst to his fifth PGA Tour victory. With the birdie, Wilson regained a one-shot lead and never looked back. He noted after the round that the sand seemed firmer in that 12th-hole bunker, so he adjusted accordingly and the ball rolled into the cup like a putt. His follow-through was a little tighter and he landed the ball shorter, allowing for more roll. Here are the keys to proficient greenside bunker play, including from firmer sand. Practice them, and you'll start getting your bunker shots closer, and you might even hole one occasionally, like Wilson did.
Remember . . . the technique of a standard bunker shot is unique in golf. If executed properly, it is the only shot in which the club never contacts the ball--at least intentionally. Your goal is to hit the sand, not the ball, thereby forming a cushion of sand between the ball and the clubface, which will propel the ball onto the green. Here's how it's done:
Address
-- Weight 60 percent on front foot
-- Play the ball forward
-- Slightly open clubface (pointing to the right)
-- Slightly open stance (aiming to the left)
-- Dig your feet in
-- Don't grip down (unless the shot is extremely short)
Swing
-- Aim two to four inches behind the ball (in firm sand, err on the closer side in firm sand and keep your swing tighter)
-- Make a normal, three-quarter backswing (in advanced bunker play, it's OK to apply a cut swing--outside in--when extreme height is needed. Otherwise, make your "stock" backswing)
-- Get to your finish (on all shots, you must rotate your body, but limit how far the club swings through on shorter shots)
-- If the sand doesn't leave the bunker, the ball will not likely leave the bunker (the skull is the exception)
Notes
In hard sand/bad lies, you must make the club more of a "digger"...by nature, a lob wedge has less bounce than a sand wedge, so it digs more. A sand wedge is more of a "skimmer." Favor it in fluffy sand conditions. Finally, opening the clubface adds bounce, squaring the face and leaning the shaft forward reduces bounce... adjust accordingly.
Discuss this tip, and other pieces of instruction, on our partner site, GolfWRX.com.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Twitter @RogerSchiffman
Kevin Hinton: Mark Wilson's holed bunker shot on the 12th hole of Sunday's final round was the catalyst to his fifth PGA Tour victory. With the birdie, Wilson regained a one-shot lead and never looked back. He noted after the round that the sand seemed firmer in that 12th-hole bunker, so he adjusted accordingly and the ball rolled into the cup like a putt. His follow-through was a little tighter and he landed the ball shorter, allowing for more roll. Here are the keys to proficient greenside bunker play, including from firmer sand. Practice them, and you'll start getting your bunker shots closer, and you might even hole one occasionally, like Wilson did.
Remember . . . the technique of a standard bunker shot is unique in golf. If executed properly, it is the only shot in which the club never contacts the ball--at least intentionally. Your goal is to hit the sand, not the ball, thereby forming a cushion of sand between the ball and the clubface, which will propel the ball onto the green. Here's how it's done:
Address
-- Weight 60 percent on front foot
-- Play the ball forward
-- Slightly open clubface (pointing to the right)
-- Slightly open stance (aiming to the left)
-- Dig your feet in
-- Don't grip down (unless the shot is extremely short)
Swing
-- Aim two to four inches behind the ball (in firm sand, err on the closer side in firm sand and keep your swing tighter)
-- Make a normal, three-quarter backswing (in advanced bunker play, it's OK to apply a cut swing--outside in--when extreme height is needed. Otherwise, make your "stock" backswing)
-- Get to your finish (on all shots, you must rotate your body, but limit how far the club swings through on shorter shots)
-- If the sand doesn't leave the bunker, the ball will not likely leave the bunker (the skull is the exception)
Notes
In hard sand/bad lies, you must make the club more of a "digger"...by nature, a lob wedge has less bounce than a sand wedge, so it digs more. A sand wedge is more of a "skimmer." Favor it in fluffy sand conditions. Finally, opening the clubface adds bounce, squaring the face and leaning the shaft forward reduces bounce... adjust accordingly.
Discuss this tip, and other pieces of instruction, on our partner site, GolfWRX.com.
