Pete Cowen on bunker play

**Stretch** · June 27, 2011

This is some of the most useful advice I've ever received on sand play. Practicing it has made a huge difference to my confidence level in the bunkers. Plus Pete reminds me so much of a regimental sergeant major that I just want to snap to attention and salute. Sah yes sah!

***iacas*** · June 29, 2011

Originally Posted by Stretch

This is some of the most useful advice I've ever received on sand play. Practicing it has made a huge difference to my confidence level in the bunkers. Plus Pete reminds me so much of a regimental sergeant major that I just want to snap to attention and salute. Sah yes sah!

I've had this video up since before my trip to Hershey because I wanted to watch it (for the third time) and post about it here. You've beaten me to it. :-)

**boogielicious** · July 3, 2011

This is pretty much the same lesson I got with Golf Evolution in Evolr. Of course, it was with an English accent as well (James). So now when I go into bunkers, I have Michael Palin's voice in my head and it gives me confidence!!!

It worked very well the last round I played.

**Mr. Desmond** · November 27, 2011

So if you are a S&T; guy, how do you make adjustments to what Cowan is demonstrating (or do any need to me made)?

Cowan says not to drive the club - and to illustrate driving the club, he has the handle of the club out and forward.

My guess is that:

Grip - change for all types of swing methods - strong left, weak right.

Weight is still forward as is ball position - so no change

I don't see where he mentions how far away he wants you to be from the ball - but since you're trying to shallow out and expose bounce, I'd guess you'd want to move away from the ball a bit.

Feet are out over feet as Cowan says -- so no change

The hips??

The left knee moves first in the downswing to help shallow out and move the hips a tad forward - so no change

No secondary tilt - less slide - or very little slide.

The handle of the club is neutral - a change is needed here - it looks as if Cowan's left wrist is cupped and his right wrist is straight at address.

It seems as if Stan Utley's saying is applicable to Cowan's swing -- which is in the sand, swing the club as if you're snapping a beach towel to open the bounce.

What am I missing?

***iacas*** · November 27, 2011

Originally Posted by Mr. Desmond

So if you are a S&T; guy, how do you make adjustments to what Cowan is demonstrating (or do any need to me made)?

To be blunt: why would you try to apply a full-swing technique to a short game shot, specifically, to a bunker shot?

I've never understood that question. From a fairway bunker, sure. For a pitch or a bunker shot around the green, huh?

Originally Posted by Mr. Desmond

It seems as if Stan Utley's saying is applicable to Cowan's swing -- which is in the sand, swing the club as if you're snapping a beach towel to open the bounce.

Yep. I personally prefer a very Utley-esque approach to the short game. Always have - it's nice to be able to call it something, though.

Anyway, different principles than the full swing, different goals, etc. I mix all sorts of pieces in including alignment, knee flex, hand depth, grip strength (both definitions), hinging rates, elbow locations and actions, etc.

**Mr. Desmond** · November 27, 2011

Originally Posted by iacas

To be blunt: why would you try to apply a full-swing technique to a short game shot, specifically, to a bunker shot?

I've never understood that question. From a fairway bunker, sure. For a pitch or a bunker shot around the green, huh?

To be blunt - probably because I don't know any better. There is no mention of specialty shots in the S&T; book, so it leaves the student wondering.

Originally Posted by iacas

Yep. I personally prefer a very Utley-esque approach to the short game. Always have - it's nice to be able to call it something, though.

Anyway, different principles than the full swing, different goals, etc. I mix all sorts of pieces in including alignment, knee flex, hand depth, grip strength (both definitions), hinging rates, elbow locations and actions, etc.

Yes, Utley is excellent in the Art of the Short Game.

**mvmac** · November 27, 2011

Originally Posted by Mr. Desmond

To be blunt - probably because I don't know any better. There is no mention of specialty shots in the S&T; book, so it leaves the student wondering.

They just don't do short game. Which is weird because both spent years with Mac, and Mac's short game models are from his time with Seve. I can see not getting into at schools but some of the players on tour have separate short game coaches. I guess they feel they haven't put the time into the short game as they did with full swing information.

**The_Pharaoh** · November 27, 2011

Originally Posted by mvmac

They just don't do short game. Which is weird because both spent years with Mac, and Mac's short game models are from his time with Seve. I can see not getting into at schools but some of the players on tour have separate short game coaches. I guess they feel they haven't put the time into the short game as they did with full swing information.

Where can I find information on how Golf Evolution goes about teaching the short game and putting? And don't say via Evolvr!

**JetFan1983** · November 27, 2011

Originally Posted by The_Pharaoh

Quote:

Originally Posted by mvmac

They just don't do short game. Which is weird because both spent years with Mac, and Mac's short game models are from his time with Seve. I can see not getting into at schools but some of the players on tour have separate short game coaches. I guess they feel they haven't put the time into the short game as they did with full swing information.

Where can I find information on how Golf Evolution goes about teaching the short game and putting? And don't say via Evolvr!

WHOOO HOOO JETS WIN...

OK, sorry about that.

Steve Sieracki gave me great short game tips, and he's basically Andy Plummer's understudy. There was definitely a Seve influence behind the tips since he mentioned him during the lesson.

Let's see, here are the tips he gave me:

1) I took my hands too inward so he told me to feel straight back straight through.

2) I stood too far away from the ball, and the heel would dig, so he told me to choke down and raise the handle so the heel and toe were even on the ground. He told me to stand closer to the ball, like I was crowding it.

3) Ball sort of back in my narrow stance for the chip, using the leading edge.

4) Ball forward in my stance when using the bounce.

I think he told me to re-hinge a bit more than I was when using the pitch shot. I might be wrong about this... hard to remember 100% of this lesson.

