It is likely to be the scariest shot in golf. Here is how you can pull it off

BROOKSVILLE, Fla. — If you happen to’re into golf instruction, you could possibly do worse than be a fly on the wall at GOLF’s High 100 Academics Summit, an annual gathering of the sport’s most revered coaches that this week was performed at Cabot Citrus Farms, about an hour’s drive north of Tampa.

I, for one, absorbed every kind of knowledge within the two days I used to be onsite, together with however not restricted to: why chipping is harder at the moment than it was a technology in the past (new grasses, tighter lies, and so on.); the significance of hand and grip energy in producing energy (it issues!); and the issue too many amateurs unwittingly have with their putter shafts (too lengthy).

However there’s one tip that the majority caught with me: Find out how to play a short-sided bunker shot from a downhill lie. If you happen to’re like me, this shot retains you up night time; if it’s not the scariest shot in golf, it’s proper up there. Regardless of the place I place the ball or what membership I exploit or what sort of contact I make, I by no means appear to be to get the mandatory loft to launch the ball excessive and softly or sufficient spin to cease it shortly. The most typical outcome: a soul-crushing blade into the bunker face.

Enter Parker McLachlin, a former Tour winner who, in his post-playing days, has rebranded himself “the Quick Sport Chef.” (Try his stuff right here.) For about 45 minutes Tuesday, McLachlin stood within the depths of a cavernous greenside bunker at Citrus Farms as greater than 100 of his fellow academics and different assorted attendees peered down at him as Romans did on their leisure within the Colosseum. McLachlin dished every kind of good nuggets about how you can grasp bunker photographs, together with the significance of correct membership choice, however I leaned in hardest when one other instructor requested McLachlin for his ideas on how you can play bunker photographs off….yep, downhill lies.

Off a downslope, McLachlin defined, the ball naturally desires to return out low and quick, however you’ll be able to counter these forces of nature in your setup. Begin by totally opening the face in your highest lofted wedge, then setting your palms low to create much more efficient loft. You’ll additionally wish to barely slide again your path foot to provide your self room to swing the membership round you.

Each a part of your being goes to wish to “assist” the ball up, however, McLachlin mentioned, it’s important that you just resist this urge. In reality, as a substitute of tilting your proper shoulder under your left as you’d in a driver setup — a mistake I’ve been responsible of constructing — you’ll wish to do the inverse in order that your shoulder airplane is parallel with the downslope.

“That’s counterintuitive, as a result of we wish to hit it excessive, and each time we wish to hit it excessive, we wish to seem like this,” McLachlin mentioned as he lowered his path shoulder. “However once more, I’m going to get all my loft at setup, clubface, deal with place.”

The Chef’s remaining ingredient for executing one among golf’s hardest photographs: belief. As in, trusting that your method and instruments will do their jobs. Totally commit, then go.

McLachlin then put his phrases into motion.

From what was a horrid line on a downslope in the back of the bunker, the coach settled in and, as he had been doing all through his session, dazzled his viewers by making a tough shot look straightforward.   

I can’t wait to attempt the method for myself.