Mid-week Lesson: Leadbetter/Flick say 'pick it from fairway sand'
By Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Twitter @RogerSchiffman
In the November 2011 issue of Golf Digest (Bubba Watson on the cover), which is hitting subscribers' mailboxes today and will be on newsstands soon, Golf Digest Teaching Professional David Leadbetter discusses the best way to hit fairway bunker shots. I found this tip really interesting because it is based on the same principle that Golf Digest Teaching Professional Jim Flick discussed in a tip I did with him for the November 2005 issue and again in December 2009 (Sweep the Ball from Fairway Sand). Jim said he learned the technique from Jack Nicklaus. Both teachers advocate feeling as if you are hitting level to slightly up on the ball through impact.
First, let's hear from Leadbetter:
"Many amateurs struggle from fairway sand because they swing too hard and release the club too early on the downswing. This causes them to hit the sand first, costing them distance. Here's how to stop hitting fat.
"First, choose a club that will allow you to comfortably clear the lip of the bunker. If the lip is not an issue, then take an extra club to remove any temptation to overswing. Once you have the right club, set up with the ball forward of center in your stance, dig your feet into the sand to create a stable base, and then grip down on the club to compensate for your feet now being lower than the ball.
"When you swing, try to pick the ball off the sand cleanly while staying in balance, as if you're catching the ball on the upswing. In essence, this type of swing will accommodate your early wrist release and allow you to avoid hitting the sand before the ball."
Now let's see what Flick had to say:
"I was walking with Jack Nicklaus during a practice round at the 1996 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills, and on one hole he drove into a fairway bunker some 170 yards from the green. There was a fairly steep lip, so I figured Jack might have to play short of the putting surface. But he took a 6-iron, kept his weight back, made perfectly clean contact, and put the ball on the green.
Left: Jim Flick says to think of sweeping the ball out of fairway
bunkers. The image of a broom is a good one if you're a visual learner.
(Photo by J.D. Cuban/Jim Luft)
"Later I
asked Jack how he could hit the ball on such a high trajectory, and he
said that with a middle iron to a fairway wood in a bunker, you do not
want to hit down on the shot because the sand provides little resistance
against which to trap the ball. Instead, you want the club swinging
level at impact. Jack plays the ball slightly forward in his stance. He
feels as if he keeps his weight on his right side longer through impact,
similar to his driver swing. There should be little to no sand
displaced.
Try it. You might be afraid of topping the shot, but I've yet to see any student top it with this technique."
OK, the message is pretty clear to me. In fairway sand, you do not want to hit down on the ball. Rather, try to sweep it or pick it off the sand, feeling as if you're swinging the club on a level or slightly upward approach.
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Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Twitter @RogerSchiffman
In the November 2011 issue of Golf Digest (Bubba Watson on the cover), which is hitting subscribers' mailboxes today and will be on newsstands soon, Golf Digest Teaching Professional David Leadbetter discusses the best way to hit fairway bunker shots. I found this tip really interesting because it is based on the same principle that Golf Digest Teaching Professional Jim Flick discussed in a tip I did with him for the November 2005 issue and again in December 2009 (Sweep the Ball from Fairway Sand). Jim said he learned the technique from Jack Nicklaus. Both teachers advocate feeling as if you are hitting level to slightly up on the ball through impact.
First, let's hear from Leadbetter:
"Many amateurs struggle from fairway sand because they swing too hard and release the club too early on the downswing. This causes them to hit the sand first, costing them distance. Here's how to stop hitting fat.
"First, choose a club that will allow you to comfortably clear the lip of the bunker. If the lip is not an issue, then take an extra club to remove any temptation to overswing. Once you have the right club, set up with the ball forward of center in your stance, dig your feet into the sand to create a stable base, and then grip down on the club to compensate for your feet now being lower than the ball.
"When you swing, try to pick the ball off the sand cleanly while staying in balance, as if you're catching the ball on the upswing. In essence, this type of swing will accommodate your early wrist release and allow you to avoid hitting the sand before the ball."
Now let's see what Flick had to say:
"I was walking with Jack Nicklaus during a practice round at the 1996 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills, and on one hole he drove into a fairway bunker some 170 yards from the green. There was a fairly steep lip, so I figured Jack might have to play short of the putting surface. But he took a 6-iron, kept his weight back, made perfectly clean contact, and put the ball on the green.
