[Kim Hyunjun's Photo Lesson] Laird's Winning Bunker Shot "Blasting the Sand"

During Shriner's Victory at the 9th Hole 'Bunker Shot Eagle' Situation, Club and Left Arm Form a 'V', Backswing is Sufficiently 'Three-Quarters'

Martin Laird is executing an 'explosion bunker shot' on the 9th hole on the final day of the Shriners Children's Open.

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] 'Explosion bunker shot.'

Martin Laird (Scotland) claimed the winner's trophy after a playoff on the final day of the PGA Tour Shriners Children's Open (total prize money $7 million) held on the 12th at Summerlin TPC in Las Vegas, Nevada (par 71, 7,243 yards). He drew even more spotlight by making a big splash as an invited player. The victory brought him a prize of $1.26 million (about 1.45 billion KRW), a two-year tour card, and a ticket to the 2021 Masters, among other incredible rewards.

It is interesting that Laird gained momentum by making an 'eagle bunker shot' on the 9th hole (par 5). His second shot landed in a greenside bunker about 6 meters away. To make matters worse, his left foot was positioned outside the bunker, a challenging situation. This is one of the most difficult trouble shots amateur golfers face in real play. First, you must eliminate the anxious mind that worries about a missed shot. Remember, if you stop your swing halfway, you will never get out of the bunker.

This is the 'pre-shot routine.' Bury both feet deeply in the sand to stabilize your stance, then aim at a point one inch behind the ball and make contact. If the pin is at 12 o'clock, position your feet at 11 o'clock and slightly open the clubface to aim at 1 o'clock. In the backswing, immediately cock your wrists to create a 'V' shape between the club and your left arm. The wedge’s bounce (the thick part at the bottom of the clubface) strikes the sand and slides underneath.

The correct motion is when the shaft end (grip) points toward the ground. A three-quarter backswing is sufficient. The softer the sand, the more forcefully you must hit to throw out a large amount of sand to escape. In the case of a 'fried egg lie,' where the ball is half-buried in the sand, close the clubface instead. The principle is that standing the club like a shovel scoops out much more sand. The sand wedge sole scrapes the sand behind the ball.

The final tip is for shots from a sloped bunker. The key is to 'keep your knees fixed,' maintaining the height throughout the shot to accurately impact the ball. On downhill slopes, it is especially easy to instinctively stand up suddenly. This causes mishits where the clubface only grazes the top of the ball, causing it to curve right. For high handicappers, it is wiser to avoid risky shots from unstable lies such as bunker lips and instead play around the side or back to set up the next shot.