It’s no secret that playing from the sand can be daunting for golfers of all levels. Many amateurs tend to struggle with bunker shots because they don’t have the right approach. This often causes them to set up improperly and pull the wrong club — which makes it difficult to gauge the strength of their shot.
For instance, playing from a greenside bunker is different than playing from one that requires a long bunker shot. The depth of the bunker could be different, as well as the distance to the pin, meaning you’ll need the right club to determine how to shoot your shot.
To help with that, Bernie Najar — a GOLF Top 100 Teacher and the Director of Instruction at Caves Valley Golf Club — is here to give some tips.
According to Najar, amateurs need to expand their club selection when playing longer bunker shots. This is why he recommends ditching the customary wedge in favor of a 9-iron.
In the video above, Najar says for a long bunker shot (in this case, one from 30+ yards), using a 9-iron can be an effective club option — as long as you know how to use it.
“I want you to open the [club]face up, and make sure your lead edge is pointing towards your left toe [for right-handed players],” says Najar. “From there, get down a little bit more than your normal stance. Make a good bunker swing here, and let this stronger club get you to the target.”
In Najar’s opinion, by clubbing up to a 9-iron when faced with a longer bunker shot, you’ll have a better opportunity to increase your length and some insurance against leaving a shot short of the green.
“You’ll see when I swing on that shot with the 9-iron, I’m using my general bunker swing,” he said. “But the stronger club allows us to hit the ball further and get the ball up and down more when you’re in this position.”
So the next time you’re in the sand and the pin is 30+ yards away, go ahead and try using a 9-iron. It may go against your initial intuition, but it can produce great results when you follow the above tips from Najar.
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