Left: Jim Flick says to think of sweeping the ball out of fairway
bunkers. The image of a broom is a good one if you're a visual learner.(Photo by J.D. Cuban/Jim Luft)
Try it. You might be afraid of topping the shot, but I've yet to see any student top it with this technique."
OK, the message is pretty clear to me. In fairway sand, you do not want to hit down on the ball. Rather, try to sweep it or pick it off the sand, feeling as if you're swinging the club on a level or slightly upward approach.
Read more
Saturday Morning Tip: Master the sand with Paul Runyan
In doing some research for an article in Golf Digest this week, I re-read the classic book by Paul Runyan: The Short Way to Lower Scoring. It reminded me once again that Runyan was a genius about the golf swing--especially about the short game. Here are a couple of quick thoughts on sand play from the man they called "Little Poison" because of the way he took down bigger and stronger players. He famously defeated Sam Snead, 8&7, in the final of the 1938 PGA Championship, even though Snead outdrove him by as much as 75 yards!
Runyan, shown here in the 1936 Met Open, was a master out of the sand. Photo by AP.
Here are some thoughts from Runyan about how to handle different lies in the sand:
The deeper the ball sits in the sand, the deeper the penetration must be to move the clubhead under the ball. If you see that the lie is good, with the ball setting atop or just slightly down in the sand, you would tentatively plan to play a shot with minimal clubhead penetration. In that case, you would set the clubface slightly open at address and apply [your] normal V-shaped swing.
If the ball is half buried, you need a deeper penetration. Thus you plan to address the shot with your sand wedge square or somewhat closed to the left and/or plan on a more upright backswing and more descending downswing. Again, lean more to the left, possibly playing the ball farther back in your stance as well to increase the angle of the descent further.
If the ball is almost fully buried, I suggest you play the shot with a pitching wedge or a 9-iron. These clubs, lacking any inversion, will give you even deeper penetration. The clubhead can clear the underside of the buried ball.
I hope these thoughts from Paul Runyan help you this weekend. If you have confidence in your sand game, you can fire at more flags, knowing you have a good chance of getting the ball up and down if you end up in a bunker. Also, you can go for par 5 greens in two with the knowledge that hitting into a greenside bunker is not a bad place to be. That's the way the pros think. They often would rather be in a bunker near the green than have to pitch from the rough. Good luck with your game this weekend.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Twitter @RogerSchiffman
Read more
Runyan, shown here in the 1936 Met Open, was a master out of the sand. Photo by AP.Here are some thoughts from Runyan about how to handle different lies in the sand:
The deeper the ball sits in the sand, the deeper the penetration must be to move the clubhead under the ball. If you see that the lie is good, with the ball setting atop or just slightly down in the sand, you would tentatively plan to play a shot with minimal clubhead penetration. In that case, you would set the clubface slightly open at address and apply [your] normal V-shaped swing.
If the ball is half buried, you need a deeper penetration. Thus you plan to address the shot with your sand wedge square or somewhat closed to the left and/or plan on a more upright backswing and more descending downswing. Again, lean more to the left, possibly playing the ball farther back in your stance as well to increase the angle of the descent further.
If the ball is almost fully buried, I suggest you play the shot with a pitching wedge or a 9-iron. These clubs, lacking any inversion, will give you even deeper penetration. The clubhead can clear the underside of the buried ball.
I hope these thoughts from Paul Runyan help you this weekend. If you have confidence in your sand game, you can fire at more flags, knowing you have a good chance of getting the ball up and down if you end up in a bunker. Also, you can go for par 5 greens in two with the knowledge that hitting into a greenside bunker is not a bad place to be. That's the way the pros think. They often would rather be in a bunker near the green than have to pitch from the rough. Good luck with your game this weekend.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Twitter @RogerSchiffman
Monday Swing Analysis: Beyond the splash
Editor's note: Every Monday, PGA professional Kevin Hinton examines
the game of a recent tour winner and tells you what you can learn. A
Golf Digest Best Young Teacher, Kevin is the Director of Instruction at
Piping Rock Golf Club, Locust Valley, N.Y., and is a Lead Master
Instructor for the Jim McLean Golf School at Doral Resort & Spa. He
also teaches at Drive 495 in New York. He has seen thousands of swings
and has helped golfers of all abilities, from rank beginners to tour
players. This week, Kevin examines the miraculous "water-explosion" shot Bill Haas pulled off in the playoff to win the Tour Championship as well as the Fed-Ex Cup worth $10 million, and he shows you how to apply the same principles to some other tricky on-course situations.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest Twitter
@RogerSchiffman
Kevin Hinton: Much has already been written about Bill Haas' incredible splash shot from the water on the second playoff hole Sunday to stay alive against Hunter Mahan, and how he went on to win the Tour Championship.
