Make bunker play a doddle

Not so long ago I used to dread landing in one of the greenside bunkers. It used to fill me with fear and trepidation. My action in trying to get the ball out was akin to killing sand flies but all that was to change thank goodness with a little help from my good friend Raymond.

A short while ago I called round his house to return a book he had so kindly lent me called "The greatest game ever played". The story of Francis Quimet who won the US Open in 1913 as a young amateur.

Anyway, Pam his wife answered the door and I asked if Ray was about. "Yes come on in" she replied. "Ray's out the back practising his bunker shots".

"Really"? Said I, envisioning that Ray had somehow dug a bunker in his lawn. She caught my look of bewilderment and said, "Well it's not really a bunker", she laughed "It's just one sheet hanging on a line and another spread out on the lawn" Then she added, "I think he's just having a little 'fix' before he next gets to play".

I must state here and now that Pam is not a golfer. And what we little boys do is of no concern to any non golfer. They simply don't understand the steps we take in the pursuit of golfing knowledge.

I entered the back garden and there on the lawn just as Pam had described was a short line with an old blanket draped over. And on the ground an old sheet spread out covered in sand and in the midst of that a piece of laminated chip board measuring about 2 feet by 8 inches. By the sheet was an opened bag of building sand.

Now I was intrigued. What on earth was he up to?
"Hi Woody, come on over" said Ray, "and take a look at this". "Got this idea off the Internet".

Ray went on to explain that this little technique should help a lot of club players who get over anxious about getting the ball out of the sand. In an effort to get the ball out they will invariably try and chop down into the sand only to see the ball fly over the green and probably end up in another greenside bunker.

I was guilty of that. I used to be the greatest cross country bunker player ever!

Anyway, back to what I was saying.

Ray then placed a tidy mound of sand onto the middle of the board then placed a golf ball on top. He then explained that the sole purpose of this exercise was to enhance the feeling of using the bounce of the club to glide under the ball which the chipboard replicated.

I watched Ray execute the shot then I gave it a go.

I was a bit apprehensive to begin with because I feared I would break the board with my normal chopping motion but I needn't have worried. After a few tentative tries the club just seemed to bounce off the board and the ball floating to the back of the safety blanket.

I think the reason I was successful in hitting the ball was because I was conscious of trying not to hit down thus causing damage to the board and to Ray's s/wedge. So here again my subconscious mind came to the rescue and I believe altered the way I approached the ball.

I had several practice shots using the board in my own back garden (Yes, I built my own much to the amusement of the wife), until I became very adept at using the technique.

The following week I went along to the practice bunker with my board. I placed the board in the bunker and took a few practice shots to warm up. Next I discarded the board, placed a ball in the bunker and 'voila' out it popped. My club head just 'bounced' through the sand just as it did using the board.