I don’t care how good you are at golf, sometimes bunker shots just don’t go your way. While the chunked shot that never leaves the sand usually gets all the attention, the skull is quite common and every bit as costly. If you’re skulling bunker shots, chances are it comes down to a few key mistakes. Here are the most common causes and the adjustments that will help you stop hitting these shots for good.
1. Standing up through impact
Losing your spine angle through impact could be the reason behind the skulled shot. Your lead side straightens, your chest lifts and the low point moves behind the ball instead of in front of it. As the clubhead is coming into the ball, it rises, and you miss the sand altogether.
The fix:
- At setup, feel as if your sternum is just in front of the ball.
- Flex your knees and “sit down” into the shot.
- During the swing, focus on keeping that flex. Imagine your chest staying level over the ball until after the strike.
If you can find some time to work on this in a bunker, hit practice shots while holding your finish with your knees flexed. If you can freeze without standing tall, you’ll keep the low point in the right place.
2. Swing path too shallow
To hit great bunker shots, you want a bit more of an upright approach to the golf ball. If the club gets too far behind you and your swing flattens, the shallow strike can skim the sand or even miss it entirely and cause you to skull your shot. On the other hand, you don’t want to drive the leading edge too steeply into the sand, as that can cause digging and inconsistent contact. The goal is a long, shallow divot that uses the bounce to glide through the sand.
The fix:
- Think of swinging the club more “up and down” rather than “around.”
- Keep your arms more in front of your chest on the backswing; don’t let them get behind you.
- Feel the clubhead enter the sand just behind the ball and continue through at a slightly steeper angle, allowing the bounce on the wedge to do the work.
Practice by drawing a line in the sand and focusing on hitting down on the line and splashing the sand.
3. Tilting instead of turning
The instinct of many amateur golfers when hitting out of a bunker is to lift the ball out. Players try a last-second flip or lift move in an effort to get the ball out of the sand. This doesn’t work. Trying to lift the ball out of the bunker causes your upper body to tilt back. It can result in either a fat shot or a skulled one.
The fix:
- At address, place about 60 percent of your weight on your front foot.
- Rotate your chest around your lead leg instead of leaning back.
- Picture your sternum staying over a line drawn an inch behind the ball.
4. Decelerating through the shot
The last mistake is one of the hardest to overcome. Many players slow down in fear of sending the ball over the green but when the hands stall, the clubhead flips forward and catches the ball clean. To avoid this, you have to trust your setup and the strike.
The keys? Keeping your weight forward, staying down through the shot, and letting the club enter the sand just behind the ball.
From there, commit to swinging with speed instead of trying to guide the ball. As scary as it feels to really go after a bunker shot, the outcome of trying to help, scoop or lift will always be worse. Trust the sand to absorb the strike, allow the bounce of the wedge to glide underneath and finish with a high, full follow-through.
Final thoughts
Skulled bunker shots come from predictable mistakes. Stay in your posture, swing steeper, rotate instead of tilt and keep your speed. The primary issue most golfers face when playing out of the sand is a lack of practice. Find a bunker and spend some time experimenting. You’ll quickly find the key to stop skulling your bunker shots.
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