It may not seem like a shot you would need, but there are other shots you will encounter (from land) to which you can apply the principles of Haas' water explosion shot. Haas essentially played it like a bunker shot, combined with a lot more guesswork and some good fortune. He pulled it off beautifully. Here are three greenside situations where I'd recommend taking a similar approach.
1. Pine Straw
You've hit an errant approach and your ball comes to rest on pine straw. To make matters worse, you need to hit a lofted shot because of the large bunker between you and the green. Definitely not a good situation. Low is not an option, just like it wasn't for Haas. If it were, I'd recommend you play it as a bump-and-run of sorts and take your medicine. The ball likely won't end up on the green, but the mistake will be far less penalizing. However, here you need loft. Try to do just as Haas did and play it like a long explosion shot from a bunker. You're going to get some pine straw between the ball and the clubface, so be certain to make a committed swing with some speed. Your mistake needs to be hitting down too much and coming up short. Be sure that you don't miss the pine straw and make ball-first contact. Home-runs are only good in baseball!
2. Deep Rough
A similar situation--you've missed the green and are in another unfortunate lie (think U.S Open). It's not that the shot needs to be hit with a lot of loft, but the chances of making ball-first contact are slim at best. No chance of taking a standard chipping approach. The club will get Read more
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest Twitter
@RogerSchiffman
Kevin Hinton: Much has already been written about Bill Haas' incredible splash shot from the water on the second playoff hole Sunday to stay alive against Hunter Mahan, and how he went on to win the Tour Championship.
It may not seem like a shot you would need, but there are other shots you will encounter (from land) to which you can apply the principles of Haas' water explosion shot. Haas essentially played it like a bunker shot, combined with a lot more guesswork and some good fortune. He pulled it off beautifully. Here are three greenside situations where I'd recommend taking a similar approach.
1. Pine Straw
You've hit an errant approach and your ball comes to rest on pine straw. To make matters worse, you need to hit a lofted shot because of the large bunker between you and the green. Definitely not a good situation. Low is not an option, just like it wasn't for Haas. If it were, I'd recommend you play it as a bump-and-run of sorts and take your medicine. The ball likely won't end up on the green, but the mistake will be far less penalizing. However, here you need loft. Try to do just as Haas did and play it like a long explosion shot from a bunker. You're going to get some pine straw between the ball and the clubface, so be certain to make a committed swing with some speed. Your mistake needs to be hitting down too much and coming up short. Be sure that you don't miss the pine straw and make ball-first contact. Home-runs are only good in baseball!
2. Deep Rough
A similar situation--you've missed the green and are in another unfortunate lie (think U.S Open). It's not that the shot needs to be hit with a lot of loft, but the chances of making ball-first contact are slim at best. No chance of taking a standard chipping approach. The club will get Read more
Saturday Morning Tip: How Rory escapes deep bunkers
By Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
You want to know why U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy has become a dominant presence in the major championships? It's partly due to his backyard. That's right. His backyard. Check out this BBC video to see what I mean. Then come back and study the five sand keys below.
Not only can Rory replicate the green speed of an upcoming major with the greens on his property, he can practice from various kinds of sand, and from bunkers even deeper than the Road Hole Bunker at St. Andrews. So those ominous-looking bunkers at Royal St. George's this week seem tame for him.
So here's today's tip: How Rory plays an explosion shot over a very steep lip. Here are five keys:
(1) Use your most-lofted wedge, at least a 56-degree and a 58- or 60- if you carry one.
