(Photo by Masam Ali)

By Mike Kinloch
An important part of playing a successful greenside bunker shot is to have a high, soft, trajectory with a spin on the ball to control its roll after it hits the green.

To do this you need to present the correct loft of your sand wedge at impact and make sure the club does not dig in the sand too much during contact.

A common issue in this type of shot is the golfer having the shaft lean too far forward at impact, reducing the loft of the club and digging the leading edge of the club into the sand. To combat this, I recommend practising some swings with a split hand grip (hands about 3 inches apart) and feeling the shaft line up vertically in front of you during impact. This will help to expose the sole of the club to the sand and increase the loft of the club as it swings through the hitting area. Allow the clubhead to pass the hands as the club swings up into the follow through.

Once this feeling is mastered, simply practice contacting the sand in the same place each time you swing. Try to have the sole of the club first contact the sand in the middle of the stance with the ball placed two to three inches forward of that.

Balance and rotate through the shot
Keep the balance a little on the front foot and continue to rotate through impact for consistent and high splash shots from bunkers.

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Mike Kinloch is Head Professional at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club’s Peter Cowan Academy Dubai. For more information, visit dubaigolf.com