Simple Bunker Thoughts

In this post I am going to give you a little idea on how to take the terror out of bunker play.
I learnt this little thought pattern whilst I was doing my European Golf Teachers Federation(EGTF) coaching diploma.
The EGTF specialises in keeping the game as simple as possible recognizing the fact that the vast majority of golfers are not professionals. The coaching methods are geared accordingly.
Remember when learning how to coach you are being taught how to coach and how to get the message across in the simplest form, you are not being taught to play - and this does make a big difference in mindset - and mindset is what this game is all about.
However having coached bunker play this way to thousands of players I find it an invaluable when playing my own bunker shots. As a result I generally have no fear of going into a bunker.
The way we coach this is to ask the students what the bunker reminds them of.
The majority, about 99%, of students will answer: "the beach".
This is then followed with the obvious question of : "what happens at the beach?".
"We have fun" is usually the unanimous reply.
And that is half the secret - have fun when you are in the bunker.
Now you can't actually do what I am about to tell you in a bunker when you are playing a game but you can do it while practicing.
All right here we go:
For normal greenside bunkers pretend that your ball is the centre of a pizza - kids love pizzas so they associate easily with this.
To do this draw a ring around the ball the size of a medium pizza - this size will change as you get more practice and learn which size pizza suits the particular shot.
Now with your ball lying in the center of the pizza I want you to take a normal swing but have your club enter the sand at the front end of the pizza, slide your club under the pizza and try and scoop the pizza out and intact to land on the green - just as if you were serving it on a plate.
Doing this takes your mind totally off the ball with the concentration being on entering the sand at the front of the pizza, sliding the club under it and bringing it out at the end of the pizza. the ball will pop up on it's own accord. Practice this often with the same size pizza and the same swing. You will soon learn how far your favourite size pizza will go. To adjust distance simply change the size of the pizza - smaller for longer shots and larger for shorter shots.
When actually playing draw an imaginary pizza around your ball and swing with confidence.
Try it and don't forget to have fun.
I just remembered a lovely story I once read in Harvey Penick's Little Red Book: Lessons and Teachings from a Lifetime of Golf. Harvey was one of the greatest coaches that ever lived and you can get this book by clicking on this link. Get any of his books as they make for great reading.
This particular story is about a wealthy man who had heard about Harvey's coaching skills and travelled many miles to attend a lesson. When he got there he explained that his particular problem was bunker play and with that he started striding off to the practice bunker in anticipation of his lesson. Harvey stopped him in his tracks explaining that they should proceed to the practice fairway where Harvey would teach him how to stay out of the bunkers.
So if you have a fear of bunkers learn to stay out of them first and when all else fails treat it as if you are a kid at the beach.
Enjoy!