Short Game · Drill

Buried-lie bunker drill for forward shaft lean

The instructor teaches a drill for pure wedge contact: go in a bunker, take your pitching wedge, and deliberately bury the ball in a soft, fluffy lie (step on it to make a horrible buried lie), then hit full pitching-wedge shots out of it with a full swing, not bunker shots. Because the buried sand stops the clubhead, the drill forces your hands to keep moving forward through impact, building the feel of a forward shaft lean and striking down with the shaft ahead of the clubhead. This develops the feeling, muscle memory, and arm and hand strength for that move so you can use it on the rest of your shots and make pure contact with your wedges.