I don’t like bunker shots.
I’ll take a hard chip over a bunker shot almost every time and I know it’s probably thinking backwards. When you get into a bunker with a good lie, you can spin the ball, control the opening and play a variety of shots. In theory, it’s a pretty good place to get lost.
However, I still don’t like these shots and, even as a scratch golfer, getting up and down the sand doesn’t happen as often as I’d like.
This got me thinking about how often golfers MUST to get up and down from the bunkers.
Here’s a look at some Shot Scope data that helps put bunker performance into perspective.
What is a good percentage of sand saving?
A sand course measures how often a golfer rises and falls in level after hitting a bunker on the edge of the green.
| Handicap | Sand saving percentage |
|---|---|
| 0 | 37% |
| 5 | 23% |
| 10 | 20% |
| 15 | 18% |
| 20 | 15% |
| 25 | 10% |
Even scratch players save par from greenside bunkers only slightly more than one out of every three attempts.
Once handicaps pass into the mid-teens, bunker saves become much less common. A golfer with a 15 handicap converts about 18 percent, roughly a successful save on every five attempts.
That number sounds low until you consider how often golfers find themselves in green bunkers during a round.
Most golfers only hit one bunker shot per round
Bunkers feel like a constant threat on the course, but the average golfer doesn’t visit them very often.
When Shot Scope looked at the rounds of players of all handicaps, the typical golfer only faced one bunker shot per round.
| Handicap | Greenside average bunkers per round |
|---|---|
| 0 | 0.68 |
| 5 | 1.06 |
| 10 | 1.12 |
| 15 | 1.18 |
| 20 | 1.22 |
| 25 | 1.26 |
Three ways to improve your bunker game
Bunker shots can feel intimidating, but the basics are pretty simple once you understand what the club is supposed to do in the sand. If you’re like me and need a little more confidence to get out of the bunker, here are three tips.
Open the club face before you grip the club
Many golfers grip the club first and then swing the club face. This often adds shaft lean and reduces the loft that helps the club slide through the sand.
Instead, put the club behind the ball, roll the face slightly open, and then grip.
Commit to rhythm
Bunker shots still require a dedicated swing.
Many golfers slow down because they are worried about hitting the ball too far. The result is usually a poor shot that often leaves the ball in the sand.
Think of spraying the sand with speed instead of driving the club at the ball. When practicing bunker shots, note your finishing position.
Keep a stretch on your lead wrist
A common bunker mistake is letting the lead wrist bend or bend too much during the swing.
When this happens, the wing closes and the leading edge digs into the sand. This often leads to thin shots into the green or heavy shots that stay in the bunker.
Many good bunker players hold a small extension on the lead wrist so the clubface stays open and the bounce of the wedge can slide through the sand. I use “slight cup on the lead wrist” as a conscious thought in the bunker and it has helped me hit higher shots with more control.
Final thoughts
Bunker shooting can feel intimidating, but these numbers provide some useful perspective.
Even scratch players retain value from the green bunkers one in every three attempts. For most amateur players, the percentage is much lower.