(2) Open the face at address to increase the club's loft even more. Do this by first turning the face to the right, then taking your grip. Don't re-grip the club after that. That maintains the open face throughout the swing and at impact with the sand.
(3) Swing the clubhead only slightly down into the sand, and try to have the club enter the sand just behind the ball. You want a bit of descent, but not
Read more
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
You want to know why U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy has become a dominant presence in the major championships? It's partly due to his backyard. That's right. His backyard. Check out this BBC video to see what I mean. Then come back and study the five sand keys below.
Not only can Rory replicate the green speed of an upcoming major with the greens on his property, he can practice from various kinds of sand, and from bunkers even deeper than the Road Hole Bunker at St. Andrews. So those ominous-looking bunkers at Royal St. George's this week seem tame for him.
So here's today's tip: How Rory plays an explosion shot over a very steep lip. Here are five keys:
(1) Use your most-lofted wedge, at least a 56-degree and a 58- or 60- if you carry one.
(2) Open the face at address to increase the club's loft even more. Do this by first turning the face to the right, then taking your grip. Don't re-grip the club after that. That maintains the open face throughout the swing and at impact with the sand.
(3) Swing the clubhead only slightly down into the sand, and try to have the club enter the sand just behind the ball. You want a bit of descent, but not
Read more
Saturday Morning Tip: Get out of sand every time
In the upcoming issue of Golf Digest (July, with Adam Scott on the cover), there is a great section on bunker play by Mark Immelman, brother of Masters Champion Trevor. Mark says he learned everything about bunker play from the master, Gary Player. Here's one tip you can use this weekend to improve your sand play. I tried it myself and it really works. Here's hoping you avoid the bunkers in the first place, but if you don't this tip should help you get it up and down. Remember to follow me on Twitter @RogerSchiffman.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Basic bunker technique: Start left and stay left
A good bunker swing generates a lot of clubhead speed. Many high-handicappers lean away from the target on the downswing, trying to help the ball out of the sand. But they don't get much swing speed falling back like that. Here's how to get the speed you need. Play the ball just forward of center, with your stance slightly open and your sternum more over your left foot. Add a little flex to your left knee, and bend more toward the ball from your hips. Maintain these positions as you make what feels like an arms-only swing. (Your body will automatically turn.) Staying on your left side, accelerate the club through the sand. Swing to a full finish, and check it by seeing if you can lower the shaft and rest it on your left shoulder.
Editor's note: You can see several more bunker tips from Immelman in the Breaking 100-90-80 section of the July issue, on newsstands June 7.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Basic bunker technique: Start left and stay left
A good bunker swing generates a lot of clubhead speed. Many high-handicappers lean away from the target on the downswing, trying to help the ball out of the sand. But they don't get much swing speed falling back like that. Here's how to get the speed you need. Play the ball just forward of center, with your stance slightly open and your sternum more over your left foot. Add a little flex to your left knee, and bend more toward the ball from your hips. Maintain these positions as you make what feels like an arms-only swing. (Your body will automatically turn.) Staying on your left side, accelerate the club through the sand. Swing to a full finish, and check it by seeing if you can lower the shaft and rest it on your left shoulder.
Editor's note: You can see several more bunker tips from Immelman in the Breaking 100-90-80 section of the July issue, on newsstands June 7.
Saturday Morning Tip: Escaping a steep bunker
It wasn't a Saturday morning; it was a Monday morning. And I remember it like it was yesterday morning, even though it was in 1983 at the U.S. Open at Oakmont. Due to severe weekend weather, the final round of the tournament was finishing a day late. Tom Watson was in a fierce battle with Larry Nelson, who was playing ahead.
On the short par-4 17th, the pin was cut on the right side of the green, and Watson fired at the flag. His ball ended up short-sided in a steep bunker to the right of the green. I was standing nearby, just inside the gallery ropes, and from my great vantage point I could see no way for Watson to get his bunker shot close. But Tom hit a miraculous shot, the ball floating out softly, then spinning to within a few feet of the hole. He had a tricky sidehill putt, which he lipped out, losing the championship to Nelson.
