Golf tip: When to take 9-iron from sand

Let the ball run out to the flag using a 9-iron for lengthier bunker shots

Continueing his occasional series, PGA pro John Hoskison, who plays on the European Seniors Tour, offers some quick tips to help golfers understand their faults.

Seve Ballesteros once famously took on Nick Faldo in a bunker competition at Wentworth -but using just a 3-iron. Seve was always one for trying outrageous shots, but pros experiment all the time with different clubs out of sand traps.

Most club golfers however, when facing a bunker shot, automatically reach for the sand iron. Granted it will lift the ball out on a cushion of sand but will tend to flop high and finish well short of the hole from, say 20 yards.

Try the 9-iron option from sand instead of a wedge or sand iron

Sometimes it’s much easier to get the ball running across the green with a normal wedge or even a 9-iron.

We asked 10-handicapper Nathaniel Sherborne to give it a go and first time, the ball popped out and rolled to within 18 inches of the hole (as the picture above shows).

Half an hour experimenting in a bunker with different clubs will allow you to choose from a variety clubs and situations. Some of the results will surprise you, like this 9-iron played from a conventional stance to a pin at the back of the green. Take lots of sand and watch how the ball gets height and then runs up to the hole.

John Hoskison is attached to the Newbury Golf Centre and plays on the European Seniors Tour, having earned a conditional card after finishing 10th at Qualifying School at the Pestana. He returned to the UK to rebuild his career in tournament golf after spending time in China, where he was instrumental in the building a driving range for underprivileged children Fuzhou. He won the 2005 Jamega Tour Order of Merit with six victories from 12 starts. For further information visit John's website at www.johnhoskisongolf.com.