Two Simple Drills Can Fix Your Bunker Play, Teacher Says

Bunker shots rank among the most feared in recreational golf, but instructor David Armitage says the fix comes down to two low-tech drills rather than a full swing overhaul.

What causes most bad bunker shots?

Armitage, a GOLF Top 100 Teacher who has written a book on bunker play, says the common fault is swaying away from the ball on the backswing or failing to strike the sand steeply enough. Either mistake shifts the swing's low point, which leads to the thin or fat contact that sends bunker shots either skulling across the green or burying in the sand.

How does the rake drill work?

Armitage sets a rake in the sand about a foot behind the ball. A golfer who drifts back during the backswing will catch the rake before reaching the ball, giving instant feedback on whether the swing stayed vertical enough.

"If I drift off the ball on the backswing, I'm gonna hit the rake," Armitage says. He recommends starting in slow motion to build the correct feeling before gradually working up to a full-speed swing.

What is the line drill?

The second drill is one Armitage credits to Ernie Els. Two lines are drawn in the sand, spaced to create a wide target zone, and the golfer makes several practice swings aimed at contacting the sand between them before ever hitting a ball.

The goal is to rehearse the strike location away from the pressure of a live shot. Armitage suggests running through the line drill before every bucket of bunker practice, not just when trouble creeps into the swing.

Once a golfer can consistently enter the sand inside the lines, that same low point transfers directly to hitting an actual ball out of a bunker. The two drills work together: the rake corrects the shape of the swing, and the lines correct where it bottoms out.