But I'll never forget that shot. Interestingly, Tom clearly remembers it as well. He referred to it Read more
But I'll never forget that shot. Interestingly, Tom clearly remembers it as well. He referred to it Read more
How to play a miracle shot
It was the 72nd hole of last week's PGA Tour event. Steve Marino had 210 yards to the green on the par-5 finisher and needed to make eagle to have a chance of tying tournament leader Mark Wilson at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Any tour player would have a good shot at knocking it on. But when you have to stand inside a fairway bunker and your ball is outside the bunker, two feet above your shoes, what do you do?
Watch the video here to see how Marino handled it, then read Golf Digest Teaching Professional Jim Flick's tips on how you can play from such an usual lie.
"Anytime you have a difficult or strange lie, take several rehearsal swings to determine where the clubhead is hitting the ground," Flick says. "Always do this. That determines your ball position." Flick says that Marino does the following four things:
1. He chokes down on the club dramatically. That helps keep him from hitting behind the ball.
2. He stays really steady throughout the swing--almost making a driver swing. Notice that his head actually moves backward at impact, which shows he's swinging slightly up on the ball. Staying steady is a good thought for any usual lie. You are not allowed to create a stance in the bunker, but Marino makes sure to anchor himself with his right foot, then stays very steady on that foot throughout the swing, greatly limiting his weight shift. He swings the club back deliberately and smoothly. These adjustments give him a better chance of making solid contact.
3. Marino factors in that the ball won't go as far because he's hitting up through impact, sending the shot on a higher-than-normal trajectory. Note he has only 210 to the hole, and he's swinging a fairway wood, which normally would go farther than that for a strong tour player.
4. There is no flip through the hitting area. Look at Steve's left forearm through impact. He uses it to stabilize the clubface. There is absolutely no breakdown.
Flick also notes that when the ball is well above your feet, the tendency with a higher-lofted iron is to either hit a dramatic hook (raise an iron so the shaft is more level to the ground, and the face in effect closes), or there is a tendency to shank the shot because you are off balance. "Selecting a fairway wood reduces the chance of overhooking and eliminates the shank," Flick says. "Steve obviously has practiced this kind of shot, because he knew exactly what to do. Tour players practice all kinds of shots, but amateurs rarely do. If you practice shots like this one from time to time, you'll be prepared when you encounter an unusual stance on the course."
Comment here on the most bizarre shot you've ever faced. And follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/rogerschiffman.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Watch the video here to see how Marino handled it, then read Golf Digest Teaching Professional Jim Flick's tips on how you can play from such an usual lie.
"Anytime you have a difficult or strange lie, take several rehearsal swings to determine where the clubhead is hitting the ground," Flick says. "Always do this. That determines your ball position." Flick says that Marino does the following four things:
1. He chokes down on the club dramatically. That helps keep him from hitting behind the ball.
2. He stays really steady throughout the swing--almost making a driver swing. Notice that his head actually moves backward at impact, which shows he's swinging slightly up on the ball. Staying steady is a good thought for any usual lie. You are not allowed to create a stance in the bunker, but Marino makes sure to anchor himself with his right foot, then stays very steady on that foot throughout the swing, greatly limiting his weight shift. He swings the club back deliberately and smoothly. These adjustments give him a better chance of making solid contact.
3. Marino factors in that the ball won't go as far because he's hitting up through impact, sending the shot on a higher-than-normal trajectory. Note he has only 210 to the hole, and he's swinging a fairway wood, which normally would go farther than that for a strong tour player.
4. There is no flip through the hitting area. Look at Steve's left forearm through impact. He uses it to stabilize the clubface. There is absolutely no breakdown.
Flick also notes that when the ball is well above your feet, the tendency with a higher-lofted iron is to either hit a dramatic hook (raise an iron so the shaft is more level to the ground, and the face in effect closes), or there is a tendency to shank the shot because you are off balance. "Selecting a fairway wood reduces the chance of overhooking and eliminates the shank," Flick says. "Steve obviously has practiced this kind of shot, because he knew exactly what to do. Tour players practice all kinds of shots, but amateurs rarely do. If you practice shots like this one from time to time, you'll be prepared when you encounter an unusual stance on the course."
Comment here on the most bizarre shot you've ever faced. And follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/rogerschiffman.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
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