Where do you look when pitching and hitting from a bunker?

[Zeph]

Thought about this today, where my eyes are when chipping and pitch. On full swings I know people have different ways of doing it, but many look at the backside of the ball. Some look ahead of the ball to make sure you hit down on it.

On a chip, you want to hit the ball first, so it would be natural to look at the backside of the ball. But when pitching and hitting from greenside bunkers, you often want to hit the ground or sand somewhere behind the ball. Do you then look at the ball, or at the spot where you want the club to first touch the ground? Never considered this when playing, but I'm pretty sure I don't look behind the ball, but I'm thinking it might be a good idea.

[Gioguy21]

when i practice, i 'draw' a line behind the ball in the sand that's an inch behind the ball (if it's a greenside bunker, other bunkers are a different story) but when i play, i imagine that line behind the ball and focus on it, not the ball. coming out of a fairway bunker, i choke up an inch, keep the lower body quiet, club up, and focus on the back of the ball.

[Harmonious]

I focus a spot about an inch behind the ball in the sand.  I used to look about 3 inches in back of the ball, but that caused some bunker shots to come out heavy.  So 1 inch it is, for me. Seems to work pretty good.

[Scott_K]

I pick out a grain of sand that I can see and lock in on it.

[slabm7]

When I chip on put the ball back in my stance and focus on the back of the ball to make sure I get solid contact, in the bunker I pick a spot about an inch behind the ball and focus on that and then adjust my clubface and swing length to control distance.

[awmgolfer]

Same here as many have already said, I pick a spot about 2 inches behind the ball. For some reason last year I stopped doing that and my sand saves dropped a lot. As soon as I put my focus back on that spot my percentages spiked back up.

[TourSpoon]

For a greenside bunker it is 1" behind the ball.  Like Gioguy21 suggested, drawing a line 1" behind the ball as your entry point is a great sand drill.  For a fairway bunker it is the back of the ball.

[newtogolf]

  TourSpoon said:

Originally Posted by TourSpoon

For a greenside bunker it is 1" behind the ball.  Like Gioguy21 suggested, drawing a line 1" behind the ball as your entry point is a great sand drill.  For a fairway bunker it is the back of the ball.

Does it matter if it's sitting on top of the sand or plugged?

[jamo]

I focus my eyes a few inches behind the ball, as others have said.

[Fourputt]

A couple of inches behind the ball for a normal lie in a bunker.  I learned to imagine that the ball is lying on a dollar bill.  The ball is on Washington's portrait and you want the club to enter the sand on a shallow angle at the leading edge of the bill.  I make absolutely certain that I follow through.  I play the ball farther forward than I would a chip, and I also forward press with my knees, ala Gary Player.

[sean_miller]

Have to check when the snow melts, but I think I look at the ball. I just imagine it's sitting on a bagel and I have to get them both out. Or a 1/2 loaf of rye bread for buried lies.

[Fourputt]

  sean_miller said:

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Or a 1/2 loaf of rye bread for buried lies.

You got something against pumpernickel?

[Mattplusness]

I draw a mental line an inch or so behind the ball, depending on how far I want it to roll out, etc. That is where I look.