And of course, all this stuff really correlated well with Erik's Quickie Pitching Video, about pivoting through and not worrying about seeing the ball when the club makes contact with it.

In the bunkers, he told me to stay on my left side, ball forward in my stance, and just to maintain a flat left wrist the whole time. Nothing really different from any other shot in golf. It works really well. Oh yea, and he also told me that the lower I set my stance, the higher I can hit it, Seve style.

I'm not sure how much this answers your question, if at all, but this is what he told me to do based on the mistakes I was making.

And putting wise, he told me I needed more control/awareness over how far back and how far through I was taking the putter. More control over my finish (shorter than I was). I had a really slow and long stroke and he made it shorter and a bit faster. Also he made me feel more straight back, straight through. He said controlling the length of my backswing and through swing better would help me control distance better than I was.

**JetFan1983** · November 27, 2011

Originally Posted by iacas

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Desmond

It seems as if Stan Utley's saying is applicable to Cowan's swing -- which is in the sand, swing the club as if you're snapping a beach towel to open the bounce.

Yep. I personally prefer a very Utley-esque approach to the short game. Always have - it's nice to be able to call it something, though.

Anyway, different principles than the full swing, different goals, etc. I mix all sorts of pieces in including alignment, knee flex, hand depth, grip strength (both definitions), hinging rates, elbow locations and actions, etc.

Leaning the shaft back at address in the bunkers as Utley prescribes doesn't work at all for me. If it does, I'd like to know how

I like Utley too though except for this one minor quibble.

EDIT : And just because something doesn't work for me, doesn't mean it doesn't work of course! Sorry, had to edit that in....

**mvmac** · November 27, 2011

Originally Posted by The_Pharaoh

Where can I find information on how Golf Evolution goes about teaching the short game and putting? And don't say via Evolvr!

This thread http://thesandtrap.com/t/39411/quickie-pitching-video

I just did this a couple weeks ago,

And this

Originally Posted by JetFan1983

Leaning the shaft back at address in the bunkers as Utley prescribes doesn't work at all for me. If it does, I'd like to know how

I like Utley too though except for this one minor quibble.

EDIT: And just because something doesn't work for me, doesn't mean it doesn't work of course! Sorry, had to edit that in....

Just takes practice to trust it, also probably need to pivot more left. As you can tell in the video, I have my hands a little forward and still use the bounce

**JetFan1983** · November 27, 2011

Originally Posted by mvmac
Quote:

Originally Posted by JetFan1983

Leaning the shaft back at address in the bunkers as Utley prescribes doesn't work at all for me. If it does, I'd like to know how

I like Utley too though except for this one minor quibble.

EDIT: And just because something doesn't work for me, doesn't mean it doesn't work of course! Sorry, had to edit that in....

Just takes practice to trust it, also probably need to pivot more left. As you can tell in the video, I have my hands a little forward and still use the bounce

Thanks, Mike. I also realized that leaning the shaft back would expose more bounce and alter shot trajectory.

**Beachcomber** · November 27, 2011

Thanks for posting the video... I have a few quick questions on the video for anyone who can respond with further insight...

1.) Cowen talks about a 'butterfly' grip. Can anyone expand on why he does this? I use a standard interlock grip with a slightly strong left hand. I'm not understanding clearly why he changes his grip on the bunker shot.

2.) The sand Cowen is hitting from is pretty dry, fine and fluffy. How would the swing mechanics / setup change in conditions where you found yourself in a bunker with:

a.) Wet/compact sand? Some bunkers do not drain well after rain

b.) Course sand types - the sand he was hitting from was light and fluffy looking

I ask as some of the muni's and public courses many of us play - often times do not have the ideal bunker to play from.

**Suchmo** · May 20, 2015

Anyone got any answers for the questions in the post above (though it was posted long ago)?

**natureboy** · May 30, 2015

Thanks for posting the video... I have a few quick questions on the video for anyone who can respond with further insight...

1.) Cowen talks about a 'butterfly' grip. Can anyone expand on why he does this? I use a standard interlock grip with a slightly strong left hand. I'm not understanding clearly why he changes his grip on the bunker shot.

2.) The sand Cowen is hitting from is pretty dry, fine and fluffy. How would the swing mechanics / setup change in conditions where you found yourself in a bunker with:

a.) Wet/compact sand? Some bunkers do not drain well after rain

b.) Course sand types - the sand he was hitting from was light and fluffy looking

I ask as some of the muni's and public courses many of us play - often times do not have the ideal bunker to play from.

Anyone got any answers for the questions in the post above (though it was posted long ago)?

Besides Seve and Cowan, I also saw a video of Nicklaus (possibly from Golf My Way video) suggesting the same grip on a pitch. Nicklaus may have gotten it from Seve.

1. I believe the intent is to free range of motion in the wrists to allow hinge and release through the ball & get the shaft vertical or leaning back to expose the bounce & add loft relative to a more typical 'driving' / hands ahead of ball iron shot where a lower trajectory is desired.

2. Don't know Cowen's advice. Here are some options: http://thesandtrap.com/t/61515/how-to-play-poorly-maintained-greenside-bunkers-with-thin-sand-and-a-hard-substrate that jibe with the general advice I've heard. The big issue with very hard or compacted bunkers is the danger of bouncing the leading edge into the ball and skulling it over the green so using a little more leading edge with club selection or technique changes seems to add the desirable safety margin. Also less energy in the shot (length of swing / momentum speed) is needed because contact is usually closer to the ball and the firmer sand imparts more energy to the ball from the still indirect blow. I expect Pete would recommend his same technique in a wide range of sand types (Cowen Louis Ooisthuizen bunker vid has less fluffy sand), provided it wasn't water compacted or with a hard shallow base.

Here's another good one - bonus he uses the term 'glide':

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Pete Cowen on bunker play

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