If you are a typical high-handicap weekend golfer, then you probably have an incorrect mental attitude towards sand traps. Before I proceed any further, a couple of definitions may be in order:
1. High-handicap – anything above a handicap of 9 for an 18 hole golf course. (I’m sure the Captain of the Royal Calcutta Golf Club will agree with that definition; not so sure about fellow members!)
2. Correct mental attitude – every time your ball falls in a sand trap, think of it as an opportunity, and not a problem.
Like most high-handicap weekend golfers with imperfect swings and inability to hit the long irons crisply on target, I tend to hit more sand traps than greens in regulation. Every time I’d fall into one, I would curse my bad luck, grab my sand wedge (regardless of the lie or the distance to be covered) and rush into the bunker in a tearing hurry to some how get the ball out.
The result? Either a skulled shot that would go screaming over the green into much deeper trouble. Or, several swings at the ball without propelling it out of the trap, and then bending down to toss it on the green and saying ‘Your hole’ (as if there was any doubt!).
It was fellow golfer and lovable hustler Harjivan Singh - a team member when we won the Wills Trophy (now ITC Cup) back in 1984 at the Tollygunge Club - who taught me the correct mental attitude towards sand traps.
His logic was simple. For high-handicappers, the opportunities for making birdies are few and far between – particularly in a course as long as the RCGC with only one par 3 and one par 5 in each nine. There were far more opportunities in hitting greenside bunkers – specially if you aimed at them!
Harjivan would actually do that, and then try to get up and down for a ‘sandie’. He made quite a few bucks on the side every round.
The point is: if you approach a sand shot with the correct mental attitude, looking at it as an opportunity to make a ‘sandie’, there are more chances that you will come out close enough to the pin with a single swing.
Of course, it helps to know how to execute different types of bunker shots required for different lies and sand conditions. Stay tuned, and I’ll be happy to share my experiences.
(Notes: Thanks to fellow golfers who have encouraged me to write these weekly golf tips. I look forward to your feedback and suggestions. You can use the ‘comments’ link below the post, or send an email to me.)
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2 comments:
Hi!.
I am Dr Lakshminarayanan. I am glad we are now getting some really interesting E mails on the Golf subject, although the spam E mails are still doing their round.
I do recall you Subhankar, although I have not had an opportunity to exhibit my golfing skills to you so far. I met you once very long ago at the Saturday Club.
I am now really looking forward to your follow up bit on the subject of opportunities to score Sandies.
Thanks for your comments, Dr L.
With such words of encouragement, I'll be more than motivated to share my golfing experiences on a regular basis.
We will have an opportunity to exhibit our golfing skills to each other soon - as I plan to return to the course from October (after my annual sabbatical during the summer and monsoon months).
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