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Bunkers And Sand Traps - How To Play Them

By Lee MacRae

Here are some golf driving tips to make your sand and bunker game better. Take a trip out to the range and see what it does for your score the next time out

When sand is wet or really firm, your sand wedge, with it's wide flange may very easily bounce off the surface and blade the ball. In such circumstances, it's better to use a pitching wedge or, when the flag is a long way off and you want your ball to run more, then use a seven, eight, or nine iron. Play your ball back in an open stance [much as you would do when playing a chip from the fairway] and position your hands just ahead of the ball. Unlike most sand shots, this one requires that you concentrate on hitting the ball first and not the sand. Work out your "landing area" before hitting the shot, and try to hit that area. If you miss it, don't worry. With all sand shots, it's far more important to get out the sand and to leave your ball close to the hole.

Many golfers are afraid they will take to much sand and not get the ball out of the bunker. You know you have to hit the sand about two inches behind your ball. So, look for anything as a target - a crease in the sand, a small lump, a dark grain of sand, a small pebble - anything to aim for. Concentrate on THAT spot. Forget all about the ball. Just concentrate on hitting your spot in the sand with the right amount of club and swing. The sand will pop the ball out of the bunker.

Visual imagery is commom in bunker play. Some instructors tell students to imagine that the face of the club is the palm of their hands, which they "slap" under the ball in the hitting zone. We prefer to think of money. A dollar bill is slightly more than six inches long. That means that if the bill is laid under a golf ball, about two inches of the ball would protrude back from the bill. As the ideal "explosion shot" demands that you hit into the sand roughly two inches behind the ball, you should pretend that you're hitting the dollar ball out of the bunker. This is an especially useful image because in order to hit the ball right out of the bunker, you'll need to complete your follow-through, and that's another important element of just about every sand shot.

Knowing the basic techniques of bunker sand play and understanding the subtleties of the various problems you can encounter will actually lead you to even enjoy the play from a sand bunker. I'm sure these tips will help you to enjoy your next round of golf.

About the author
Lee MacRae runs several online stores where you can find a great weighted golf club or a great golf putter today!

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