“Hardest Shot in Golf ” Made Simple: 2 Tips on How to Play The Long Bunker Shot

A fear of many players is sticking their golf ball in the sand from 60 -100 yards away from the flagstick, because supposedly, this is the hardest shot in golf… Im not saying it’s easy, but when you know a couple of tweaks,  you will be more confident and consistent on the occasions when you are faced with that dreaded sand shot.

As you know, golf is full of challenging shots. That is the beauty of it all, and one reason why you play the game. But difficult shots (such as the long bunker shot) can be made a lot easier than you think!

Today, you are getting a video with two, really simple golf tips teaching you how to play long bunkers shots to use next time you are caught in a bunker from around 60 to 100 yards away.

The other day, I was playing a quick 9 holes with a good golfer I coach, and she faced an 80 yard sand shot. For her it was a good pitching wedge away. She got herself settled, picked her target and knew that the ideal strike was to hit the ball first, and clip it off the sand. But like so many (even the best golfers in the world) she chunked it a little bit and made more of a splash than a clip from the grains and the ball travelled just 40 yards onto the fairway.

Very frustrated she turned to me and said; “how the heck do you play these?!? It happens way too often and frustrates me so much.” (I have omitted her profanities…) She then went on to explain she sometimes clubs up, and in this instance would use a 9 iron and just pitch it out. However, the problem there, as we discussed, was that the ball comes out low and it’s distance is tough to judge.

But there are two simple golf tips you need to use and you can learn below what to do (and if you care) why it works to make sure you clean the ball off the top of the sand and get ball first resulting in perfect long bunker shots.

1) Firm up your arms. 
After you get settled in your address, simple grip your golf club a little firmer with the hands and arms. You are not to strangle it or be too tense, but simply firmer. This, more than anything will reduce the risk of taking to much sand by raising the arc of your swing.

(Too many of you naturally are sometimes too tense in your arms anyway, so use this with common sense caution, if you feel that if you were to hold the club much firmer, your veins will pop out, that’s a sign that you are approaching all your golf swing incorrectly. So loosen up on all others, except this one)

2) Look at the front of the ball.
Now you have your address, and firmer arms you need to focus on a dimple or mark on the front side of the ball nearest the target. This trick is my best lesson for how to play long bunker shots and works every time because it makes you focus on striking the golf ball first and not the sand.

So after I explained the tips to her she urged me to shoot a quick video on the golf course and that is what you see below. You see becoming great with your wedges is actually easy when you have a few simple, trustworthy “tricks” up your sleeve and you can see the video below.

How To Play The Long Bunker Shot With 2 Simple Tips

The simple tips here are part of The Art of Simple Golf’s mission to made the seemingly complicated, easier and help you score better and enjoy more golf by learning new ways to tackle this crazy game we love.

If you want more sneaky tweaks to transform your wedge play and scores by learning that you only need 3 swings plus learn the best bunker tip you have ever heard of, then visit here;

https://theartofsimplegolf.com/3-wedge-swings

I hope you enjoyed the simple golf tip video for long bunker shots and by the way, they apply for all lengths of fairway sand traps too.

An addition every golfer should have is more simple tips and time efficient practice drills for their short game and that’s why Be Deadly From 100 Yards and In was created. It’s got the only lessons and practice drills you will ever need.

This is Golf. Simplified.

Your friend and coach

Alex Fortey