Let me say first that almost every bad grip I see is the direct result of a bad set-up position. We have to have a good grip so we do not have to manipulate the club in any way.

First of all let’s put some bad thoughts to rest. Most of us that have been around golf for a while have heard a lot of talk about the V’s and the Knuckles in the grip - where the V’s are pointing and how many knuckles we should see at address.

Well, these two things are completely meaningless. Let me give you an example.

Bob Charles, one of the best all-time players on tour, was very tall and set up that way as well. When he looked down at his hands at address he could only see half of one knuckle on his hand. Hubert Green another of the best that ever played the game, was short and he also loved to set up a little hunched over the ball, resulting in him being able to see all of his knuckles on the left hand.

 

They both had perfect grips.

The main thing is that you have the club in your fingers as illustrated in the picture above. And you have the right hand on the club as if you were shaking hands with someone. Your palms will be facing each other. This is the most powerful position you can get into with your hands.

Your left hand can be facing a little to the left if that is comfortable for you, but your right MUST be like you are shaking hands with the grip.

If your right hand is a little under the grip (too far to the right) it makes a weak position. If your right hand is too far to the left, this is also a weak position.

Now that your hands are on the club correctly, they MUST hinge in the golf swing to keep the club square. Go ahead and lift the club straight up with your wrists so the club head goes straight up in line with your spine. Notice how the club head stays perfectly square. If you flipped your hands to the left or right you are shutting and opening the face.

Get these fundamentals in your golf swing and you will have fun and get much better at the same time.

Today’s lesson is on using the correct club in a greenside bunker and it is not always the sand wedge. In fact, this is the worst club to use in the situation we will talk about today.

If you play golf on a course with some large greens you will run into this scenario quite often over the course of a season. You have landed in a bunker, have a good lie, but there is a lot of green between you and the flagstick.

Most people I see who have trouble with this shot automatically take out the sand wedge every time and have trouble getting close to the pin over and over. Instead of the sand wedge, try using your pitching wedge or even a 9 iron if the shot is a bit up hill.

 

                       The Long Bunker Shot

Now take a nice easy swing as if the pin was just on the green and see the ball come out lower with more run on it. Because of the lesser loft on the pitching wedge you will not have as much spin on the ball and it will run out much better.

I liken this play to the chip and run you have around the green. You know how easy this shot is compared to lofting the ball in the air all the way to the pin.

One last thing on this particular play – you do not have to open the face up as much as you do on a very short bunker shot. The more you open the face of the club, the more loft you are adding. The whole idea of this shot is to have a little less than normal.

Put this into your game on long greenside bunker shots and you will see quite a few shorter putts and lower scores.