The majority of amateur players would easily shave shots off their score by listening to small nuggets of advice shared by professionals.
Nelly Korda recently shared two tips for amateurs looking to break 80, and Bryson DeChambeau revealed key advice to avoid three putts in a recent Instagram clip.
Simple practices can often make all the difference, and PGA Tour star Tony Finau is the latest to offer help to those outside the professional scene.
Tony Finau offers bunker advice to amateurs
Bunkers can sometimes be card-wreckers for amateur players, with some taking two or three shots to escape traps.
Finau, however, has attempted to offer help.
“The best bunker advice I have is a nice wide base in your set-up and then a low handle, and then you’re rocking the baby,” said the Salt Lake City native in a recent Golf Digest clip.
“Meaning, if you’re holding the baby in your arms, take it back, you want the head to be facing you and going through, you want the head to be facing you, and you don’t want it to wake up.”
Amateur bunker statistics shared
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to read that most amateurs, at almost any level, struggle out of bunkers.
For example, a 12-handicap player from 15 yards will average just over three strokes to get down from the sand compared to 2.79 in the rough. Furthermore, being short-sided will add 0.3 shots depending on difficulty.
Looking at the average figures on the PGA Tour demonstrates just how impressive the professionals are from the sand. The leading player of the PGA Tour, Carl Yuan, got up and down 57 times during the 2024 season, registering a 70% success rate.
For those around the ten handicap range and seeking to reach single figures, ensuring they take no more than three shots from greenside bunkers is non-negotiable, with getting out the first time the absolute priority.
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