Tee Peg Bunker Drill for Golf

Golf Monthly Top 25 Coach, Ged Walters offers a simple tee peg bunker drill for golf to help you escape the sand everytime

If your bunker shot basics and fundamental technique are correct you'll have a great chance to really increase your up-and-down percentage from greenside bunkers. This tee peg bunker drill for golf should certainly help...

Watch our beginner's guide to bunker play video with GM Top 25 Coach, Paul Foston...

1) Set-up essentials Most golfers know to open up their stance in the sand, but the best way to get everything right at address is to actually start by setting up square to the target. This gives you a reference point as to where you want your club to be aiming.

From this square set-up, feed the clubface around in your hands so it starts to look off to the right (perhaps around 45˚). Now turn the body and feet round to the left until the clubface returns to the square-to-target position at address.

2) Wriggle those feet Because you’re in sand and want to get the club down below the ball at impact, you’ll need to wriggle the feet in. Getting the body slightly lower than the level of the sand makes it easier to take the depth of divot required, with the club entering the sand about 1.5in behind the ball.

Place around 65% of your body’s pressure onto your lead side (the left leg for right-handers) and keep it there all the way through the swing.

Watch as GM Top 25 Coach Peter Finch explains how a bank note can help your bunker play..

3) Follow the feet Many golfers achieve this nice open position at address but then swing too much around the body. This leads to too shallow an angle of attack, and the club entering the sand too far behind the ball with disastrous consequences. You need to swing along the line of your body and toes.

Remember, you’ve pre-set the clubface to be pointing at the target, so that is where the ball will then go rather than down the line of your swing. Hinging the wrists a little early will help you get a nice wrist set to help you swing along the line.

Need more of a running bunker shot? Watch GM Top 25 Coach Andrew Reynolds explain how to play it...

4) Tee peg bunker drill for golf Good bunker play is not just about where the club enters the sand, but whereabouts it bottoms out at its lowest point. You want the deepest point of the divot to be directly underneath the ball. Tee your ball up in the sand, as shown in this photo, then swing along the line of your toes trying to hit the base of the tee.

The ball should just fall into the spot were the tee was. Now place a ball on the sand and take your set-up, imagining that you can see through the sand to the base of the tee. Make the same swing, and in your mind, try to hit the base of the tee again. The tee peg bunker drill for golf is a great way to get the feel you need to play better sand shots.

Be nice and committed and keep the clubhead moving through to the finish with a smooth acceleration. The club will glide through the sand, splashing the ball out in the process.