Mastering the High Soft Bunker Shot with Coach Lockey (Video)
A high, soft bunker shot is not the easiest shot in the golf bag to hit. However, having the ability to hit a high soft bunker shot can get you out of some difficult situations.
Coach Lockey shows us how to hit the high soft bunker shot and how to use HackMotion to ensure you are doing it correctly.
When to Use It
If a lip in front of you is quite high, you will want to use a higher and softer bunker shot. You may run into this situation on links style golf courses.
In addition, if you have short-sided yourself and have very little green left to work with, the high soft bunker shot is a great shot to hit. It will fly up high and quickly and land and stop.
Lastly, a two-tier golf green may leave you a very small area to land your shot and have it stay on the proper tier. The high soft bunker shot is soft enough and workable enough to attack these more difficult pins.
Where Does the Golf Club Enter the Sand
Luckily, the entry point for a high soft bunker shot and your entry point for the clubface to hit the sand will be very similar to a standard sand shot.
The only thing to be aware of here is whether the sand is wet or dry. You will still want to hit behind the golf ball. A few inches behind the ball is the best place to hit the sand.
What Club to Use?
Find the most lofted golf club in your bag for the high soft bunker shot. The sand wedge may not be the highest lofted club in your bag. If you have a lob wedge, go ahead and pull that one out for the high, soft bunker shot.
You want to make sure you use the full loft of your bunker shot.
Add some extra loft to your bunker shot by opening the clubface of your wedge to ensure that it gets up and over the lip of your bunker.
Key Tip: Always twist the golf club open and then grip your club!
How Much Speed?
To get the ball out of the bunker and have it fly high and soft, you must have some extra speed through impact. More speed with extra loft, a wider stance, and an open face will help with the control of these shots.
Be careful to hit the sand behind the ball.
When you add speed, an open face, and then miss the entry point of the sand, you will leave a lot of room for error. (Shots flying over the green!)
The Release of the Clubhead
The HackMotion can give you valuable insight into what your wrist is doing as you are hitting bunker shots. The goal is to feel as though the clubhead is passing you with lots of speed. This helps ensure the clubface stays open and high-lofted through impact.
At impact with a soft bunker shot, you will have more extension than you normally do with a standard bunker shot or with a regular golf iron shot or drive.
Typically, we want to see extension decrease considerably to a point where the club is almost flexed at impact. With the high soft bunker shot, let a little of that extension stick around so you get the loft you need.
Final Thoughts
The high soft bunker shot is not one that you will be using time and time again out of the bunkers.
However, having this information and the skills to pull this shot off will only help make you a better golfer. The more shots you know how to hit, the better the tools you have to go low.
This is just another great way HackMotion can improve your game and lower your golf scores.
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