Golf Practice Drills: hinge wrists in bunker

Step 1: Hands behind the ball

The cock wrists in bunker drill is our third bunker play article in the Bunker Play Practice Drills series.

For most shots in golf we're told to push our hands forwards of the ball, firm up the wrists during impact and follow-through and whatever you do don't break or hinge your wrists.

This drill from PGA coach Simon Garner is designed for the high floating bunker shot where you have a good sat-up lie when aiming at a tight pin position.

Get an alignment stick, then set up with the ball in the middle of your stance, feet open, and line the shaft up with the stick as seen in the left-hand photograph.

For a regular shot outside the bunker your hands would be forward of this stick, towards the left-hand side of your body to compress the ball at impact.

But with this shot you want to go straight underneath the ball to gain more height and loft on the shot. So as a drill try a few swings imagining the alignment stick is there to stop your hands going past centre at impact.

Click the next slide to see how Simon whips the club under the ball through impact...