Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Rory’ s lofty ambitions
Continues his hints and tips section by looking at bunker shots and examines how Rory McIlroy has become one of the top bunker players by keeping things simple and choosing clubs with plenty of loft
Bunkers can be costly to most amateurs, but professionals would rather miss a green in a bunker than the thick rough, as they have more chance of getting it up and down for par, and more control over the spin of the ball from the sand.
Rory McIlroy has always been a wizard at this, spending his childhood playing on the links courses of Ireland and having to escape from steep-face revetted bunkers.
He has shown his proficiency numerous times at the Open, escaping from some tricky spots when it really matters.
And how does he achieve this? By manipulating a number of factors with the loft of the club, ensuring he hits the same point in the sand consistently and by keeping his foundations the same no matter what he is faced with.
The rest (swing etc) is taken care of by what the shot requires; eg distance etc. But as long as you opt for height via club loft, you will be able to get out of most bunkers you are faced with the next time you are out on the course.
GET OUT OF THE BUNKER FIRST TIME
Choose a lofted club – 58/60 – it is a must to get the ball up and over the bunker lip.
Position the ball opposite the left heel and place 60/40 on your left side, then aim to hit 1-2” behind the ball with lots of speed – commit to it. Splash, the ball should be out and on the green.
Drill: draw two lines, 1-2” apart and set up to the line closest to the intended target opposite the left heel (R/H golfer /opposite for L/H), this is the ball line. The second line is called the ‘strike’ line… where you want to make numerous swings in the sand without a ball… to hit the ‘strike line’.
If you’re not hitting it consistently, check your weight is staying on your left side and you’re committing to swinging through the shot.