SAND SOLUTIONS
Many of the bunkers on No. 2 are large and
deep, which means you have to get the ball up
to get it out. That’s easier than you might
think because the sand at Pinehurst is heavier
and firmer than the fluffy beach-type sand
used on many American courses.
When this situation presents itself, take
your normal sand stance, but don’t twist your
feet in too deeply because you want to thump
the sand with the club, not dig into it.
Another important setup key is to not open
the clubface too much; keep it square or
just slightly open to add only a little bit of
loft. Open the clubface first and then grip
the club.
With the ball slightly ahead of center in
your stance and your weight equally distributed between your feet, make a
normal swing and don’t force an exaggerated out-to-in path. Try to feel
the club thumping the firm sand
and swing all the way through.
Ideally, your hands
should finish near
or above your left ear
(for right-handers), and
the blast of sand should
hit the face of the bunker or
land on the green. Don’t try to lift the ball out
in an effort to escape the bunker. This error
typically leads to the player falling back on
their trail foot during the swing and skulled
or inconsistent shots. Make a normal full
swing and you’ll be just fine.
TEXAS-TYPE PLAY—WITH A CAROLINA
TOUCH
I’m amazed how often golfers elect to
putt while just off the green when playing
No. 2, and just as surprised that they don’t
know how to execute the shot properly.
With a little practice, you’ll find it useful
wherever you play, especially if you struggle
with your chipping.
The motion from off the green is almost
PETE WOFFORD (3)
Escape bunker trouble
by swinging to a full
finish and splashing the
sand out of the hazard.
w w w. v s g a . o r g
Master_VSGA_MayJune14.indd 35
Some shots are best played with a putter when
you’re off the green. With the ball forward in
your stance, make a longer stroke that creates
enough momentum for the ball to travel through
some uneven terrain and longer grass. A fluid and
accelerating motion will keep the ball moving once
it’s on the putting surface.
identical to your normal putting stroke with
one key adjustment. Move the ball slightly
forward in your stance, which has the effect of
lifting the ball a little bit after impact without
any manipulation of the hands or stroke. You
want to give the ball the chance to get off the
ground for the first few feet so it doesn’t get
caught up in the longer grass, that it lands on
the green and starts rolling. Many golfers
instinctively move the ball back in their
stance from off the green. This technique
pops the ball up, but usually without enough
power to get it over the long grass. It also
changes the feel of the putting stroke to your
detriment.
When faced with this shot, take your normal setup, position the ball a little forward in
the stance, then make a longer stroke than
you normally would for a putt of the same
length. A good rule of thumb is to add about
10 percent to the length of the stroke, both
going back and accelerating through. This
will help compensate for the longer grass
you’re hitting from and aid in getting the ball
to the hole. The tendency is to underestimate
the length and not make a long enough
stroke. A common fault I see is that players
make a long motion going back without
matching the same length of stroke going
through. Be sure to make a balanced stroke,
longer both back and through to the finish
position.
Here’s an added tip: Research I’ve done at
the Pinehurst Golf Academy with Dr. Bob
Cristina indicates that when reading greens,
golfers don’t play enough break, so allow for
more curvature. In order to get the ball close
on lag putts, play twice as much break as you
think you see and adjust accordingly.
M AY / J U N E 2 0 14 | V I R G I N I A G O L F E R
35
5/2/14 9:04 AM