When it comes to basic greenside bunker play, one of the most common problems I see occurs as a direct result of a player wanting to 'dig' the clubhead down into the sand to extricate the ball – with a steep, V-shaped swing, the leading edge of the sand iron is buried deep into the sand, all the speed in the clubhead is lost and there is simply not the forward momentum you need to splash the sand – and with it the ball – safely onto the green.
To solve this problem you need to understand the design of the sand iron and the concept of 'bounce'. Take a look at the heavy sole that characterises the clubhead and you will see that the back edge sits a little higher than the front or leading edge. This creates the so-called 'bounce'. And the more you open the clubface, the lower the trailing flange sits beneath the leading edge, and the greater the bounce.
So how does this help you in the bunker? Well, if take your sand iron with just your right hand only and experiment with a few easy half swings, you will very quickly appreciate the way in which that 'bounce' actively assists the clubhead in gliding through the sand. Open the face a little before you complete your grip with the right hand, and flow the clubhead back and forth, aiming to take a shallow divot of sand. As that bounce takes effect, you will experience the ease with which the clubhead cuts through the sand – and you will also hear the difference. There's a real satisfying zip as the clubhead skims through the sand.
For those of you who really struggle in a greenside bunker, I would recommend working on a fail-safe technique, a half-swing with very little wrist hinge in which you simply try to create a wide, U-shaped arc that skids the open clubface through the sand. One of the golden rules of sand play is that the clubhead must always accelerates through impact, and as long as you achieve this you will find that you take a shallow divot of sand that gets the ball flying up and out to safety.
As your confidence grows, work on extending your swing with a gradually extended body motion and accompanying wrist hinge to get the swing flowing – but always with your focus on tracing that wide arc that allows the clubhead to glide through the sand beneath the ball. As you will discover, the greater the speed you create, the more height and spin you can put on the ball.
