=================================================== 2) Bunker Play: Lies Above the Feet
=================================================== Landing in a bunker is bad enough, but ending up with a lie below your feet and an awkward stance to hit from just adds to your difficulties. What’s worse, there’s a real danger of hitting this shot thin, sending the ball flying over the green. But executing the shot properly extricates you nicely from this predicament.

Here are five keys to the shot:

-Grip the club as long as possible
-Stay down in the back swing
-Splash behind the ball
-Hit down and through
-Stay within yourself

Once again your set-up is key. You must get the clubhead down to the level of the ball, so start by gripping the club as “long” as possible. Use an open stance, bend from the waist more than usual, position your weight on your heels just a bit, and select a good landing spot for the ball.

The key with your backswing is keeping your head at the same level throughout the swing. Take the club back on the outside, then hinge your wrists, setting the shaft on an upright plane. Also, keep your knees flexed and your spine angle constant throughout the shot.

Now focus on a spot in the sand just behind the ball and blast away. Try to swing the clubhead through the sand under the ball along a line parallel with your feet, just as you would with a normal bunker shot. The out-to-in swing path should set the ball on a low but direct trajectory toward the flag.

The ball comes out of this shot a little right of your aim, with just a trace of slice spin, so make allowances. And don’t try to do too much with this shot. Getting the ball out of the bunker and on the green is your first priority.

=================================================== 3) Question of the Week- Overcoming Excessive Loft =================================================== From Sloane Richardson

Overcoming Excessive Loft

Q. Hi, Jack. Thanks for your newsletters. They’re very informative and I learn a lot from the information you post. How can I reduce the height of my ball after striking off the tee? No matter which club I use, drivers or irons, I seem to have very high elevation of ball flight, which assists me in losing distance, especially in the wind. Associates have told me it's my hands. If this is the case, what drills can I exercise to eliminate high ball flight? Thanks for taking the time to read my email.

A. Thanks for the question, Sloane. No doubt about it, excessive loft, especially on a windy day, robs you of distance.

Two things cause excessive loft: (1) incorrect weight shift, and (2) approaching the ball from a very steep angle. Many golfers who hit pop-ups or high lofted shots don’t shift their weight correctly during the swing, causing the club to come down on a steep angle. The steep descent de-lofts the clubface, causing the club’s topline to become its leading edge. Together, these swing faults drive the ball straight up in the air.

Some simple changes in your set-up should help eliminate the elevation problem. The key is making sure your set-up encourages a higher and longer backswing arc, which in turn shallows out your swing plane and reduces the steepness of your downswing.

First, widen your stance a bit, creating room for a big backswing arc. If you’re not comfortable using a wider stance, try it on the practice range first. Then concentrate on maintaining a higher position at the top of your backswing and a lower one at the finish. Stay low to the ground through the hitting zone. Keep the hands ahead of the club, driving the ball forward on a low trajectory. Finish with your weight well forward. Make sure your front shoulder faces the target. Maintain balance throughout the swing.

These changes will help you make a full shoulder turn and shift your weight to your back foot on your backswing and your forward foot on your forwardswing, instead of vice versa. Proper weight shift helps eliminate the excessive shot elevation.

If you've got a golf question you'd like answered, send an email to us at questions@howtobreak80.com and we'll review it. I can't guarantee that we'll use it but if we do, we'll make sure to include your name and where you're from.

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