Martin Kaymer is a former number 1 player in the world, so see how he can help your bunker shots.
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When most golfers hear the word “chunk” on the golf course, they cringe. The last thing you want to do is chunk shot, make the ball travel only a few feet and get hit all over the process.
But not all pieces are created equal, so it’s time to shed the negative stigma that often comes with that name.
Need proof? Just listen to LIV grand champion and LIV golfer Martin Kaymer in the video below (courtesy of the LIV Golf YouTube channel), as the former No.
Martin Kaymer shows how to hit a ‘chunk and run’ bunker shot
What is a chunk and run bunker shot?
Before diving into Kaymer’s tips, it’s important to understand what a chunk-and-run bunker shot actually is. While it still requires finesse, it’s often preferred by top players when they play a shot from a bunker that’s far from the green – rather than sitting on the green, which requires a high, spinny shot with an open clubface.
And by doing this nifty bunker shot, you’ll generate more topspin on the ball, allowing room for error if you’re short so the ball rolls toward the pin.
Kaymer’s tips to hit the spot and run
In the video above, Kaymer admits to getting pleasure from playing undershots.
“There’s a lot of different ways to play bunker shots, so I think that’s always been one of my strengths,” Kaymer said. “The chunk and the run is the easiest way to get the ball out of the ground because there is a lot of margin. [of error]so you don’t have to hit it completely.”
Kaymer then goes into his chunk hitting tips and runs a bunker shot.
“The goal is to stop slowly on the green and let it drop like a putt [with added roll],” explained Kaymer. “Lies don’t mean much because you take a lot of sand in front of the ball so that the sand carries the ball to the green. So you don’t need to fly there with a lot of spin. You can simply record it and play it like a putt. “
Kaymer insists on beating it with oil, to ensure that you take more sand. This probably goes against your instincts as a golfer, but it’s necessary to get the ball out of the bunker – while using enough club speed to produce the ball flight you need.
“You really [need to] hit it fat with a lot of sand, and you need to avoid backspin,” he adds. “The football area should always be almost the same, in the middle of mine [lead] the foot. And there is no wrist hinge at the top [of the backswing]and the wrist position remains neutral.
Kaymer then explains the big difference when hitting this shot versus other types of bunker shots.
“The big difference is that my left hand [for a right-handed player] trying to stay strong. Because once you hit the ball in the basement, you try to use the bounce [of the club]but I don’t really use it for this type of shot – with a strong left wrist that helps eliminate spin,” he explains. “I try to hit the ball 2 to 3 inches behind it, which helps me spread it.”
Many wedges are very useful for making this type of shot.
This process makes one of the golf swings a breeze
By:
Zephyr Melton
“Would you take [almost] any center because you don’t need to worry about spin, you just need to worry about how high [the ball] we have to go out,” he said. “If there’s a high lip in front of you, maybe take a lob wedge. If there is a very small lip in front of you, you can take a gap wedge or a pitching wedge – but you will need to open the face slightly and aim slightly to the left of the target. [when using a pitching wedge].”
Finally, Kaymer says you should place your ball where you will start your putt on the green, allowing the ball to roll into the spot on the flag.
“You want to play this game like a putt, so when you get to the green, you need to read the line like you would when putting,” he adds. “There I will start my own [putting] the line is where my ball should be.”
So if you have some distance between the basement and the rack, try using Kaymer’s tips above to make a chunk and run. It takes some practice to get used to, but it can be an effective way to put your ball short and watch it roll into the pin.
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