How to easily execute a longer greenside bunker shot

With the Presidents Cup coming to Medinah Country Club and the recent redesign of the greenside bunkering, we’re likely to see the world’s best players faced with longer, more challenging bunker shots. Most golfers have an easier time mastering a short bunker shot 10-15 yards from the pin, but struggle when they are faced with a longer bunker shot.

The good news is that these longer bunker shots don’t have to be complicated. You generally have enough distance to launch the ball with some carry without having to hit a high, soft shot like you would on a shorter bunker shot.

Start with your sand wedge and, if you need more carry, try a lower-lofted wedge like a gap wedge or pitching wedge. Swing it more like a pitch shot rather than the soft, high swing you might use from a greenside bunker. Think about making a wider, slightly slower takeaway and allowing the club to enter the sand closer to the ball. This will create more ball contact and less sand contact.

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One of my favorite ways to practice this shot is to start off the grass. Get comfortable with the pitch-like motion and the lower trajectory, then take that same motion into the bunker. You’ll quickly notice that the ball won’t travel quite as far from the sand as it does from the grass, so give yourself some time to adjust.

It takes a little practice to trust a longer bunker shot, but once you do, it can become a valuable option around the green. Instead of trying to manufacture a high, soft shot from every bunker, you can use a lower-lofted club and a familiar motion to take some of the guesswork out of the shot.

If you’re an experienced golfer, especially a single-digit player, experiment with an even lower-lofted wedge while keeping the same 10-15 yard greenside bunker setup and swing. You may find that changing the loft gives you another useful option when the pin is farther away.

My advice: watch the Presidents Cup players this week closely when they hit this shot. You can learn a lot by watching how they execute these tricky, longer bunker shots.