The easy way to gauge distance on greenside bunker shots

Many amateurs are happy just to get out of a greenside bunker in one shot. But if you want to take your bunker play to the next level and get up and down more often, you have to learn how to control the distance the ball flies. Here’s a simple technique I know will help you.

Take your normal bunker setup (ball forward, weight on your front foot, shaft neutral) and make a three-quarter-length backswing. Whether the pin is tucked close to you, in the middle of the green or on the far side, keep the length of your backswing the same. Vary the distance with the length of your follow-through and the relationship between the butt end of the club and your lead hip at the finish. That’s how you regulate how far the ball travels. The shorter the shot, the closer the grip finishes to your lead hip; the longer the shot, the farther away.

A good rule of thumb is that for a short greenside bunker shot of about 10 yards, the butt end of the club should finish near your hip pocket (top); for a medium shot of 20 yards, about midway up your body, even with your ribcage (above, left); and for a longer shot of 30 yards, about shoulder height (above, right).

Take a few rehearsal swings outside of the bunker, visualizing where the butt end of the grip is going to finish for the length of shot you’re trying to hit. Hold that finish for a few seconds, then repeat once more before stepping in to execute the shot. If you can replicate that same finish on your real swing, the ball should have the right amount energy to finish near the hole.

Jordan Dempsey, one of Golf Digest’s Best Teachers in Florida, teaches at the PGA Tour Performance Center at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach.