Bunkers By Golf Pro Jonathan Yarwood

Fri, Jan 22, 2010

Bunkers

By Jonathan Yarwood

People often have a torrid time in bunkers and develop a real fear of them. They can dramatically increase a player’s score without you noticing, really. Imagine if you got up and down more often out of a bunker and did not take two or three shots to get out, how many shots you could save!

Better bunkers are about understanding how the club works. The back edge of the sole of a sand iron is higher than the front. It acts like the rubber of a ship, ’skidding’ the club across the sand. If the front edge ‘digs’ then the club gets buried and no longer skids. Many people are told to pick the club up and cut across the ball. In my experience that makes the club dig too much and the ball is either left in the bunker or thinned out. When the club is picked up in such a way, it creates what I call a ‘V’ shaped swing. Too sharp if you like.

In order to get the bounce to work, you must create more a ‘U’ shaped swing. This allows the club to ’skid’ and the ball to come out on a consistent carpet of sand. I have created the shot you can see here which is the ’sure out’ shot! Simply stand very wide, lean left, open the face slightly and lock your arms. Imagine you start at 6 o’clock on a clock face at address. Keeping your arms locked and using a turning motion of your torso to propel the stroke, simple swing back to 9oclock and through to 3 o’clock keeping your arms locked throughout. This creates a lovely ‘U’ Shaped swing, gets the club to skid and makes the ball come out consistently and with spin! Try it, it works a treat!

Jonathan Yarwood was originally from the United Kingdom, but relocated to the United States in 1996. After a few years as one of David Leadbetter’s senior teachers, Jonathan branched out on his own and has enjoyed an extensive career with a track record that speaks for itself: He has coached, 2 US Amateur Champions including this years champion Ben An, 2 US Girls Champions and 1 US Open Champion in Michael Campbell in 2005. That is 5 USGA champs in 10 years, which is a record in itself. Add to that the four number one juniors, 3 AJGA players of the year, a collegiate number one, a male and female nationally ranked number one as well as a winner on every major professional tour, you have a record to rival the best. Jonathan was voted a Top 20 teacher under 40 years old by Golf Digest in 2006, after 5 straight years of being in the best teacher in state rankings for Florida.

But Jonathan remains humble and states he is ‘just a small part of their success’. He enjoys teaching people of every standard equally. Having a state of the art academy at The Concession with an indoor video suite and putting studio he specializes in all areas of the game, making it a ‘one stop shop’. For more information visit www.golfjy.com or call 941.322.1465.